Bed bugs are obligatory hematophagous (bloodsucking) insects. Cimex lectularius, is the best known as it prefers to feed on human blood. These parasites are called bed bugs because of their preferred habitat, warm houses and especially near or inside beds and bedding or other sleep areas. Bed bugs are mainly active at night. But are not exclusively nocturnal. They usually feed on their hosts without being noticed. Bed bugs use pheromones and kairomones to communicate regarding nesting locations, feeding, and reproduction.
Physical Appearance and Life Span:
Adult bed bugs are light brown to reddish-brown, flat, oval, and have no hind wings.
Newly hatched nymphs are translucent, lighter in color, and become browner as they moult and reach maturity. A bed bug nymph of any age that has just consumed a blood meal has a bright red, translucent abdomen, fading to brown over the next several hours, and to opaque black within two days as the insect digests its meal.
Bed bugs can survive a wide range of temperatures and atmospheric compositions. Although under certain cool conditions adult bed bugs can live for over a year without feeding. Bedbugs prefer exposed skin, preferably the face, neck, and arms of a sleeping person.
Life Cycle:
Bed bugs have five immature nymph life stages and a final sexually mature adult stage. They shed their skins through ecdysis at each stage, discarding their outer exoskeleton. Bed bugs must molt six times before becoming fertile adults and must consume at least one blood meal to complete each molt.
The complete lifecycle can be completed in as little as two months. Fertilized females with enough food lay three to four eggs each day. Possibly generating as many as 500 eggs in their lifetime. Research says single pregnant bed bug, can be responsible for an entire infestation over a matter of weeks, rapidly producing generations of offspring.
Harmful Effects of Bed Bugs to Humans:
- Bed bug bites leads to skin rashes. Unlike flea bites that are mainly around the ankles, bedbug bites are on any area of skin exposed while sleeping.
- Psychological effects
- Allergic symptoms
- Bed bugs are not known to transmit any pathogens as disease vectors.
How do Bedbugs enter Your Home?
Bedbugs enter into building undetected through luggage, clothing, used beds and couches and other items as their thin bodies make it possible for them to fit into tiny spaces.
They normally feed at night hours. However, they are active during daytime at places like theatres, offices, rest rooms, vehicles, etc.
Identification of Bed Bug infestation:
- Bed bugs can be identified by blood stains
- Rusty spots of their excreta on sheets and mattresses, bed clothes
- The offensive, musty odor from the bugs’ scent glands.
SIPC Odorless Residual Spray & Steam Jet Treatment for Bed Bugs:
- Bayer-Temprid Residual Spray & Steam Jet Treatment
- Residual Spray on bedbugs breeding & Hiding Areas
- Followed by the Chemical Treatment Steam Jet Injection in all edges, Corners, cracks & crevices to eliminate the Eggs, Eggs wont be killed by any chemicals.
- SIPC – Bed Bug Treatment service is a comprehensive bed bug management service including mechanical (steam sterilization) and chemical treatments that ensure safety and efficacy.
- The control treatments are decided based on the pest population, treatment feasibility and need of the customers place.
- SIPC Bed Bugs treatment ensures killing of all bugs hiding in beds, Mattresses (Mattress buttons) , folds at the edges, cracks and crevices in walls, etc.
- Chemical treatment will be given to articles like bed frames, wall hangings, picture frames, night lamp stands, stuffed furniture, base boards, behind loose wall papers, light switches, door and window frames, conduits etc. with approved public health chemical at optimum concentration.
- One course of bed bugs treatment comprises of two schedules within an interval of twenty days. This ensures complete killing of all stages of bed bugs in the premises giving 100% control.
- Prevention: As bed bugs enter into our premises via people coming from bed bug prone places like theaters, trains, buses, etc., cooperation on the client is needed to implement preventive check measures.