What Are Bed Bugs?
Bed bugs are small insects that drink blood off of any mammal they come in contact with. They started out existing off of what they could get in animal beds, caves, and nests. Over time they adapted to living in human homes. Once a home has been infested, they can inhabit the lining of mattresses, in other furniture, and carpet. They are not restricted to one area in the world. They are spread all across the globe.
What Do Bed Bugs Look Like?
They are a small brownish colored bug without wings. The just hatched bed bugs are very hard to see with the naked eye because they are very small, but the older adult bed bugs are about 1/4 inch long, oval in shape, and very flat all over. When they molt they can be almost white in color, but they eventually turn back to a brownish tone. They leave their molted skins behind, and sometimes they can be found where they nest. A bed bug that has already fed will have a dark mass in the center of its body. This is the blood content showing through.
How Do Bed Bugs Infest Homes?
One common way that bed bugs enter homes is through the purchase or passing of used furniture and mattresses that are already infested with these flat bugs that kind hide well. They also may leave behind eggs and hatchlings that will spread quickly around the infested furniture. You can also pick bed bugs up while traveling with luggage in unfamiliar places. They can climb into your luggage and bedding, and make the trip back home with you, leaving you none the wiser of their presence.
How to Rid a Home of Bed Bugs
First of all, you will need to correctly identify your infestation as bed bugs. There are other small brown bugs that may resemble bed bugs, but they probably act different than bed bugs. If you are unable to identify them through image or behavior, you may need to seek out help from an entomologist. Then you will need to contact a pest control company to treat the infested and surrounding area. Once the treatment has been done, remove all clutter from the home, and wash everything thoroughly. Whatever cannot be washed and has been visibly infested by the bed bugs will need to be thrown out. This should help deter re-infestation.
