Bed bugs feed on human blood, usually during the night while the victim is sound asleep. Bed bug bites can cause skin rashes, allergic reactions, and psychological distress.
These bites may appear as a small itchy red spot to a large blister, and may take a few minutes to a few days to appear. Likewise, some people feel tired or may even develop a fever. Usually, bare areas of the body are bitten and often there are three bites in a row. Fortunately, bed bugs bites are not reputed to transmit infectious diseases.
How Your Home Becomes Infested
Bed bugs have been a common human parasite for millennia. Bed bugs spread by crawling from one location to another nearby location, such as from one bed to another in the same room. They can also be carried on personal items, such as, if you stayed at a hotel with a bed bug infestation they could ride home your pajamas. Infestation is not due to poor hygiene but rather, it’s more common in high-density population areas.
Bed bugs occur all over the world, however, infestations in the United States have increased since the 1990s. The exact cause of this increase is unclear, but more travel to exotic locations, as well as more people purchasing second-hand items, may be contributing factors.
Getting Rid of Bed Bugs
Bed bugs spend most of their time creeping around in the dark, hiding in mattress seams as well as cracks in your walls. Getting rid of bed bugs is often difficult, in part because bed bugs can live for up to a year without food.
Bed bug treatments include heating the infested room to 122 °F for more than 90 minutes; this could easily be accomplished during a Phoenix summer, by simply turning off the air conditioner. Likewise, clothing and bedding should be washed at high temperatures, and frequent vacuuming is necessary. Repeated treatments are often required.
Various pesticides can also be used; however, bed bugs are known to develop resistance to pesticides. Likewise, pesticides can be toxic to humans and pets. Heat treatments should be the first line of defense.
If you think you have Bed Bugs and need us to inspect your home call us today.
