Bed Bugs, The Creepy Little Critters

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After several decades of being on hiatus, bed bugs have returned, and they’re lurking in homes, apartment buildings, office constructions, department stores, college dorm rooms, motels, in the public transportation and the movie showrooms. The following explanations fully cover all the questions that you may have concerning the bed bugs.

7 Things to Know About Bed Bugs

Almost all the pest control corporations have reported a massive 70% rise in demand for extinction services in the last year.

It appears these parasitic bloodsucking bugs are spread everywhere.

The reason they are everywhere is that they hitch on people’s clothing and get a ride to their next dwelling. However, it is frightening to contemplate about going to watch a movie and bringing them back home; numerous people don’t encounter them at all.

Nevertheless, the possible risk is there, and it is best that you understand how you can get these bugs so that you can guard yourself appropriately from carrying an infestation into your home.

A bug in any occasion cannot survive without mating. They mate a bizarre progression known as traumatic insemination.

The following explanations fully cover all the questions that you may have concerning the bed bugs.

How Do You Know If You Have Bed Bugs?

It is always important to be on the lookout for the infestation signs. They usually like to reside in warm locations where humans sleep for instance beds, couches, and futons.

You might see them with the naked eye, or view fecal matter on the mattress, in wall crevices and pillowcases.

Contradicting to general belief, these bugs don’t care about the cleanliness of a site. They do although; flourish in cluttered domiciles since there are lots of hiding sites obtainable. They do not animate in nests, but they do live close to one another in a small group.

Kairomones and other pheromones permit them to communicate with one another for assembling in a small group and breeding.

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If you learn or suspect an infestation, just lay still on your bed for a few hours having lights off and then turn them on quickly to clasp the outbreak in action. These bugs disseminate when the lights turn on just like cockroaches, both of which are horrible pests.

How To Check For Bed Bugs

Checking bed bugs can be challenging, as they are tiny and capable of hiding in minute cracks and crevices. However, the evidence of a bed bug infestation might be discovered in bedding and on mattresses.

How to Avoid Bed Bugs in a Hotel

  1. Put your luggage on the luggage rack NOT on the bed
  2. Store extra luggage in the bathtub
  3. Do not leave purses, bags or luggage near the bed
  4. Check the headboard, use a flashlight or phone flashlight. Check the cracks and under the headboard, if possible
  5. Check the edge of the mattress and boxspring. Look for the droppings or the insect itself (reddish-brown)
  6. Report immediately if you find any

Live bed bugs abandon clusters of dark brown or black spots of dried ordure on infected surfaces. Bed bugs also radiate a subtle, sweet, moldy odor.

They are usually found in a place where humans spend numerous of their time, and since bed bugs have flattened physiques, they like to get into minor cracks and fracture near where human sleep.

Examples comprise mattresses, box springs, headboards, and other furniture 5-8 feet within the bed not forgetting the bed frames. Other common sites include the cracks and spaces behind walls, floor molding, door, and window molding, and the meeting points of the carpet edges.

Bed bugs have been known to occur in numerous diverse sites if their population is enormous and they have dispersed from their more normal regions to zones where they are usually less likely to be obtained. These bugs are easily transported into formerly non-infested dwellings.

If you have noticed a bedbug infestation within your home, contact a pest control expert to discuss management options. Head over to Google and type in “bed bug exterminator”.

Be prepared, the cost is very high. In Las Vegas, we paid more than $1000 in 2013 to remove the bed bugs from our home. It worked.

What Kills Bed Bugs

Bed bugs are highly susceptible to heat; exposing them to a particular extent of direct heat will kill them automatically, while lower temperatures can kill them in a couple of minutes.

This is the reason numerous forms of heat management are commendable.

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Some less recognized heat weapons have been suggested online for instance clothes irons.

Clothes irons may reach the temperature required to kill bed bugs, but the heat might not penetrate deep into soft materials to where the bedbugs may be hiding.

You similarly can’t iron regions besides sheets and clothes and other sections such crevices and cracks in walls, furniture, and floors.

A hairdryer may appear like a safer approach to killing bed bugs using heat. Unfortunately, their maximum temperature is rarely more than 150 degrees.

The heat extent can kill bed bugs, however only if you maintain the heat over them for several minutes. Thus, unless you need to follow every bug you notice around with a hairdryer until they finally die, you’d possibly be better off just thrashing them with the thing.

To be clear, you can instantly kill bed bugs using heat. It’s just a matter of using the right equipment.

A powerful steamer is a weapon of selection for killing bed bugs on contact because their steam can be greater than 200 degrees, and can penetrate deep into soft materials such as mattresses and upholstered furniture.

You can similarly apply a steamer on clothes or other fabrics; a steamer can kill bed bugs in baseboards, windowsills, floorboards, door frames, and the carpet edges.

If you require treating items that can’t be washed or steamed, you can utilize a portable bed bug heater, such as a ZappBug Oven or a room heater. The heaters can securely handle the household’s items such as books, and CDs.

Not only are the bed bug heaters efficient section of the bed bug management course, but also they’re one of the most common deterrence tools on the market. When you come home from a journey, merely place your suitcase in the heater, and turn it on. In only a matter of minutes, any bedbugs or eggs concealed in your belongings will be dead.

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Are Bed Bugs Visible To The Naked Eye?

A bed bug is upside down on a bed

Bed bugs are visible to the naked eye. Their physical appearance can vary a little dependent on their age.

What Bugs are mistaken for Bed Bugs?

There is no argument that the bed bug infestations are increasing on a daily basis and, in the previous years, have steadily increased in number in the U.S and the world.

It leads to increased anxiety for both clients and commercial owners who are suspicious of the exposure to the bed bugs. One outcome of the paranoid is the vast number of pests that are mistakenly considered bed bugs.

For your convenience, here is a list and description of the numerous common pests mistaken for the bed bugs.

Spider Beetle

Spider beetle is the size and shape of fleas, dark brown, and oval. They might seem bloated and reddish-brown as if they had merely fed on human blood. The spider beetles feed on goods located in household pantries in the night or the dark sites and are not the bloodsuckers.

Cockroach Nymphs

Cockroach Nymphs hide in crevices and cracks liking to stay close to food, moisture, and warmth. They are usually active during the night. They appear white as soon as they hatch or molt, and rapidly turn reddish-brown resembling bed bugs. However, the cockroach nymph is more like the cylinder shape, whereas a bed bug is oval and shorter, or apple-seed shapes. Exposure to cockroaches can result in asthma and start asthma attacks.

Booklice

Booklice are always mistaken for the bed bugs and nymphs. They are lesser in size, varying from translucent white, to brown or gray in appearance. They can still be gotten under wallpaper and along the sections of windows and the windowsills. Their primary food source is pollen, fungi, and dead insect’s fragments.

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Carpet Beetles

Even though the carpet beetles are brown, round, and small, they have different wings. Their larvae appear like furry caterpillars. They don’t bite, but allergic individuals can encounter welts of exposed to their tiny hairs. Carpet beetles can destroy furniture, fabric, clothing, and carpeting that have natural animal fibers.

Bat bugs

Bat bugs appear like the bed bugs and are best identified by a professional entomologist using a microscope. The main variation is the longer length of the fringe hairs found just below the head. Similarly, as their name suggests, they depend on the blood bats for survival but always found in attics. If bats are excluded and bat bugs left behind, suckling on humans and pets can occur.

Do Bed Bugs Travel On peoples clothes?

It’s not easy, or it is unlikely that a bed bug would travel on you or the clothes you are wearing. The reason, you travel too often and too much to be a better hiding region. Bed bugs are possible to be spread through luggage, briefcases, backpacks, used furniture, and mattresses.

Image shows a bed with the word Bed Bugs on the pillow and little dots that look like bed bugs covering the pillow. "how to get rid of bed bugs" and ballenvegas.com is on the footer
Infestations are on the rise, and it is significant that you are prepared with the appropriate skills that you need to prevent the bugs from invading your home.

How Do I Permanently Get Rid Of Bed Bugs?

Infestations are on the rise, and it is significant that you are prepared with the appropriate skills that you need to prevent the bugs from invading your home.

The most critical prevention approach begins in your surroundings. If your neighbors have an invasion, it is significant that they do not eject out their stuff to the curb.

They ought to have it picked up by a track instantly so that no neighbors or onlookers are lured to snatch up the furniture for their home.

Placing bug-invaded furniture outside is trying haven for cats. Numerous cats will jump on the furniture and end up being attacked by the bedbugs. If your cat happens to be adventuring and returns home to be allowed in, it will undoubtedly bring the bugs into your home.

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The best technique to use is to keep your cat indoors if there are rumors that neighbors have put bug-invaded furniture outside. If there is no probable approach of getting someone to dispose of the furniture directly, the best thing to do is to place a sign out by the furniture that displays a warning. That should get the point across to prevent anybody from taking the furniture.

Once you realize that you have an infestation, you should come up with a technique to eliminate them instantly before the state worsens. Since the development of new bugs takes some time, you can kill an entire colony and stop them from laying fresh eggs with the appropriate management and treatments.

There are two overall approaches for removal; do-it-yourself techniques or you can hire a specialized exterminator.

The do-it-yourself approach is much cheaper than hiring an expert. However, dependent on the infestation severity, attempting to exterminate them individually might not be an appropriate approach of eliminating the infestation. Treatments can be costly, particularly if you have an out-of-control invasion.

Here’s How to get rid of Bed Bugs Yourself:

  1. Strip the beds of their linen
  2. Place linen in sealed garbage bags
  3. Vacuum the entire bed and crevices
  4. Using a steam cleaner, steam the entire bed, cracks, and mattresses
  5. Remove the mattresses and Vacuum and Steam Each
  6. Use a Bed Bug Spray around the headboard and bed frame (follow manufacturers directions)
  7. Encase your mattresses in sealed, zipped, mattress bags. You’ll need to keep your mattresses sealed for a year or two to prevent any bed bugs escaping and infecting the area again.
  8. If possible, move your bed away from the walls
  9. Install Bed Bug Traps
  10. Use a portable heater to heat the entire room or areas of the room where bed bugs might hide.
  11. Use a bed bug powder killer in cracks and crevices where they may hide
  12. If a pregnant female or male and female remain, they can continue to spread. If you see any signs after following these steps, call a professional
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Can You Feel A Bed Bug Crawling On You?

Bed bugs have survived for numerous years by being elusive. Hiding is what they best do, and they tend to remain out of sight, in spite of staying in close quarters with people. Their primary defense approach is just to come out to feed the time humans are unlikely to be conscious of them.

Bed bugs are not nocturnal, but they incline to do to emerge in the night. They develop whenever they contemplate they can acquire a safe meal, and that usually is when their hosts (us) are asleep. Similarly, these insects are somehow minute. They’re just about the dimension of a grain of an apple seed or a lentil.

They are small ninjas that capitalize in sneaking into your body when you won’t notice them. It is not necessary that you will be asleep when they crawl on you. It could be when you’re in a class focused on learning, when you’re sitting in your office chair in front of your PC at work, or when you’re at home relaxing on the couch in the sunset. You’re unlikely to sense it when bed bugs crawl on you.

What Home Remedy Can Kill Bed Bugs?

SayByeBugs

The best approaches to eliminate bed buds are pesticides, heat treatment, and via thorough cleaning, however, here are a few home remedies that may help.

Hot water

Use extremely hot water to wash your linens, clothes and other fabric materials that might have had the bugs. The high temperature of the water will generally kill anything hiding in the clothes

Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous Earth is a powder that’s efficient for some different pests, comprising bed bugs, and it’s chemical-free, created from fossil remains of small aquatic organisms.

It kills bed bugs by dehydrating them, as it includes properties that absorb the oils and fat from the pests. Utilize 100% pure Diatomaceous Earth powder at the infested region, and finally, you’ll see dead bed bugs that can be vacuumed away.

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Whereas it takes as long as ten days for it to kill the bugs, it contains a very high mortality rate at more massive than 90% and it’s also easy to shake in cracks and crevices that can else be hard to get to.

Before you apply it, ensure you wash all your linens in the hottest water obtainable, and thoroughly vacuum your home. Sure, you’re equipped to sprinkle it onto invaded sections such as your bed and bedroom, dress properly by putting on a mask.

Vacuum Everything

Besides washing all the linens, fabrics, mattresses, etc. in the hottest water, vacuuming everything can likely aid to eliminate bed bugs infestations. Be ready to vacuum the entire chairs and other furnishings, box springs, all carpets, mattresses, all chairs, mattress encasement, and curtains.

Bed bugs can be hiding everywhere and anywhere, including furnished furniture and particularly in obscure sites. It is not possible to discover them in electronics too. Vacuum all rooms carefully, at least once a week, turning all the items. Dispose of the vacuum bag, outside, after you’re done vacuuming the section.

Steam Cleaning

As some items might not be washed at high temperatures, and infestations that might not be entirely removed by vacuuming, you may need to turn to steam scrubbing if you’ve got an awful problem with bed bugs.

Steam cleaning using high heat is efficient at killing these irritating creatures, as neither the adult bed bug nor their eggs can survive at the steam. Scientists have discovered that bugs are rapidly killed when subjected to temperatures exceeding 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

Similarly, one of the most considerable significances of steam cleaning is that heat management penetrates deeper into the fabric and it can reach sections that would be impossible to get to such as corners, crevices, and small cracks.

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You can purchase a small handheld steam cleaner that contains a steady flow of vapor, or rent an expert steam cleaner. The equipment usually comes with numerous diverse attachments that will permit you to access even the most challenging spots.

They form fog-like steam that will instantly eliminate bed bugs, even the ones you can’t see. Be sure to utilize dry steam rather than wet, as wet steam might damage fabrics or soft furnishings.

With dry steam, you can and ought to use it everywhere, just like you would when vacuuming from the complete bedding and mattresses to cracks, furniture, flooring, and fixtures.

Baking Soda

Some say baking soda works.

Baking soda functions by merely drying out the creepy little creatures, as it sucks moisture from them and finally kills them. Spread a light layer of it in the entire invested areas in the home, laying it from each wall to the corners and doorways-anywhere you think the bugs might have invaded.

Permit the baking soda to sit for a whole week. After a week is gone, suck up all the baking soda with the vacuum cleaner, ordinarily following the vacuuming process, ensuring each region is thoroughly cleaned to eliminate all the bugs and their eggs. You might repeat the process on numerous occasions to remove the invasion.

Tea Tree Oil

Some say tea tree oil can kill bed bugs.

Tea tree oil is an antibiotic, expectorant, anti-fungal, antiseptic, and antiviral. It is not just excellent for destroying viral and bacterial contagions; it can also be used to kill insects, comprising bed bugs, as it has anti-parasitic features that make it adept of destroying or subduing their growth.

Be careful with this if you have cats. High concentration tea tree oils can be toxic!

For a minor bed bug invasion, you might be capable of using tea tree oil to fight it off before it grows beyond manageable limits. Dilute drops of 100 percent pure tea oil in a pure spray using water and then carefully sprayed the infested furnishings.

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Getting under, nearby, and on all regions of affected mattresses, and walls, soft materials, and washing all fabrics in the hottest water possible is a sure approach of elimination of these suckling blood creatures. You should repeat the process on a weekly basis until the problem is under control.

Peppermint Leaves

Some have claimed Peppermint Leaves worked to kill their bed bugs.

You can use peppermint leaves to kill bed bugs, for a reason, above-oil in the leaves provides excellent bug repellent action. Just crush and dry mint leaves to form about one cup, and then spread the crushed leaves around the affected regions.

If you have a more significant challenge, you might require three or four cups of the leaves. Repeat the processes once a week until the bugs are eliminated, vacuuming up the old leaves that have lost their effectiveness, swapping with new ones.

Black Walnut Tea

Others have reported Black Walnut Tea can help remove bed bugs.

Black walnut tea provides anti-fungal, insecticidal, antibacterial, and repulsive properties to aid eliminate the bugs. It’s an ingenious approach to use tea bags, but of course, you’d possibly rather not have that challenge in the first place. Just put black walnut tea bags strategically all over your home, in all corners and curves, mattresses and bedding, to eradicate the bugs and their eggs.

Does Baking Soda Kill Bed Bugs?

There’s no scientific evidence to support the claim that baking soda kills bed bugs. We included it in this article as there are people that claim it works. Truthfully, there’s no silver bullet for bed bugs. Eradicating them usually requires a multifaceted approach. So while baking soda has been effective in some cases, it’s not a reliable remedy on its own.

Bed bug infestation is difficult to deal with because:

  • Bed bugs hide in almost every crack and crevice
  • They multiply quickly
  • It’s not easy to identify the origin of the infestation
  • It’s not easy to determine the extent of the infestation
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A holistic process combining a variety of solution is therefore required. Using baking soda alone does not even come close to solving the problem. Baking soda and other remedies such as essential oils and pepper powder manage the symptoms but don’t cure the problem, which is best dealt with by a qualified bug expert. So if you notice some bed bugs in your home, the wisest measure to take is to call a qualified exterminator to treat the problem before it becomes worse.

Can Alcohol Kill Bed Bugs?

Among the most popular DIY pest control solutions used by people in an attempt to rid their homes of bed bugs is Isopropyl alcohol, ethanol, or rubbing alcohol. There are also some products containing alcohol and aimed at killing bed bugs.

Like many other bed bug remedies, these types of alcohol-based products offer only a partial solution. Effective as many alcohol sprays may be at killing the bugs, entomologists favor products that have a higher concentration of Isopropyl alcohol.

Moreover, alcohol-based bed bug remedies are uniquely problematic because alcohol is flammable, which makes it hazardous. The products may also damage some fabric and surfaces. So it’s important to inform all the residents in a building whenever using alcohol-based products to treat bed bug infestations.

For the best results when using rubbing alcohol to treat a bed bug infestation, make sure the spray comes into direct contact with the bugs. Furthermore, repeat the cleaning process after 14 days even if it appears as if the initial treatment is working to minimize the risk of re-infestation by newly-hatched bed bug eggs.

If you decide to use alcohol-based products for a DIY bed bug remedy, make sure you strictly follow the instructions on the labeling. Spray your bed and bedding in an area that is well-ventilated, preferably outside the house. Avoid inhaling rubbing alcohol as it is poisonous. In case you experience difficulties in breathing after the spraying process, seek medical help immediately.

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What Are Bed Bugs Attracted To?

Among the first things you learn about bed bugs is that they track you at night by heading to the area with the largest carbon dioxide concentration in the room.

You breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide and steam. Since you’re relatively motionless while asleep, a carbon dioxide cloud gathers just above you, giving your location away to the bed bugs.

Second, bed bugs are attracted to your temperature. With a typical core temperature of about 208.4°F and skin temperature of about 195.8°F, you’re the warmest thing in your room at night. Your warmth serves as a beacon to the bed bugs.

Lastly, bed bugs are attracted to dark cracks and crevices because these places offer a place to nest their eggs and hide during the day.

What Do Bed Bug Bites Feel and Look Like?

Bed bug bites are similar to that of mosquito bites. The bites result in redness, bulge, and itching in the region that has been bitten.

When one of these little creatures bites you, you will notice many red spots in the entire of your body. It might result in minor allergic reactions, itching, swelling, rashes, blisters, lesions, itching, and pus to appear. Although, if the victim contains a robust immune system, the bites may not result in too much of an irritation any more than a mosquito bite would.

In some instances, bites might not have visible effects at all or might yield tiny red spots that can be itchy for days. It is also conceivable to obtain a central hemorrhagic spot triggered by the bugs’ saliva.

Bites might similarly enhance other kinds of more severe symptoms, and you will require seeking out a medical physician for proper management.

Bed Bugs bruises!
by japharl

Can Bed Bugs Live In Your Hair?

Your hair is not the ideal place for bed bugs to live, but they may hide there to hitch a ride from one place to another, such as the hotel to your home.

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Bed bugs like to nest in places that are out of sight when they feed. So if you keep finding bugs crawling in your hair throughout the day, they’re probably lice, ticks or fleas. Unlike these other pests, bed bugs are not equipped to move around in your hair.

Where do bed bugs hide during the day?

When it comes to playing hide and seek, bed bugs are pros. They can quickly crawl over short distances despite their size. These nocturnal critters tuck themselves out of sight during the day. Among their favorite hiding spots are the seams and folds in mattresses.

They also seek refuge in bedding, the baseboard, and furniture close to your bed. In the primary infestation area (usually the bedroom), you’ll find bed bugs in wallpaper, electrical sockets, picture frames, curtain folds, and so on. At the hotel, bed bugs hide in suitcases placed on the floor close to the bed. So make sure you inspect the room before settling in.

Why Am I The Only One Getting Bit?

It might seem like you’re the only one getting bit or the one getting bitten the most. You might wake up with rashes all over your body while your roommate appears to have gotten off unscathed.

The reason you might feel horrible the morning after the bugs feast and you while your roommate seems unbothered is people react to the bites differently.

Some develop welts on their skins; others are unaffected. While you may both have been bitten equally, the symptoms for the bites may vary.

Will burning my bed cure the bed bug problem?

Many people believe that burning their beds solves the bed bug problems completely. However, that doesn’t work because the replacement bed will eventually become infested by the other bugs in an infested home. So don’t be too quick to discard your bed.

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Admittedly, discarding your bed solves the problem partly because it gets rid of a large portion of the bed bug population residing in the mattress and box spring. You can replace your bed if it’s severely infested, too old and in need of replacing anyway, or you’re unable to deal with the trauma of an infested bed.

If you decide to get rid of your bed by burning it, be careful when taking it outside as you may disperse bed bug eggs in other areas of your home. It’s advisable to wrap it completely in plastic before taking it out. Make sure there’s a clear way outside so that you don’t have to leave it in hallways for any period as you remove barriers.

Some people choose to treat the bed with pesticide, which is not recommended and the pesticide used in specifically made for that purpose. Such pesticides are rare and, if you use them, strictly follow the instructions on the label to avoid harmful pesticide exposure.

The most effective way of dealing with infested mattresses is vacuuming or directly steaming them to kill or remove bugs and eggs. After that, encase the treated mattress with an encasement such as a Protect-A-Bed BugLock® encasement to trap and starve to death the remaining bugs and to limit future infestations.

Does Baby Powder Kill Bed Bugs?

On its own, baby powder cannot kill bed bugs. Baby powder with talcum can, however, be used along with the following ingredients and materials to make a bed bug trap.

  • Talcum baby powder
  • A sizable piece of fabric
  • Inverted flat-bottomed pet bowl
  • Cotton ball
  • One-third gallon thermos
  • Gloves
  • Cubes of dry ice
  • Masking tape

Line the exterior of the pet dish with the fabric and masking tape to make it easy for bed bugs to climb up the sides. Use the cotton ball to apply a light layer of talcum baby powder inside the bottom of the pet bowl.

Use the gloves to place the dry ice inside the thermos (note: do NOT touch dry ice with your bare hands). Relieve pressure by slightly opening the spout. Place the thermos on top of the dish and put the trap where you suspect there might be a bed bug infestation. Leave it overnight. If you find bed bugs in the trap in the morning, kill them by putting the trap in the freezer for a few hours.

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The trap works by attracting bed bugs with the carbon dioxide released by the melting dry ice. The bugs climb up the side of the dish and fall down the side. They’re unable to escape because the talcum powder makes the sides of the dish too slippery to crawl on. If you have a bed bug infestation, call a bed bug expert to treat it.

Can Peroxide Kill Bed Bugs?

Some people believe hydrogen peroxide is a good solution for bed bugs because it’s highly corrosive and is an extremely powerful oxidant. However, hydrogen peroxide is at best a partial solution.

Note that spraying it directly onto your skin can lead to burns and scarring as it’s acidic. So while it’s deadly to bed bugs, it can harm skin and stain bedding and clothes, making it a less than ideal solution for your bed bug problems.

Can Bed Bugs Jump?

Bed bugs don’t have wings like cockroaches or feet similar to fleas’ so they can fly or jump very far. Bed bugs move from one host to another by crawling. They are considered true bugs as they belong to the Hemiptera order of insects.

Do Bed Bugs Live In A Pillow?

Bed bugs hide in cracks and crevices in the bedroom, and mattresses and pillows are among their favorite habitats. Pillows are especially susceptible to severe infestation because they can host the bugs’ eggs.

Signs of Bed Bugs on a mattress

You might see fecal stains of dried excrement from bed bugs on infested pillows, mattress cover, mattresses, comforters, cushioned furniture, etc. Bed bug nymphs in their developmental stages molt or shed skin which you can also find around the infested material.

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Fully mature bed bugs become visible on closer examination of these materials. Don’t forget to examine the seams of mattresses and mattress covers.

Besides fecal stains and shed skin, the appearance of bites can also signal infestation in pillows. While they may not cause a reaction in some people, these bites may result in red-colored bumps in about two or three days. Also referred to as papules or wheals, these bites often appear in a row.

If you notice any bed bug bites, closely inspect your pillows for small dark spots of bug excrement. You might also notice a sweet, musky scent coming from mattresses, sheets, and pillows. If your pillows are infested, then it’s likely that the bed bugs have spread to other areas of the house.

Can Bed Bugs Bite Through Clothes?

Bed bug bites often appear under clothes, but that doesn’t mean that bed bugs can bite through clothes. They crawl underneath the clothes and bite the skin.

What Scents Repel Bed Bugs?

Some natural products produce a scent that repels bed bugs. These products include tea tree oil, lavender oil, diatomaceous earth, lemon juice, and pepper powder. There are easily available in most stores. Dilute tea tree oil or lavender oil with some water and spray it on infested materials such as furniture, beds, and carpets.

Do Bed Bugs Spread Quickly?

Bed bugs can quickly traverse short distances within an infested area, but infestation spread slowly from one room to another.

How Long Do Bed Bugs Last?

Bites from bed bugs typically last no more than two weeks and don’t usually cause health issues in the long term. However, people who are extra sensitive to insect bites can take a bit longer to heal.

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Lori Ballen, REALTOR®

Lori Ballen, Realtor

Hi! I’m Lori Ballen REALTOR®. My team serves the Greater Las Vegas area from Summerlin to Boulder City, and everything in between. You can reach us at 702-604-7739.

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