What are bed bugs? What do bed bugs look like?

Bed bugs are small, oval, wingless insects that reach about 1/4 inch in length. They belong to the insect family Cimicidae, which includes three species that bite people. Bed bugs have flat bodies and are reddish-brown in color. They may sometimes be mistaken for ticks or small cockroaches. Bed bugs feed by sucking blood from humans or animals. They do not develop wings and cannot fly.

Where are bed bugs found?

Bed bugs were common in the U.S. before World War II and became rare after widespread use of the pesticide DDT began in the 1940s and 1950s. They remained prevalent in other areas of the world and, in recent years, have been increasingly observed again in the U.S. Increases in immigration and travel from the developing world as well as restrictions on the use of stronger pesticides may be factors that have led to the relatively recent increase in bed bug infestations. While bed bugs are most likely to be found when sanitation conditions are poor or when birds or mammals are nesting on or near a home, bed bugs can also live and thrive in clean environments. Crowded living quarters also facilitate the spread of bed bugs.

Bed bugs can live in any area of the home and can reside in tiny cracks in furniture as well as on textiles and upholstered furniture. They tend to be most common in areas where people sleep and generally concentrate in beds, including mattresses, box springs, and bed frames. Other sites where bed bugs often reside include curtains, the corners inside dressers and other furniture, cracks in wallpaper (particularly near the bed), and inside the spaces of wicker furniture.

Since bed bugs can live for months without feeding, they can also be found in vacant homes.

How are bed bugs spread?

Bed bugs live in any articles of furniture, clothing, or bedding, so they or their eggs may be present in used furniture or clothing. They may also be present in boxes, suitcases, or other goods that are moved from residence to residence or from a hotel to home. Bed bugs can live on clothing from infested homes and may be spread by a person unknowingly wearing infested clothing.

What are the symptoms of bed bug bites?

Bed bugs are not believed to carry infectious microbes; however, they do bite and suck blood from humans. In the act of feeding on human blood, they may inject their own saliva into the bite area, leading to a localized area of itching and swelling. If scratched, the bite areas can become infected. Bed bugs are most active at night and bite any exposed areas of skin while an individual is sleeping. Bed bug bites may go unnoticed or be mistaken for flea or mosquito bites or other skin conditions. Bed bugs also have glands whose secretions may leave odors, and they also leave dark fecal spots on bed sheets and around their hiding places (in crevices or protected areas around the bed or anywhere in the room).

How do you get rid of bed bugs?

EPA Exempt Bed Bug Treatment Minimum Risk Pesticide that is safe for you, your family and your pets. BedBug Terminator for bed bugs is an EPA Exempt bed bug treatment that works on bed bugs. It uses naturally occurring minerals and non-toxic elements classified as GRAS (Generally Regarded as Safe) to control bed bugs. It is safe for multiple applications and leaves no harmful pesticide residue. All you have to do is point and shoot and it kills the bedbugs it comes into contact with. BedBug Terminator contains no pesticides or chemicals and is safe to use around children and pets.