Man’s war with bugs is something that has been going on for centuries. And when it comes to bed bugs – the little creatures of wrath sent from hell itself – that seemingly multiply when you kill them, man can only shriek in terror.
Bed Bugs are a nuisance, there is simply no other way to put it. They are resistant pests that are not easy to exterminate. Before World War II, in the U.S., bed bug infestations were very common. After improvising the DDT these pests disappeared for a long period of time. That is until they resurfaced possibly after international travel and immigration.
What are bed bugs
These organisms are small in size, usually about 5 mm in length. Some even mistake them for cockroaches, carpet beetles and what not. These bugs don’t have the ability to fly but can crawl rapidly under surfaces. They mostly feed on the blood of warm creatures and they prefer humans as their favorite host.
How bed bugs reproduce and the number of eggs they lay
Bed bugs reproduce through a traumatic insemination process. It happens through a process where the female’s abdomen is “stabbed” or penetrated by the male’s reproductive parts, which fertilizes the eggs. They take around 5 – 6 weeks to give birth.
The bugs lay an average of 3 – 8 eggs a week after having a meal of blood. They lay their eggs in minimal disturbances where the eggs are safe mostly near the beds. As these eggs are sticky the can easily stick themselves to the sheets. They can literally be present anywhere near the host, from your bedsheets to even your hair!
How the eggs hatch
The eggs take anywhere between 6 to 16 days to hatch. And once these eggs hatch the young ones start feeding immediately. As these bed bugs have a long life of about two years or less, they also reproduce so fast that it is believed they can produce 3 generations of family in just one year. Once the nymph starts feeding they undergo molting which is shedding of skin five times and then become reddish-brown in color.
Frequency of mating
Female bed bugs that have time for recuperation can produce more eggs than the ones who mate regularly. Studies show that it is necessary for the body to heal so that it can produce eggs. A female that mates once can produce about 25% more than the one that mates regularly. Due to this, the bugs spread to different places where the chances of mating are less and feed on the furniture to speed up the healing process. The bug may mate with its own off-spring after it decides if the baby is mature enough.
Signs of bed bugs infestations
Itchy red spots on your body are mostly due to the bites of bed bugs since they literally bite on any available part of the skin that is exposed. And mostly they bite in a particular line of pattern which is different from any other bites of flies.
Also, chances are, if you find a musty odor in your house (which is unexplained), it mostly indicates that the infestations are large. You may also find mottled skin shreds near your mattress, under your cushions and sofas, which are a huge sign that your house is under bed bugs infestation.
Steps on getting rid of a conenose infestation
Firstly, focus on getting rid of the eggs rather than the bed bugs as they will grow and multiply and create the same problems. One of the best methods is heat treatment. Heat can in most cases kill all the bed bugs and their laid eggs.
Heat treatment
Heat treatment can be done in two possible methods:
Heavy-duty boilers
A dry steamer attached to a hose can cut through all the places and directly affect the bed bugs. The heavy-duty boiler can reach all holes, cracks, and narrow openings where all the bed bugs are present, in most cases.
Compact exhaust fans
This equipment is also efficient because it is portable and the temperature of the air should mostly be 50 degrees Celsius. It is recommended if the temperature is 48 C and it takes only half an hour to treat them.
Cold Treatment
As with hot treatment, the cold treatment also consists of two equally adaptable solutions.
Coldwater
Bed bugs can also be killed by very low temperatures and also their eggs can freeze. Extremely cold temperatures below the freezing point that is -32 F cold water should be used to wash garments. Stuff that is not water-resistant can be placed in a sub-zero environment for about 30 days.
Hazed snow
This technique employs carbon dioxide, which is stored in cylinders that are used to convert the stored CO2 into hazed snow. After this, it is sprayed at places where these bugs and offsprings exist and kill them by freezing them to death. Ideal snow vapor would only take around 30 seconds and eliminate the heat of the bed bugs leaving no stains or residues behind.
Diatomaceous Earth
This method kills the bugs and their offsprings by drying them off. Diatomaceous earth was not created specifically to kill the bugs or eggs. By sprinkling, this on the corners and cracks can kill the bed bugs. Unlike other sprays, they don’t wear off unless washed, inexpensive and more efficient.
Insecticide sprays
Insecticide sprays with the addition of the bed bug killing spray is an effective way of getting rid of such pests. One without the other is not as much as effective so using them together is one of the good ways of getting rid of these resistant pests. By spraying this mixture at places where bed bugs are more present can kill them and also the eggs. It is advised to spray them and leave them overnight.
Precautions
If your neighbor complains about bed bugs, then you should also be alert as these can spread and reach your house soon. In the U.S., bed bug infestations are becoming a common thing. They can travel easily they spread fast and bread fast as the female is capable of producing 3 – 12 eggs a day.
If you find any of the symptoms in your house as mentioned earlier, take the necessary actions, because bed bug infestations are not easy to deal with. They are one of the more resistant species of pests. Also, these pests cause health issues if you have a child or any pet animals. So take necessary precautions and keep your loved ones safe by keeping your house safe.
If you liked this article, be sure to head over to 1001Gardens, where we talk more about all things gardening.
We also have a whole list of downloadable PDF tutorials available for FREE on our website, so what are you waiting for? Grab your FREE PDF now!