Aderyn Pest Control

Bed Bugs

These pests have made a noticeable and significant comeback in recent years, and unfortunately many of the team have been on a bed bug job, or heard about a colleague doing one this year. In contrast, they were a rarity only ten years ago, and the few jobs we had were for occasional home and hospital infestations.

Bed Bugs (Cimex lectularius Bug, Mahogany Flats, Wall Louse, Crimson Ramblers, Norfolk Howards) are named for their tendency to hide in bedding and feed on people when they are asleep. They can be difficult to deal with because of their hardiness and hiding habits.

Where to Find Them

Bed bugs hide in creases, cracks, crevices, and soft furnishings where they can have access to people when they are asleep. This is typically in bedsheets, bed frames, and mattresses, but they can hide in bedside drawers, floorboards, and picture frames if they are inclined. This is why bed bug infestations are pesky, as bedbugs can hide almost anywhere they please. Generally, they congregate to areas where people sleep and sit down for long periods.

They also hide in clothing and luggage carriers, which is the primary way they spread to homes and hotels. Picking up a bed bug during travels is often cited as the primary reason bed bugs are on the rise.

History of the Bed Bug

This species is basically the temperate and subtropical climate bed bug. In 1965, they were found infesting bats in a cave in Afghanistan, and successfully crossed with man-infesting bugs in the USA. It is now believed that the origin of spread onto man as a host goes all the way back to cave dwelling in Africa. It is distributed worldwide in the temperate and subtropical zones.

Diagnosing Bed Bug Bites

Most people react in some way to the bite, which is a red blotch without the central red spot you get with flea bites. They tend to bite the ends of the body, like feet, hand, arms, and the face. Bites often have a linear, cluster or zig-zag pattern.

Bites on the face and neck can be more serious, but usually because of allergies or because of scratching the bitee, introducing bacteria into the bite area from the fingernails. There is no evidence that bed bugs can transmit disease, although tropical bed bugs have been found to carry Hepatitis B for short periods. In practice, and especially in the UK, there is no disease association.

Look For the Following Signs.

  • Bites similar to those described above

  • Bedbug excrement (dark or rusty spots in common bed bug hiding spots)

  • Blood stains & smear marks on bedding

  • Live bugs or insect fragments in common hiding spots

  • An offensive, musty odour from the bugs' scent glands

   

 

 

Bed Bug Removal UK, Bed Bug Control Cardiff, Pest Control Wales