Bed bugs: How to recognize bedbugs and how to get rid of them

Aphids are insects and parasites that suck human blood and many other animals. The animal usually shelters in beds and items near the bed, where it is easy to reach humans during sleep. Bites from bedbugs can be self-cured or treated simply with the use of lotions and antihistamines.

Bedbugs are small, reddish-brown insect that bites into the skin of a person or animal at the time of sleep to suck blood. Although bedbugs do not spread the disease, they can cause other economic and public health problems.

With the size of an apple seed, bedbugs hide in the cracks and crevices of the bed, box springs, headboards, bed frames and any other objects around the bed. The risk of encountering bed bugs increases in places that facilitate its development such as hotels, hospitals or shelters.

It can be difficult to distinguish the bite of bedbugs from other insect bites or rashes. In general, symptoms of aphid bites include:

• Red, usually with a darker red spot in the middle
• Itching at the bite site
• Scattered or clustered bites
• Lying on the face, neck, arms and hands

Some people do not have a reaction to the bite of bedbugs, while others have an allergic reaction that includes constant itching, blisters or urticaria.

Bedbugs often live in places where it is possible to reach humans during bedtime. The hiding location of bedbugs is usually in the cracks and crevices of:

• mattress
• Spring Box
• Bed frame
• Headboard
• Items near the bed

Bedbugs can also be found in:

• Under items with peeling paint and photos hanging not close to the wall
• Under the rug near the foot of the wall
• In the seam for upholstery of furniture
• Under a light switch or power outlet

Bedbugs are capable of spreading rapidly in apartment models due to:

• Bedbugs can move from place to place by moving on items such as clothes, luggage, furniture, boxes and beds.
• Bedbugs can crawl as fast as ladybirds and can easily move between floors and rooms in hotels or apartment complexes.

If you suspect you have been bitten by aphids, check the items to prove the presence of bedbugs in the house. Carefully examine the crevices on walls, mattresses and furniture. You should check at night, the moment in which bedbugs are active.

Signs of the existence of bedbugs in the house include:

• Black spots: Often found along the mattress seams, these spots are the feces of bedbugs.
• Post-molting crust: Aphids molt 5 times before becoming adult aphids. The molting crust is light yellow.
• Rust or red spots: You can find red streaks on the bed linen, where you accidentally crush a bedbug.

6.1 Additional treatment

Itchy red spots associated with the bite of bedbugs usually disappear on their own within 1-2 weeks. You can get rid of symptoms from the bite of bedbugs quickly using:

• Hydrocortison (Cortaid) lotion
• Oral antihistamines such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl).

If you have a skin infection caused by scratching the bite of aphids, your doctor may recommend you take additional antibiotics.

6.2 Home treatment

You should prevent the risk of bedbug bites by ssolving bedbugs that are in the house. This can be difficult because bedbugs hide well and can live several months without eating. It is best to hire aphids killers, who can use a combination of insecticides and chemical-free treatments.

Treatments that do not use chemicals may include:

• Vacuuming: Thoroughly vacuum bedbugs from cracks and crevices on home items.
• Washing clothes: Washing and drying items in a dryer at high temperatures can kill bedbugs in clothes or bed linen.
• Cold heat: Bedbugs can be destroyed at temperatures below 32 degrees 1 (0 degrees Celsius). However, this is difficult because you have to leave items containing bedbugs in the freezer for a few days.
• Heat heat: Bedbugs can also be destroyed at 122 degrees 1 (50 degrees Celsius) by several professional killers. In some cases, you need to remove heavy contaminated items such as bed mattresses or couches.

The favorable environment for bedbugs to grow is in a crowded housing model such as:

• Condominiums
• Dormitory Room
• Apartments for the Homeless
• Hotel
• Cruise ships
• Trains and buses
• Refugee camps

8.1 Prevention of bites

• Cover up: Since bedbugs do not tend to get into clothes, you can avoid being bitten by wearing night clothes that cover as many skin areas as possible.
• Insect sprays: Insect repellents designed to protect against mosquitoes or ticks are not so effective in combating aphids.
• Mosquito nets: Bed nets impregnated with permethrin can help protect sleeper against bites of bedbugs. However, this fact can increase the risk of resistance.

8.2 Prevent aphids from sabotaging

• Old furniture: Carefully inspect bed items and upholstered furniture before bringing them into the house.
• Check hotel rooms: Check the mattress seams for signs of bedbug feces and place your luggage on a table or cabinet instead of on the floor.
• Birds and bats: Eliminate living conditions for birds and bats, as it can be a refuge for bedbugs.

Reference source: Mayoclinic.org; Webmd.com

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