The Facts About Bedbugs And How To Prevent Them In Your Home

Many people deal with pests problems in their home. One of the worst pest problems of all can be bedbugs. While not a technical term for them, they have been lovingly called this because that is where they like to make their homes. Feeding off of humans and animals in a household, these critters really can give any family problems. Bed bugs were all but extinct in the 1940's but their species have been making a comeback as of late. They are persistent little pests that can be tough to kill and eliminate from your home or business for good. This is mostly due to different species developing a resistance to pesticides, even DDT and other highly effective pest killers.

Bedbugs from the naked eye appear to be like little oval shaped bugs that can range anywhere from 2-7mm. Bedbugs can be mistaken for ticks or small cockroaches in most instances, which are both much more serious issues. This being said, bedbugs can also cause cimicosis. Cimicosis is a skin disease that leads to small bumps or welts on your skin. These bumps can be more serious and often more itchy versions of mosquito bites. They tend to last longer as well. Some bite are invisible even, but they still cause a lot of itchy skin.

Bedbugs are nocturnal, meaning they like to feed and are the most active when it is dark outside. They can survive for up to a year without feeding although they often feed quite a bit more if they have a source of food. Bedbugs feed in the most interesting way. It has a stinger that is made up of 2 tubes, one will numb the skin while the other simultaneously draws blood until they have had their fill.

There are many other animals and pests that would love to eliminate bedbugs in your home, but this is not practical for most people to own, since most are all other insects and rodents. Bats however do not like to eat bedbugs because they secrete a pheramone that makes them very unpalatable.

Believe it or not, but there are about 100 different species of the common bedbug that are known to man. The scientific name for bedbugs is Cimicidae. Most species o bedbugs live in temperate or tropical environments. If you live in a harsh cold climate you are probably safe from dealing with most types of bedbugs. There are some species of bedbugs that don't like humans, they can only feed on animals and live in fur. Most species would prefer animals to humans anyway. This is a good reason to get your pets checked and kept clean on a regular basis.

The salivary fluid injected by bed bugs can cause skin to become irritated and inflamed, although individuals can differ in their sensitivity. A few cases of bullous eruptions have been reported Anaphylactoid reactions from the injection of serum and other nonspecific proteins are observed and the saliva of the bedbugs may cause anaphylactic shock, though rarely. In rare cases of intense and neglected infestation, sustained feeding by bedbugs may lead to anemia. Secondary bacterial infection (i.e., infections from scratching itchy skin too much) are possible. Systemic poisoning may occur if the bites are numerous. The World Health Organization reported in 2008 that bedbugs may cause bronchial asthma through the release of airborne allergens and that numerous bedbug bites may cause victims to become more susceptible to other diseases, as well as causing "general malaise.

There are a few many options for eradicating bedbugs and often times can be confusing for most people. As a rule of thumb you should try and keep your bed and areas where pets spend a lot of time as clean as you can. This will lower your chances of an infestation starting in your home. Sometimes this process may not work and then you can have thermal treatments of your entire house as a worst case scenario, or most can be controlled with a chemical treatment. Always consult a professional if you are unsure that your pest control tactics have been effective.