Although we have heard it our entire lives, “Sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite”; have you ever really stopped to think about what that even means? The saying isn’t just a cute thing parents say to get their kids to allow them to tuck them in at night. Bed bugs are real, are pests, are found in Ohio and Michigan, and they do really bite humans at night. What are bed bugs and what does their “bite” entail?
What are bed bugs?
Let’s start with the basics: what are bed bugs? Bed bugs are insects from the genus Cimex that feed on human blood, usually at night. Bed bugs are small, oval, insects with a brown tent that live on the blood of animals or humans. Adult bed bugs have flat bodies about the size of an apple seed. After feeding, bed bugs’ bodies swell and are a reddish color.
Bed bugs do not fly, but they can move quickly over floors, walls, and ceilings. Female bed bugs may lay hundreds of eggs over a lifetime, each of which is about the size of a speck of dust.
Immature bed bugs, called nymphs, shed their skin five times before reaching maturity and require a meal of blood before each shedding. Under favorable conditions the bugs can develop fully in as little as a month and produce three or more generations per year (WebMD).
What is a bed bug bite?
Bed bugs bite to feed and survive. Bed bugs are most active at night and usually bite people while they are sleeping (hence the saying). Bed bugs feed by piercing the skin and withdrawing blood through an elongated beak. The bugs feed from 3 to 10 minutes. Most bed bug bites are painless at first, but later turn into itchy welts. Unlike flea bites, that are mainly around the ankles, bed bug bites are on any area of skin exposed while sleeping. Bed bug bites often go unnoticed and are thought to be a rash or another skin aliment.
Bed bug bites can result in a number of health impacts including skin rashes, psychological effects, and allergic symptoms. Bed bug bites may lead to skin changes ranging from small areas of redness to prominent blisters. Symptoms may take minutes or days to appear and are typically extremely itchy. Bed bug bites can cause some people to become tired or have a fever.
While the bite of a bed bug is not known to transmit any infectious disease, it may still lead to health complications and is a nuisance.
To hold the saying true, “Sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite”; the first step is making sure you don’t have a bed bug infestation in your Northwest Ohio or Southeast Michigan home or business. If you do, it is time to eliminate the issue.
At Delving Pest Control, we understand that having a beg bug infestation may be overwhelming and embarrassing. We are here to help. We are experts when it comes to ridding you of the pesky little bugs and use proven technology to eliminate bed bug infestations.
Delving Pest control is the leading discreet bed bug exterminator in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan. Our vehicles are unmarked for your privacy.
Contact us today to schedule a free inspection and to ensure you sleep tight and don’t let the bed bugs bite.
