We’re hearing more and more about the scourge of bedbugs. If you wake up with itchy, red skin, you could be a victim of these pests.
What are the causes and solutions for getting rid of bed bugs? That’s what we’ll be looking at in this article.
What are bed bugs?
The bed bug is an insect about the size of an apple seed. It is oval in appearance and measures between 5 and 7 millimeters in length. These insects feed on blood at night, but they don’t jump, fly or climb on smooth, flat surfaces.
The danger with bedbugs is that once they’ve settled into a home, they’re tenacious and stay for a long time. Often, we don’t realize this scourge right away, but by the time we do, the invasion is already underway. So it’s a good idea to take care of all your bedding – mattresses, sheets, pillows, etc. – first and foremost.
Worth knowing:
- These insects move around actively at night in search of blood.
- Bedbugs can also move passively, when placed on clothing or luggage if you’re traveling. As these insects are capable of surviving several months without feeding, passive movement is the primary cause of invasion.
Why bed bugs?
In recent years, authorities have been warning of a rise in bedbug-related infections. The reasons can be explained as follows:
- The increase in international travel.
- The massive use of insecticides may have created resistance. The genetic make-up of these insects has had to adapt to resist numerous treatments, which are no longer really effective. At this stage, professional disinfection is essential.
How to identify a bedbug infection?
Bed bugs are attracted to quiet, dark places where there is an abundance of fabric. They prefer bedrooms and living rooms, i.e. beds and sofas. They can attack any type of dwelling, from apartments to single-family homes, even if the premises are very clean. If the premises are dirty, of course, this environment can create massive infestations.
Their small size makes them very difficult to identify with the naked eye. Their nocturnal activity also prevents them from being seen during daylight hours. But if you pay a little attention when in doubt, you can detect a few signs, starting with grouped bites on your skin that often form a straight line. You can check your mattress for small black spots, as well as bed linen and walls. Then, if you see bloodstains on your sheets, you’ve definitely got a bedbug infestation.
How to eradicate bed bugs?
If you notice a bedbug infestation in your home, you can try insecticides, but as we’ve already seen, these aren’t really very effective any more. It’s better to call in a company specializing in disinfection, which has much more powerful products. You should also avoid moving infested items around, so as not to spread the infestation even further.
For initial cleaning, use a vacuum cleaner with a suction nozzle to suck up and capture as many eggs and bedbugs as possible. Then clean your equipment and/or dispose of the sealed bag in an outside garbage can. Then machine-wash all your clothes, sheets and linens at over 60°C to kill any insects on them.
Fill any cracks in your skirting boards and cracks in your home. Don’t use too much insecticide – call a professional instead.
