Can bedbugs bite through clothes?

Bed bugs are incompletely metamorphosed insect pests, meaning they do not go through multiple stages of body formation during their development, as do butterflies or beetles. Small specimens of these bloodsuckers are very similar to adults in appearance, but differ from them in body size, the density of the chitinous shell and its color.

Those owners of apartments, houses or cottages who have never seen bedbug larvae in their lives can easily confuse them with the offspring of other insects, for example, ants, lice, cockroaches, which also live in human living quarters. The presence of young individuals in a certain territory indicates that a whole “family” has settled here, and every night it needs food, so it will begin to look for prey at nightfall. The ability to distinguish bedbug larvae from the offspring of other insects will help you begin the fight against parasites in time or leave the infected premises, if it is a hotel or a rented apartment.

How do bedbugs bite?

The bug's mouthparts allow it to reach blood without disturbing humans. The parasite has a proboscis with a special structure. He injects saliva into the wound with an enzyme that prevents blood clotting. The saliva itself has some analgesic effect, so the person does not feel the bite during the entire time the bug is drinking blood. Bedbugs feed on capillary blood, that is, they pierce human skin to a shallow depth. There is not enough blood from one wound; this is not enough for the bug. So he crawls a little further and makes the next puncture. The pest can leave up to five wounds on a person’s body. They are all located nearby and form a path. From these wounds the parasite sucks up to 7 ml of blood. After satiation, he lives for up to 10 days without going out to hunt, then again looks for food. This is how an adult bug feeds. But people are also bitten by larvae, which drink less blood at a time, so they bite more often.

Bedbugs are nocturnal and come out in search of food when a person is sleeping. In extremely rare cases, a bug can bite during the day. This happens if there was no one in the room for a couple of weeks, and then the victim appeared.

How do parasites bite?

Bedbugs bite their victims at night, even when the lights are on. Parasites are most active between 1-2 am and 6 am.

To understand how bed bugs bite victims, you need to understand the intentions of the pests. The insect's goal is to locate the capillary. The parasite bites through the skin of a person or animal exactly in the place where the artery is located. Insects sense blood very well.

The pest's two-channel trunk ensures simultaneous sucking of blood and injection of anesthetic saliva. The parasite does not stay in one place for long - until it sucks about 1.5 µl of blood. Then he moves a few centimeters to the side.

An adult parasitic individual causes up to 5 damage at a time. After this, the insect eats for 7-10 days. The adult continues to eat for 20-25 minutes, the young eat only 3-4 minutes.

How to identify a bedbug bite

You can understand that parasites have appeared in the house by the characteristic marks on the body. They may be mistaken for allergies or confused with other insect bites. But a bug bite has its own signs:

several tracks next to each other in the form of a path with a distance of about a centimeter between them;
you can discern a puncture in the center, around it there is a red swelling with a pronounced halo;
if you press on the bite, painful sensations appear;
severe itching.

Also, indirect signs that it was a bug that bitten are small spots of blood on the bed linen. The fact is that during a puncture of the skin, the bug releases saliva with an enzyme through its proboscis, due to which the blood does not clot immediately, that is, some of it flows out and thus leaves marks on the underwear.

Can bedbugs carry HIV?

Why are house bugs dangerous? Doctors unequivocally deny the possibility of transmitting the HIV virus through the bites of bedbugs or other blood-sucking insects. This virus dies when placed in the external environment. Also, its death occurs inside the insect that has sucked in the infected blood, since it cannot live in the insect’s body.

Research by scientists has not revealed a single case of infection with the virus through a bug bite, even in areas where the disease is widespread and there are a large number of insects. Moreover, if such an infection occurred. AIDS would have long ago destroyed most of the world's population, spreading at tremendous speed.

All these factors indicate that bedbugs that appear in your home must be immediately destroyed by any means and means.

How does a bedbug bite differ from the bites of other insects?

Bedbug bites are similar to mosquito bites, but, firstly, mosquitoes bite at any time of the day, and not just at night. Secondly, mosquito bite marks appear in different places and are not grouped in one place. They have more vague outlines, the mark left by a mosquito can be very large, and bedbugs are always approximately the same in size.

Wounds caused by ticks differ significantly. A tick leaves one puncture, but bedbugs always leave several or even many. The mark left by a tick is much larger and may not itch at all.

Fleas, unlike bedbugs, bite painfully. Their bites are chaotic and do not follow a smooth path. There are not many of them, mostly they remain on the legs, and the bug bites all over the body.

Wounds after midges differ in appearance. These insects do not pierce the skin, but rather bite off a piece from it. Such wounds take a very long time to heal.

Treatment

Next, we’ll look at how you can treat bedbug bites on the human body. If you find bite marks, do not panic and scratch the wounds. Otherwise, the development of a purulent inflammatory process is possible.

The first stage of treatment for sofa bug bites is first aid.

In the first minutes after identifying the affected areas, it is necessary to wash the bite site with clean water and soap. Mild soap should be used. You can use foam: soap your palms until a lush foam forms, apply it to the bite area in a dense layer.

You should not wash off the soap composition right away - it is better to wait until it dries. Usually the measures described are sufficient to eliminate primary itching.

ethnoscience

If you are bitten by a bug, you can limit yourself to available means of therapy that help relieve the primary symptoms (itching, swelling, redness):

mint leaves are applied to the damaged area (the plant can be replaced with parsley) - the pain “goes away”, the skin relaxes;
crush dandelion and apply it to the damaged area of the skin - swelling decreases;
the bite sites are treated with urine (using a cotton pad or sponge) - bedbug bites stop itching;
gauze soaked in garlic juice is applied to the itchy skin - irritation is eliminated and swelling is reduced;
A plantain (cherry) leaf is applied to the affected area and left for 3 hours, after which the skin is wiped with a soda solution - the symptoms of an allergic reaction are eliminated.

Attention! If blisters appear in the bite area, you can treat the skin with toothpaste containing mint or ammonia.

The composition must be pre-mixed with water (proportion 1:1).

Drug therapy

In some cases, treatment of bedbug bites cannot be done without the use of medications. Under such circumstances, an anti-inflammatory steroid ointment is applied to the affected area, which can be purchased at a pharmacy without a prescription.

Among the representatives of the medicinal group, Cortade stands out - a drug based on hydrocortisone and cortisone that reduces itching and inflammation.

As an alternative, calamine lotion . Simply apply the product to the bite site and do not wash it off - the itching will be moderated, the rash will dry out, and the skin will be protected until complete recovery.

For severe allergic reactions, antihistamines, such as Benadryl, are taken. It is acceptable to use any antihistamine ointment that is used to treat a bug bite.

If the patient is bothered by severe pain, he cannot do without painkillers - anti-inflammatory tablets, for example Ibuprofen, Aspirin. The first drug acts on the principle of reducing the concentration of hormones that stimulate inflammation, fever and pain.

Acetylsalicylic acid is able to block pain signals, preventing them from entering the brain.

Attention! Aspirin can also be taken at elevated temperatures; however, it should not be used when treating children. To relieve your child's symptoms, you can use Tylenol, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug.

When is it necessary to see a doctor immediately?

If redness on the skin does not go away within two weeks, the bitten person should be shown to a doctor.

Emergency medical care is indicated for the patient in the following cases:

multiple bites are visualized;
blisters form;
symptoms of an infectious process are observed (hypersensitivity, discharge);
pronounced signs of an allergic reaction of the body (redness, swelling, rash) appear.

Consequences and complications

It is also worth answering the question of why bedbug bites are dangerous. Conducted epidemiological studies have not proven the fact that insects transmit viruses dangerous to human life.

Insect bites are especially dangerous for people who suffer from hypersensitivity to the enzyme secreted by parasites.

In such patients, contact with the pest can cause anaphylactic shock and Quincke's edema.

Other unpleasant consequences that can be expected when bedbugs bite include:

severe allergic reaction to bedbug bites (observed in 80% of victims);
severe itching and pain;
suppuration, development of inflammation, skin erosion (when scratching wounds);
diagnosing anemia in a newborn, elderly patient, child (in case of mass insect infestation);
the development of a disease carried by the parasite;
hyperthermia, migraines, loss of consciousness.

Attention! The described possible consequences of bites are rarely observed. In most cases, they cause symptoms similar to mosquito bites. In the case of bed bugs, the victim complains more about mental disorders.

Who is most often bitten by bedbugs?

These pests are exclusively nocturnal and bite people only in bed. They are not afraid of light, meaning sleeping with the lights on to avoid being bitten does not help. Bedbugs will bite even when the light bulb is on.

Bedbugs bite all people, regardless of their gender and age. It is easier for them to pierce delicate skin, so they are more likely to choose a child or woman as a victim than a man. But this does not mean that bedbugs do not bite men. Children and women with sensitive skin are less susceptible to bedbug bites.

Troublemakers in the house

Bedbug, its common diseases, ways of spreading and whether it is dangerous for humans. In addition to the possibility of transmitting infections, bedbugs that have settled in your apartment can cause a lot of psychological problems. Who likes to go to bed every day, risking being bitten during the night?

Doctors note the occurrence of panic attacks in adults and the development of various phobias in children, provoked by pest bites. The person becomes aggressive, nervous, and concentration decreases. The harm bedbugs cause to children is significant; they reduce their academic performance and cannot sleep properly. In houses with bedbugs there is a constantly tense psychological situation.

Living in such stress leads to the development of persistent depression in all family members. It has been noticed that after settling in the bed of spouses, bedbugs bite only women with more delicate skin. The lady becomes irritable, which causes dissatisfaction with her husband and misunderstanding on his part. Thus, a bedbug can cause the breakup of a married couple.

Where do bed bugs bite most often?

The bite occurs on the part of the human body that is closest to the bug. These are not the fastest insects, they do not move very quickly, so they prefer to bite close to their shelter.

If we talk about body parts, bedbugs give preference to those areas of the skin where it is thinnest. The most common people to suffer from bedbugs are:

legs, especially the inner thighs, as well as the groin;
hands, especially armpits;
neck and face;
skin between the fingers, under the knees;
back and stomach.

Important: an area of the body must be open during sleep for the bug to bite it. Clothing is an obstacle for bedbugs.

When is it necessary to re-treat to destroy all larvae?

Incubation of bed bug eggs lasts 7-12 days, up to a maximum of two weeks in normal home conditions. That is, two weeks after treatment, larvae have already hatched from all eggs and there will be no developing eggs left here.

The larvae themselves develop to adulthood in about 30 days.

This means that re-treatment must be carried out precisely in this time window - no earlier than two weeks after the first disinfestation, but no later than 30 days. If done earlier, there is a risk that at this time there will be single eggs left in the apartment, from which the larvae have not yet hatched, and they will hatch after the second treatment. If carried out later than a month later, then by the time of the second baiting, individual adult bedbugs may already appear in the apartment, which will lay new eggs and, similarly, larvae will hatch from them after the second treatment.

Our practice at DisinCity shows that re-treatment is usually not required. According to our statistics, in 83 cases out of 100, after our first treatment, bedbugs no longer bite people. Only in 17% of cases is there a need for re-processing. In fact, it is required if you were poisoned by bedbugs, but after a week and a half the bites began to appear again. If you are absolutely sure that bedbugs are not getting to you from your neighbors, then these bites are left by small larvae. You can try to find them and if you find them, call the service and carry out repeated disinfestation.

Can bedbugs bite through clothes?

A bedbug can crawl under clothing or underwear to bite a person. But he simply cannot bite through clothes. The maximum length of the proboscis is 0.7 mm. This is very small and much less than the thickness of even the thinnest fabric. He simply won’t reach the skin through clothes. In addition, many of the fabrics from which sleepwear is made have a denser structure due to the interweaving of fibers than human skin, so a bug will not even be able to pierce them. Therefore, he will bite an open area of the body: wrists, ankles, face, neck.

Is there any harm from bed bug bites?

These parasites, when compared with other insects, are among the most harmless. They extremely rarely carry pathogens of dangerous diseases and do not cause serious health problems. Bite marks go away quite quickly and do not leave scars. The mark appears approximately 1.5 - 2 hours after the bite. First, a chain of red spots appears, then they are accompanied by severe itching. If you don't scratch the wounds, they will go away on their own within a week. The swelling will go away, the itching will stop, and spots will not remain on the skin.

Appearance

The development of the larva in the egg takes about two weeks, depending on temperature conditions. The egg size does not exceed 1 mm. Nymphs of the first instar are born in the same way. In appearance they resemble adult bed bugs, but are lighter in color.

Within a few days the first molt occurs. In the process, the young individual climbs out, grows 1 mm larger, and leaves a skin. Over the course of 20 days, nymphs molt 5 times. At the last stage, the larva increases in size to 5.5 mm. The genital organs are formed and become an adult, ready for reproduction.

Bedbug nymphs at the last stage look almost the same as adult adults, differing in size by 2 mm. There are also other differences.

What bedbugs and their larvae look like depends on their diet. A hungry bug has a flattened, wide body, gray in color. The insect is active, crawls quickly, is difficult to catch and even more difficult to crush. A photo of bed bug larvae and adults in the fasting stage is presented below.
Bedbug larvae look slightly different after feeding. The chitinous cover expands as food arrives. The bug takes on a rounded shape, due to this it increases in size. Body color is dirty scarlet. After a few days, the blood coagulates and turns brown. All this is visible through the translucent chitinous cover. Well-fed adults, developing domestic bedbugs are clumsy, vulnerable, bursting at the slightest pressure. A photo of house bug larvae in a well-fed state is presented below.
Under unfavorable conditions of existence, the larvae and adults fall into suspended animation. Metabolic processes slow down, the body gradually dries out. The insect turns into a living mummy. In this state, it is easy to confuse it with a skin after molting or with a dead bug. The color is gray, almost transparent. But when favorable conditions occur, the insect instantly comes to life and begins active feeding. Nymphs are more resistant to starvation than adults.
The eggs are white, oblong in shape. However, it is very difficult to see them with the naked eye.

How to relieve itching

It's no use scratching. Firstly, this only helps for a while, and secondly, scratching damages the skin, the wound becomes larger and takes longer to heal. You can accidentally introduce some kind of infection into scratching and harm yourself even more.

To reduce itching, you can use essential oils with a cooling effect, make a cool compress, or lubricate the area with special anti-itch ointments or gels.

If there are a lot of bites, an allergic reaction to them may occur. To reduce discomfort, you should take antihistamines. It is advisable to consult a doctor for a prescription.

Sleep disturbance

Night forays of bedbugs for a fresh portion of blood is one of the reasons that can cause sleep disturbance. Only at first the sensations from the bite are dulled due to the special composition of the enzyme; after the bugs are satiated, the bite site begins to itch and itch. A large colony of parasites can deprive the entire family of restful sleep.

Why are bedbugs dangerous?

Consequences of bites

Apart from itching, bedbugs do not cause any other serious problems. They do not carry infectious diseases, since the pathogens do not live in the body of the bug. The main danger is allergic reactions. In addition to skin rashes, edema, and swelling, they can be expressed, for example, as Quincke's edema, and this is already very dangerous. Another unpleasant consequence is irritability and sleep disturbances due to constant itching. This can lead to nervous disorders and serious problems. Therefore, it is necessary to fight bedbugs. They will not leave on their own, because any apartment has ideal conditions for these insects: warmth, normal humidity and constant access to food. You can destroy bedbugs with special insecticides from or by inviting specialist pest control services to your home.

An effective remedy for fighting bedbugs produced by the Medilis Laboratory company is the Medilis-ANTICLOP spray (insecticide). This product is safe for humans, its advantage is:

Combinations of three active ingredients;
Acts on resistant populations of bedbugs;
Duration of action is more than 60 days;
The product is ready for use (does not need to be diluted with water);
One-time treatment = 100% effectiveness.

Aren't bedbugs carriers of diseases dangerous to humans?

What diseases do bedbugs carry? The answer to this question is ambiguous, since the opinions of doctors are divided. The causative agents of many diseases are found in the blood of these insects:

tuberculosis;
typhoid fever;
tularemia;
Hepatitis B;
anthrax.

All these diseases enter the insect’s body through the bite of a sick person along with his blood. However, according to doctors, there have been no cases of direct transmission of the virus from a sick person to a healthy person bitten by a bug. Although theoretically such a possibility still exists.

In addition to bites, human contact with bedbug secretions is dangerous. The hepatitis B virus can survive in their excrement; once it enters the human body, it can develop and the person becomes ill.

IMPORTANT! Don't expect bloodsuckers to disappear from your home on their own.

They multiply at an incredible speed, which means you are constantly risking your health.

Danger for pregnant women

Why are bedbug bites dangerous for pregnant women? Changes in hormonal levels and increased stress on a woman’s body provoke nervous breakdowns from the knowledge that there are insects in her bed. Increased sensitivity leads to lack of sleep, fatigue, and weakness.

The danger of a bite is the occurrence of allergies and anemia. Thinning and analgesic fluids affect the development of the fetus through the blood. A pregnant woman may develop:

allergy;
anemia;
secondary infection;
breakdown.

When there are a large number of harmful insects, their bites affect the normal course of pregnancy. If suspicious pimples and redness appear on the body, you should immediately contact a dermatologist and gynecologist.

Scratch bites are wounds open to bacteria and germs. For a pregnant woman, even a cold creates problems. Many medications have a negative effect on the fetus. Treatment of a disease resulting from secondary infection threatens to inhibit the development of the child and the inheritance of the mother's disease in a chronic form.