Fighting furniture bugs. Appearance of blood-sucking parasites, signs of infection of apartments. For what reasons does an apartment become infested with bedbugs? How to fight parasites. The use of different methods of struggle. The most effective and popular insecticides. Processing rules.
Blood-sucking parasites can cause enormous inconvenience to humans. Such parasites include furniture bugs, for which residential premises are favorable living conditions.
These insects adapt very easily to new conditions, are quite hardy, reproduce quickly, in addition, they are able to develop resistance to various poisons, so fighting them is a complex and time-consuming process.
Next, we will take a closer look at furniture bugs, find out what they look like, what are the signs of infestation, and also get acquainted with the most effective control methods and popular drugs that can quickly get rid of these parasites.
What does it look like
These insects are small in size; nymphs have a body size of about 1-3 mm, and adults grow to 4-5 mm. They have a wide and round body that is brown in color.
They do not have wings, they have short antennae and 3 pairs of legs. When the bug is saturated with blood, the body acquires a rich burgundy color, the abdomen swells and increases significantly in size.
These parasites do not have the ability to fly or jump, but they move quickly enough, which allows them to find a food source and attack the victim. In the photo you can see what the insects look like.
Who to look for when inspecting a sofa
When inspecting the sofa, it is recommended to pay attention to the following objects:
- Adult parasites (imago) are flattened oval insects, dark brown or red in color. Length, about 5-6 mm.
- The larvae, called nymphs, range in size from 1 to 4 mm, depending on the stage of development. After birth, they are transparent, gradually become yellowish-brown, and when they are saturated with blood - red.
- Cuticles (insect skins) are the sheaths shed during molting.
- Eggs are whitish capsules, oval-elongated, up to 1 mm long. They are found scattered or crowded.
- Fecal specks are the result of bedbugs. When fresh, they are easily washed off with warm water, while old ones are difficult to remove.
Where do furniture bugs come from?
There is an opinion that bedbugs in an apartment can appear from dirt if cleanliness and hygiene rules are not followed, but this is a misconception. They can appear in absolutely any apartment, regardless of cleanliness.
Approximately 95% of the bedbug population lives in residential areas. They can easily move to new territories, move from one apartment to another and easily settle down there.
In fact, there are several ways of infection, the most common include:
- Very often, such “guests” can get into the apartment from neighbors. They can crawl through cracks, ventilation holes, windows and doors, and through electrical wiring ducts. The small size of insects allows them to get through any openings, of which there are many in every apartment.
- The cause of infection can be the person himself, for example, if he visited an infected room and bedbugs got on his clothes, shoes, or bag. Thus, he brings them home, where they settle in and multiply quickly.
- New purchases, such as furniture, household appliances, books and other things, can also cause infection. It is worth remembering that bedbugs hide in places where it is dark and warm, so any purchase can cause such “guests” to appear in the apartment.
It is enough for one fertilized female to enter the house and lay offspring. They multiply very quickly, so it takes a little time for the blood-sucking parasites to settle into a huge family in the apartment.
The diet of these insects consists of human blood, so they settle close to the food source. Most often, their nests are in sofas and beds where people sleep.
Preparing to move
Important
We recommend treating your home for bedbugs before moving. But even this does not give a 100% guarantee that all insects will be destroyed.
The first thing you need to do when preparing to move is to get rid of unnecessary things. Just throw it away. You don't need to carry anything with you that you won't need in your new place. This way you will significantly reduce the risk of taking bedbugs with you from your old apartment.
note
You need to physically get rid of unnecessary things, and not just understand which ones you will not transport. During the process of loading and collecting things, bedbugs can move from unnecessary things into boxes, and thus you will bring them to your new apartment.
When collecting things, be sure to wipe them down and inspect them. This is especially true for items where bedbugs can successfully settle, for example: books, household appliances, pillows, blankets, clothes. Pretty much anything you'll be loading into boxes. It is recommended to wash items at temperatures above 70 degrees Celsius and then dry them.
Important
Be sure to use new boxes when packing. In old boxes, which, for example, can be obtained for free in stores, there is a high risk that there are eggs of bedbugs or cockroaches. We highly recommend not using such boxes when moving.
After collecting boxes of things, move them to your new apartment. We recommend doing this before you start disassembling and moving furniture. Bedbugs often live in furniture and hard-to-reach places. They can move into collected boxes.
If it is not possible to transport boxes of things until you disassemble and move the furniture, you should put bedbug preventatives in the boxes (or near the boxes). These can be either store-bought products or homemade ones, for example, bags with fragrant herbs: chamomile, wormwood, mint and others.
Signs of bedbugs in an apartment
If you suspect that your apartment is infested with bedbugs, you must conduct a thorough inspection of beds and sofas, since parasites are always located near a food source.
It is necessary to check mattresses, pillows, blankets, special attention should be paid to folds, seams, and decorative details in which small parasites can hide. Remember that in the habitats of these insects there is a not entirely pleasant aroma that resembles fermented berries.
At night, you can get up and turn on the light, check the sheet for small insects. When there are a lot of them, in the morning, small spots of blood will be visible on the bed linen, and crushed bedbugs can also be found.
They are nocturnal, afraid of daylight and prefer to hide in dark and secluded corners. They are most active from 3 a.m. until the morning. But if the bug could not get enough at night, then it may well attack a person during the day in order to satisfy his hunger.
As a rule, they do not touch domestic animals; blood and thick skin are not suitable for them, but if the parasite experiences acute hunger, it can bite. These insects have the ability to fall into a long sleep that can last up to a year.
They enter a state of suspended animation in the absence of food sources or when unfavorable conditions occur. But when food reappears and conditions for life and reproduction improve, they wake up.
Why are bedbugs dangerous?
Furniture bugs feed exclusively on blood. They have a piercing-sucking apparatus, which allows them to make punctures on the skin, stick to a blood vessel and become saturated with blood.
A person does not feel the bite itself, because when the skin is pierced, they release a special anesthetic substance that completely anesthetizes this process, and it goes unnoticed. They bite several times, so a mark in the form of a chain of 3-4 punctures remains on the skin.
As practice shows, they bite women and small children much more often than men. This is due to the skin, which in women and children is softer and thinner. Therefore, if they have a choice, they will not prefer men. Most often they bite in the back, stomach, arms, legs, and neck.
After they are saturated with blood, the analgesic effect ends, and the affected area begins to itch severely. A person scratches the bites, which causes the wounds to become infected.
Quite often, children develop an allergic reaction, and angioedema may occur. Of course, constant bites, itching and the understanding that there are bedbugs in the bed affect the psycho-emotional state.
There may be insomnia, irritability, nervous breakdowns. Although these insects are carriers of various microbes and bacteria, they cannot infect humans.
Ways to fight
So, if these blood-sucking creatures are found in an apartment, you should begin effective control methods as quickly as possible.
There are several ways to combat these insects, each of which has its own characteristics and advantages:
- Deterrents. These include the use of substances with rich aromas, for example, turpentine, wormwood, vinegar, acetone and others. Strong, rich aromas repel bedbugs and disorientate them for a while. It is not possible to get rid of parasites in case of severe infection in this way, but it is possible to slow down the reproduction for a while. These substances can be excellent prophylactic agents that will prevent re-infections.
- Heat. In this case, a fan heater or steam generator is used. At high temperatures, these parasites die, so the method is effective in case of severe infection. The room temperature must be increased to 60°, the treatment is carried out for at least 3 hours.
- Low temperature. This method is suitable for private houses, but not suitable for apartments. It is necessary to reduce the room temperature to -20° and maintain this level for 5 days. Also in winter, pillows, mattresses, furniture, and bedding are taken out into the cold.
- Duct tape. So, for this method, all family members temporarily arrange new sleeping places, for example, take cots or air mattresses. They are covered with adhesive tape around them, like for flies. At night, bedbugs will move towards a food source and fall into such traps. You won’t be able to get rid of all the parasites overnight; it will take some time.
- Insecticides. Specialized preparations are the most effective means in the fight against bedbugs. Now you can purchase them in the form of solutions, powders, aerosols, sprays, crayons.
Prevention
It is much easier to prevent the appearance of bedbugs in an apartment than to fight them. Upon returning from vacation, wash things at high temperatures and check your suitcases for insects. The greatest threat is posed by the presence of a furniture bug distributor in your apartment. Until the source of the spread is eliminated, the parasites will continue to spread from there to other neighbors.
Fighting furniture bugs in an apartment is difficult, but quite doable. Success is guaranteed if you follow the instructions for the medications and your own safety measures.
Insecticide treatment
So, if you have to fight bedbugs, first of all you need to understand how the infection occurred and eliminate all possible causes. It is ideal when all apartments in an apartment building are treated at once, but unfortunately, it is not always possible to come to an agreement with the neighbors, and not everyone is ready to talk about their problems with strangers.
In this case, you will need to block insects’ access to your apartment. To do this, you should close all the cracks, cracks in joints, window frames, doorways, close ventilation holes, you can use any available methods. For example, putty, sealants, lubricant, foam.
Next, you need to vacate and clean the apartment as much as possible. Remember that there should be no people or animals in the apartment at the time of treatment. Dogs, cats, parrots, hamsters, fish and other pets should be moved to another room for at least a day.
Afterwards, collect all food and dishes, as well as all shoes and clothes, put them in bags and seal them hermetically. The cabinets should be emptied of things and then moved away from the wall. Bedding, blankets, curtains and other textiles must be washed, dried and ironed.
Afterwards you can begin direct processing. The person who carries out the treatment must use personal protective equipment, a respirator, safety glasses, gloves, overalls or clothing that completely covers the body.
When processing, pay special attention to the following places in the apartment:
- Beds, sofas, mattresses, pillows. The frame, walls, bottom, joints, decorative elements, and skin folds should be carefully processed.
- Wardrobes, chests of drawers, bedside tables, chairs and tables. Internal and external walls, all drawers, back walls, door hinges. Books should also be processed.
- Skirting boards. All joints and seams on the floor covering must be processed. Skirting boards must be processed along their entire length.
- Walls. Paintings, wall clocks, and decorative details should be carefully processed. Check the walls for cracks.
- Appliances. Since bedbugs love darkness and warmth, they very often settle in system units, behind the back walls of refrigerators, washing machines, etc.
After treatment, the room must be left for several hours, windows and doors must be closed. Upon returning to the apartment, it is thoroughly ventilated and wet cleaning is carried out using a soap solution.
Cabinets, tables, chairs, floors, and other surfaces with which people and pets come into contact must be washed. All textiles must be washed and then ironed.
It should be remembered that chemical preparations do not affect egg laying, therefore, in order to avoid re-infection, re-treatment should be carried out after 10-15 days, which will destroy all new offspring.
Preventive measures
First, they protect the home from blood-sucking insects: they make cosmetic repairs, it is important to fill the gaps between the pipes leading into the apartment, restore the surfaces of the floor and walls in each room, and eliminate leaks in corner areas. Additionally, the ventilation ducts are covered with a fine-mesh insect net
Then the likelihood of bedbugs infesting your home is reduced.
To get rid of insects, purchased used items, including a sofa, are kept in the cold or washed at high temperatures. Use fresh herbs, such as wormwood.
Sources
- https://dezincity.ru/klop/o-klopah/klopy-v-divane
- https://BezNasekomyh.ru/klopy/postelnye-klopy/klopy-v-divane-ili-kreslakh
- https://misterklop.ru/klopy/klopy-v-divane-kak-najti-i-vyvesti-samostoyatelno
- https://vreditelstop.ru/klopy/kak-bystro-izbavitsya-ot-divannykh-klopov.html
- https://parazitdoma.ru/klopy/divannye
- https://geradez.ru/klopy-v-divane-kak-najti-i-vyvesti-samostoyatelno-ru
- https://lifeinsect.ru/klop-iz-divana.html
Modern drugs
Nowadays there is a wide range of chemicals on sale that allow you to fight bedbugs.
Further in the table you can get acquainted with popular insecticides, their cost, effectiveness, toxicity level and choose the most suitable option.
| A drug | Release form | Efficiency | Toxicity level | Smell | price, rub. |
| Tetrix | Concentrate (diluted with water) | High | High | Strong, sharp | 2000 (250ml) |
| Get | Concentrate (diluted with water) | High | High | Absent | 800 (100ml) |
| Cucaracha | Concentrate | High | Average | Strong, sharp | 1500 (1l) |
| Fufanon (Karbofos) | Powder, concentrate | High | High | Strong, sharp | 150 (1l) |
| Forsyth | Concentrate | Average | Average | Strong, fades quickly | 250 (50ml) |
| Carbosol | Aerosol | Average | Average | The smell of coffee | 100 (300ml) |
| Pyrethrum | Powder | Low | Short | Weak | 600 (300g) |
| Riapan | Powder | Average | Average | Weak | 200 (125g) |
| Delta zone | Concentrate | Average | Average | Weak | 700 (50ml) |
| Combat | Aerosol | Average | Average | Mint flavor | 300 (300ml) |
| Raid | Aerosol | Average | Average | Strong, sharp | 200 (300ml) |
You should always remember that the more effective the product, the more toxic it is, and therefore poses a danger to human and animal health. The use of drugs must be carried out strictly according to the instructions in compliance with all safety measures.
If it is not possible to carry out the processing yourself, you can contact specialized services that will quickly carry out all the work and with the most positive results.
