No matter how much people try to make their living conditions ideal, they still from time to time encounter such an unpleasant problem as the appearance of insects in the house.
Some of them are not difficult to deal with, but some cause a lot of trouble for household members. One of these unpleasant and annoying insects are bedbugs.
These parasites are characterized by an uncontrollable thirst for blood. Such proximity to small bloodsuckers causes a person to experience unbearable itching in the bite area, and scratch marks appear on the surface of the skin.
This leads to discomfort and suffering from the consequences of bites. In addition, there is a risk of introducing some kind of infection into the body. How can you recognize these small pests and can they be removed? This is what we will devote this article to.
Who are these bedbugs?
The entire body of the bedbug seems to be specially created by nature in order to suck blood from a person.
The fact that these insects are adapted to a parasitic lifestyle is indicated by the presence of a flat and wide abdomen, thin legs and a small head with a proboscis extending from it.
Due to the fact that the bedbug has a flat abdomen, it is quite difficult to crush it. He becomes less protected after he drinks blood.
In this case, the parasite can be destroyed without making any special efforts. A well-fed bug's body becomes more elongated, and in appearance it can easily be confused with a cockroach.
Bed bugs do not have wings, which provides them with additional protection from people turning over in their sleep.
The size of a hungry bug, as a rule, is no more than 3–4 millimeters, and its color can vary from pale red to yellow–brown.
An insect that is saturated with blood increases in size to 1 centimeter and acquires a red-brown color.
The jaw apparatus of the bedbug consists of two canals. The wide channel serves for the flow of blood from the human body, and the narrow one is necessary for the saliva released during the bite, which helps to dilute the blood absorbed by the parasite.
Bed bugs reproduce quickly. The adult female lays a large number of white eggs right in the human bed. This means that the newly hatched young are immediately provided with access to food.
And, although linen bugs are quite impressive in size for an insect, they are not so easy to detect. For a very long time, people have been noticing the appearance of more and more bite marks on their bodies, without knowing the reasons for their origin.
How are bed bugs different from other insects?
Unfortunately, in addition to bedbugs, other insects - pests - can live and successfully reproduce in our apartments and houses. These could be cockroaches, ants and fleas. However, bedbugs can be quite easily distinguished from them.
Compared to cockroaches, bedbugs are noticeably smaller in size. In addition, unlike cockroaches, during the process of evolution, bedbugs lost their wings, so they cannot fly at all.
Despite the fact that cockroach larvae also lack wings, they can be distinguished from bedbugs by their color: cockroach larvae have a noticeable pale brown spot in the chest area, and they are more impressive in size compared to bedbugs.
Bed bugs, unlike ants, are not inclined to form a separate nest. Their clutches can most often be found in close proximity to food sources. As a rule, they live in beds, inside sofas, under baseboards and in the joints of wallpaper.
Unlike lice, bed bugs always hunt at night. This means that the areas of skin they have bitten will begin to bother a person in the morning, after waking up.
In addition, lice prefer to parasitize exclusively on parts of the body covered with hair - the head, armpits and groin area, and bedbugs try to bite those areas of the body where there is either no hair at all or very little of it - arms, legs and back area.
A distinctive feature of bedbugs is the presence of a characteristic specific aroma, which is emitted by special glands of the parasites to scare away the enemy.
If you notice a rather unpleasant odor in the room, which is somewhat similar to the sweetish smell of slightly fermented berries, this indicates that there is at least a small population of bedbugs in it.
Harm to babies
Bedbug bites are especially dangerous for children. After all, they don’t understand that you shouldn’t scratch the puncture sites until scratches appear. Through them, an infection can enter the baby’s blood, causing the development of serious pathologies. A similar situation sometimes happens with adults.
Children scratch bedbug bites, which can cause infection in open wounds
If there are multiple bites, the first step is to wash the child’s wound with warm water. This procedure will help relieve severe itching. Then you should show it to the doctor so that he can prescribe effective treatment.
Hide advertisementBed bugs emit a very unpleasant odor, which will only get worse over time
- Linen bug bites resemble mosquito bites in appearance. The red marks have baked blood in the center. After a pest attack, peculiar “paths” appear on the epidermis. Numerous bites usually merge into one large spot.
- Detection of red marks on the body. Favorite places for bedbugs are the neck, back, arms, shoulders and legs. The puncture sites are very itchy.
In many cases, these symptoms disappear on their own within 7 days. To relieve discomfort, use laundry soap, baking soda or alcohol tinctures. If at least one symptom of infection appears, you need to carefully inspect the bed and the entire room. Insect nests are most often found in mattresses, beds, carpets, interior items, and also on the back of furniture.
Food plays a very important role in the life of these pests. They drink blood once a week; at one time, the insect is able to suck out about 8 ml of liquid. The larvae feed almost every day.
Ways to fight
Currently, store shelves offer a wide variety of products for killing bedbugs at home. You can get rid of parasites in the following ways:
- using chemicals;
- using folk remedies;
- the use of heat treatment;
- using a specialized service.
Each person chooses the best option for him to remove insects - bloodsuckers from his home. This directly depends on the family’s material wealth and a number of other circumstances.
Of course, the destruction of parasites by specialized services will require more financial investments than their removal on our own.
However, professional treatment guarantees complete ridding of the home from bed bugs. It is necessary to resort to their services if the degree of parasite infestation is very high, and it is impossible to cope with the invasion of blood-sucking pests on your own.
If there are a small number of bedbugs in the room, you can try to get rid of them on your own.
But, regardless of the chosen method of removing bed bugs, we must not forget that chemical insecticides are poisonous. In this regard, such drugs can cause allergies in humans.
Under no circumstances should insecticides be used by people prone to allergic reactions, as well as women during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Cost of the procedure
The price of bedbug treatment depends on the size of the population and the structure. The average is:
Treatment for bedbugs
| Cold fog (ULV irrigation) | from 1800 rub. |
| Cold Mist and Barrier Protection | from 2700 rub. |
| Hot fog (GAP treatment) | from 4500 rub. |
| Complex treatment with hot and cold fog, barrier protection as a gift | from 5900 rub. |
| Complex treatment with hot and cold fog, barrier protection as a gift + PPE | from 7400 rub. |
Application of chemical insecticides
Self-extermination of bed bugs using insecticides must be carried out in compliance with the necessary precautions.
- Hands must be protected with rubber gloves, and respiratory organs must be protected with a gauze bandage or a respirator. This is due to the fact that chemicals have a negative effect not only on parasites, but also on humans.
- To protect exposed areas of the body, long sleeves should be worn during treatment.
- The head must be protected by a hat.
- Upon completion of work, thorough washing of hands and face with soap and water is recommended. Then you need to leave the room to get some fresh air. The clothes in which the room was treated must be changed immediately.
Today, many chemical insecticides are used to get rid of bedbugs. At the same time, the stores offer a wide range of products from both domestic manufacturers and imported drugs.
Such insecticidal agents are available in the form of gels, emulsions, sprays, special solutions and substances with a solid base. They may also differ in their component composition and in what is used in the drug as an active substance.
The most common chemical insecticides today are:
- "Raid"
- “Executioner” – has a pronounced odor, although it is highly effective;
- "GET" is an effective, odorless drug;
- “Forsyth” is a drug with a pungent odor that often causes poisoning in humans;
- "Neopin";
- "Carbozol";
- "Foxid" and others.
You need to be very careful when choosing the means to kill bedbugs yourself.
Insecticides that are used over a long period may not always be effective, since insects gradually develop a strong immunity to them.
Danger for adults
The larvae of blood-sucking insects are light in color, so they are difficult to notice. Bed parasites suck up to 7 ml of blood in one meal. During the night they leave many marks on the human body. The active period of bedbugs is from 3 to 6 in the morning, and bites may not be immediately noticed, since the saliva of the parasites can anesthetize the puncture site on the body. After their attack, a characteristic “path” remains, because they move along the skin in search of blood vessels.
Even after bedbug bites, you can find blood stains on bedding or clothing. In addition, when most of the home is infected, black dots appear on the white sheets. Small parasites prefer to hunt at night; during the day they are almost impossible to notice.
Bedbug bites are arranged in a pattern as bedbugs look for blood vessels
The puncture area after a bite remains red, inflamed and hard for a long time. Bed bugs do not carry various diseases, but they cause allergies in some people, and constant bites can cause iron deficiency in the body. Quite often after their attack the following symptoms appear:
- nausea;
- dizziness;
- bouts of vomiting;
- enlarged lymph nodes.
Traditional methods
But it is possible to destroy bedbugs in an apartment without the use of synthetic insecticides. There are many folk remedies that were successfully used by our ancestors.
Traditional methods of getting rid of bedbugs involve the use of denatured alcohol, acetic acid, kerosene, turpentine and cresol.
They are used either undiluted or solutions are prepared from them. These products are used to treat all bedbug infestations in the home every day for a long time.
Solutions based on turpentine or kerosene are used to treat baseboards, flooring and furniture made of wood.
Carpeting and upholstered furniture may become unusable from these products, since the oily base leaves traces on the upholstery and its color changes.
The fabric surface is usually treated with solutions based on vinegar, ethyl alcohol or denatured alcohol.
It is better to leave the home treated with these products for a certain period of time. If possible, it is better to spend the night in another place, since all these products have a very pungent and unpleasant odor.
You can also use tansy or wormwood as a means to remove bed bugs, since these herbs have a pronounced aroma that is unpleasant for insects. The smell of these plants can scare away parasites - bloodsuckers, forcing them to leave their homes.
But the aroma emanating from the herbs disappears quite quickly. Therefore, in addition to the fact that you will need to frequently replace the plants with new ones, they should only be used in combination with other means to kill bed bugs.
They are also well suited for use as a preventive measure against insects in the house.
It must be remembered that it is impossible to completely get rid of insects using folk remedies.
Basic fears
House bugs are afraid of:
- temperature changes,
- ultraviolet radiation,
- certain aromas,
- some chemical compounds.
You should also know what they are definitely not afraid of - this will help save not only time and money, but also energy, and also maintain peace of mind.
Not to be afraid of:
- bleach. This remedy indeed has a repellent effect, but it works in both directions. Its smell is very pungent, and the fumes have an adverse effect on the human condition,
- water with salt (this also includes baking soda and lemon juice). Absolutely harmless against parasites. In some cases, bedbugs even like the smell and taste of this combination,
- magnetic radiation. This method does not help get rid of bedbugs. In addition, it negatively affects a person’s well-being,
- ultrasound (you shouldn’t be fooled by advertising, all ultrasound products are a waste of money).
Some people believe that cockroaches help get rid of bedbugs: they supposedly knock out a wedge with a wedge, and the “cucarachis” will be able to destroy bed parasites. This is wrong. By turning to this method, a person will have to get rid of not only bedbugs, but also cockroaches. And the latter are even more tenacious. And, in addition, they are immune to almost all modern poisons.
Temperature changes
All parasites living in the house are very afraid of sudden changes in temperature. They are no less afraid of extreme conditions.
If unfavorable temperature conditions remain for a long time, then the bugs leave the “inhospitable” house and go in search of another, more suitable home.
Note! Regular ventilation is not a method of control. A radical approach is required here.
They don't like low temperatures. If the room temperature is less than 10 degrees, then they will at least feel uncomfortable. If we talk about heat, insects feel discomfort at temperatures of +35 degrees and above.
Recommended procedures are freezing bed linen and treating it, as well as furniture, with a steam generator.
If the temperature drops below 25 degrees and lasts for 2-2.5 weeks, then the entire population may die. But in a city apartment it is impossible to ensure such a temperature.
How can you create a low or high temperature regime? Detailed information is presented in the plate.
| Temperature | When do bedbugs die? | How to achieve |
| +110 | Instantly | Construction hair dryer |
| +80 | 3-7 seconds | Steam generator, steamer |
| +60 | 6-10 minutes | Washing clothes in hot water + boiling |
| -17 | Four days | Freezer |
| -30 | Day | Winter frost outside |
| -78 | 4-6 seconds | Carbon dioxide |
| -196 | Instantly | Cryogen |
Application of ultraviolet
Bedbugs are nocturnal insects. If in the middle of the night the owner of the apartment suddenly turns on the overhead light, the parasites will immediately run away. If you do not save electricity, you can ensure that bedbugs crawl out to feed during the day. This will help you quickly catch them and destroy them.
This method cannot be called super effective. To achieve the desired effect, it will have to be used for a very long time. It is better to replace the use of the “Ilyich bulb” with a quartz lamp.
But this method must be used with great caution - quartzing has a bad effect on the human body. The insects, of course, will die, but the owner of the apartment may also develop health problems. They can appear either immediately after this procedure or a little later.
How does ultraviolet light work? When it comes into contact with an insect, it causes it to become blind. Ultraviolet light has an excellent repellent effect, but it does not destroy the pest. The lamp burns out only when used continuously for 3-5 days.
Application of odors
Some scents are great for repelling pests. It is recommended to use the aromas of the following plants:
- marsh wild rosemary,
- tansy,
- calamus,
- chamomile.
You can purchase these herbs at any pharmacy. They are used both dried and as decoctions. If the first method is used, then it is recommended to hang bunches of herbs in bedbug habitats. And they try to settle as close as possible to the source of their food - near the bed, on bookshelves, next to the computer.
Another option is sachets filled with dried plants. If there are a lot of bedbugs, you should make a large pillow and place it under your head at night. This can kill two birds with one stone - scare away pests, normalize sleep and restore the immune system.
This method is only relevant if you are not allergic to plants.
Important! The reaction of pests to odors is determined by the level of concentration of volatile substances.
Only undiluted odors repel bedbugs. If they are mixed, then there is a high probability of getting the opposite effect.
If the owner is not allergic to perfume, you can mask your own body odor using special scents. The brand of perfume and the smell itself do not matter - the aroma of the perfume will be confusing in any case.
Essential oils will help destroy not only adults, but also their larvae.
Recommended oils:
- peppermint,
- lavender,
- thyme,
- eucalyptus,
- carnation,
- tea tree.
Use of chemical compounds
Many chemical compounds help not only expel bedbugs from your territory, but also destroy them. All drugs used must have not only a powerful effect, but also a strong, repulsive odor. You can actively use:
- creosote,
- table vinegar,
- denatured alcohol,
- kerosene,
- turpentine,
- ammonia.
The smell should be as intense as possible. You can treat the premises either from time to time or regularly.
You won't be able to kill insects. Such drugs can only help create unbearable conditions for their lives. Against this background, the bugs will “get offended and leave”; they will simply feel uncomfortable being in an apartment that smells bad. But if the females have already laid eggs, then over time a new population may hatch.
When choosing a chemical product, you must take into account the recommendations of a professional exterminator. All actions must be performed strictly according to the instructions.
Heat treatment
What distinguishes bedbugs from other bloodsucking insects that live in human homes is that they can easily tolerate low temperatures down to -20⁰C below zero.
During the winter period, you can take some pieces of furniture outside on one of the frosty days to expose them to low temperatures. But this does not guarantee that bedbugs will not appear in the apartment again after some time.
Insects can be killed in a shorter time by heating. However, it is important to remember here that not all furniture in the apartment can withstand exposure to high temperatures.
But most of the furniture and places where insects are located can be treated with steam. This method is considered the most effective today.
But such work is carried out only by employees of specialized services who have all the professional equipment necessary for this.
As a result of heat treatment, the eggs of linen bugs, which are resistant to other methods of killing insects, even die.
Contacting a sanitary and epidemiological station is beneficial
Decades of experience allows our SES specialists to reliably and quickly remove bedbugs from the premises. The advantages of disinfestation from our company include:
- Anonymity of clients.
- Treatment lasts no more than 60 – 70 minutes.
- We use certified safe drugs and European equipment.
- Within the city limits, the visit of the master is free.
- We work around the clock.
Order the services of an exterminator. We arrive quickly and work efficiently.
Write. Call.
How to treat bed linen?
To get rid of bed bugs, it is necessary, in addition to treating the room and bed with various means, to carefully treat all bedding, linen and clothing.
In winter, pillows and blankets can be taken outside and thoroughly frozen. You can also steam them, which is also very effective.
All bedding should be removed and washed at the highest possible temperature. The same must be done with clothes.
Before re-laying linens or putting on clothes, they must be ironed thoroughly.
This ensures that all insects and their eggs are destroyed.
How to prevent bedbugs from appearing again?
To prevent the appearance of bloodsuckers in the apartment, it is necessary to take preventive measures.
- While on a trip, you need to carefully check your hotel bed for bedbugs.
- When you arrive home, you should carefully check your bags to ensure that bedbugs have not entered your personal belongings.
- When buying used furniture, you also need to check it carefully, paying special attention to all the cracks and recesses.
- The bedroom should be kept clean and should not be cluttered with rubbish.
