What size are bed bugs?

Often, house or bed bugs are found in the house, which, unlike other uninvited guests - cockroaches or flies, feed on human blood. The bites of these insects are simply impossible not to notice. It is necessary to get rid of parasites as quickly as possible, since the insect population in the apartment will grow every day. What do bed bugs look like, what size are they, and how can you detect them in order to remove them?

At what temperature do bedbug eggs die?

Changing environmental conditions negatively affects the condition of parasites.
They reproduce less actively. With slight fluctuations in temperature, the lifestyle of parasites does not change, especially if access to a food source is open. Bed bugs are affected by significant increases or decreases in temperature.

Critical temperature below zero

Insects at various stages of development, including those inside protective shells, die instantly if exposed to a temperature of at least -30°C. When environmental conditions change less significantly - to -7°C below zero, the parasites in the eggs will die after 1.5 months.

Critical temperature above zero

The death of insects occurs at temperatures from +55°C and above. In such conditions, parasites die immediately. If the temperature is maintained at +45...+50°C, the death of bedbugs occurs within 24 hours.

The critical temperature for bedbug eggs is +45°C or higher

Effect of insecticide on bedbugs

Recently, the market has offered a fairly wide selection of various drugs for killing bedbugs. But due to the very frequent use of insecticides, pests have simply become resistant to many of them. Therefore, the fight against bedbugs can drag on for many months or even years.

Resistance to various poisons is developed primarily due to a special protein that neutralizes the poison at the start of exposure.

In normal environments, mutations are not detected in these insects. This is due to the fact that in everyday life they rarely encounter poisons. But when destroyed by insecticides, some can develop immunity and thus, mutants appear that survive in any conditions.

Consequently, the parasite gives birth to new offspring with already developed immunity to a certain drug. After a certain period of time, scientists come to the conclusion that the fight against bedbugs with a specific type of drug is no longer effective. The person himself is to blame for this mutation. The less insect baiting is carried out, the less mutation occurs.

Fortunately, today you can find many drugs to which there is no resistance. In particular, a very effective remedy for bedbugs today is Gegtor. It contains hydrophilic silicon dioxide, which literally sucks the liquid out of bedbugs.

Read in detail here: Hector against bedbugs

Thus, exterminating bed bugs on your own becomes effective.

Offspring

Despite the fact that bedbug eggs are very small (about 1 mm), and they themselves are difficult to notice, the female lays them in secluded places and carefully hides them. After a few days, a larva appears or, as entomologists call it, a nymph. To understand what bedbug larvae look like, just look at an adult. A nymph is an exact copy of her, only smaller in size.

The larva grows very quickly. With plenty of nutrition and comfortable temperature conditions, it reaches its adult state within a month. During development, the larva molts several times (sheds its chitinous shell).

Interesting! Nymphs cause particular discomfort to humans. They do not know how to inject an anesthetic substance into the bite site, so during feeding it is their bites that people feel at night.

Appearance

Linen bugs grow to sizes of only 6 mm. A well-fed insect looks different from a hungry one. Body color, shape, behavior changes. Detailed description of bedbugs:

Hungry. Flattened oval body. Dense chitinous cover that is difficult to crush even with effort. It is impossible to get rid of it mechanically. The color is dirty brown. There are small straight whiskers on the head. No wings, can't fly. Actively crawling, impossible to catch. Although some eyewitnesses argue whether bedbugs crawl or jump.
Well-fed. Bedbugs feed on blood. As blood enters, the chitinous cover expands and becomes transparent. The body is rounded, due to this it increases in size. The color changes over time as the blood clots. Initially red, then turns brown. A well-fed insect is clumsy and slow. It's easy to get rid of - crush it by pressing on the shell.
In the stage of suspended animation. Under unfavorable conditions—lack of food—metabolic processes slow down and the stage of suspended animation begins. The insect stops moving and gradually turns into a living mummy. Without movement, the body is transparent gray.

On a note!
You need to get rid of bedbugs in the suspended animation stage immediately upon detection, since when they smell blood, they instantly come to life and return to a normal lifestyle.

You can clearly see what bed bugs look like in the photo below. Females are several millimeters larger than males.

Linen bugs

What to do if bedbugs are found during inspection

You must first find the pest nests. This will get rid of most of the insects. In this case, parasites are destroyed mechanically or with chemicals (by acting on the nests). At the next stage, they move on to getting rid of stains and odors, since the excrement of parasites has managed to penetrate into the structure of the upholstery of upholstered furniture. Then choose any of the methods for treating things in the territory of the contaminated house and the premises itself:

temperature exposure (steaming, boiling, washing at high temperatures, ironing, freezing);
insecticides;
folk remedies for bedbugs.

To remove parasites, it is recommended to use several methods at once. For example, folk remedies are used at the last stage, when the room is cleaned. They are used to prevent re-infection of the apartment.

It is recommended to remove bedbugs using insecticides. Individual items are cleaned by exposure to temperature.

Control of blood-sucking pests

It is unrealistic to leave your home in the hope that the insects will die from exhaustion. You will have to be absent for at least six months, and this is not a guarantee of their destruction. A more reliable way to get rid of bed bugs, other than insecticides, has not yet been invented. Folk remedies can only be auxiliary or preventive.

The best thing you can do if you find a parasite in your home is to seek the services of a bedbug exterminator. Modern technologies (cold fog, hot fog) will not leave a single chance for bloodthirsty insects. Powerful chemicals will completely exterminate the population of laundry pests without the risk of them becoming addicted to the poison.

Lifestyle

Bedbug Habitat Despite the fact that the bedbug does not have wings and cannot fly, it moves easily, climbing onto the ceiling and walls, after which it glides safely. Insects are nocturnal, and during the day the habitat of bedbugs is:

bed;
mattress;
sofa;
other pieces of furniture;
books;
cracks;
cloth;
Appliances.

They like to hang out where it is dry and warm. They can live not only in dirty apartments, but also in rooms that are always kept clean. But when bedbugs are active, it is between three o’clock in the morning and eight in the morning. If they are very hungry, they may well attack a person under artificial light.

Even in an empty apartment, bedbugs live for about a year. If the room temperature is low or the bloodsuckers are hungry, they can enter a state resembling suspended animation. Bed bugs migrate quietly if living conditions are not suitable for them. In one minute, an adult can crawl about 1.25 m, and a larva - about 25 cm. In 10-15 minutes, they can drink blood in an amount twice their weight.

The parasites are very tenacious and can withstand temperatures up to + 49°C. If there are pets in the house, they can become prey for bed bugs. They mainly like to bite children and women. Insects have a very thin proboscis with two channels. One day after immersing itself in the skin, the parasite introduces an enzyme, thanks to which the person does not experience pain and does not feel how the bug bites. Through the second, it sucks blood. Nymphs are more voracious, unlike large bugs. Their bites are painful, since the saliva has not yet developed a component that can relieve pain.

The insect's larval period takes a month. During the remaining time, the female lays 4-5 eggs daily. On the fifth day, a nymph appears; after a month, she becomes an adult, ready for reproduction. The bedbug feeds once every 5-10 days.

The question of what bedbugs are for also often arises among people. In ancient times, they were credited with healing properties - supposedly bedbugs could neutralize snake venom. This has not been scientifically proven. But the fact that they are eaten by cockroaches, flies, spiders, centipedes, and ticks is a proven fact.

Chemical control methods

When planning to poison bed bugs, you need to remember that they have a high survival rate. And therefore, the most effective chemical control agent can only work once. Then a mutation occurs in the individuals, and they easily tolerate repeated disinfestation with this drug.

Still, chemical treatment of the room is the best way to combat any type of insect. The product used may be:

Aerosol.
In the form of a solution.
Powdery.

A prerequisite when working with any product is to carry out the work in chemical protective clothing. When poisoning insects, you need to wear a mask and gloves. And perform all actions in strict order:

All bed linen is washed with water above 60 degrees, ironed with a steam generator and hermetically packed in bags.
Fur clothes, blankets, pillows, mattresses and carpets, everything where insects like to hide, are sent to dry cleaning for processing.
It is better to burn books and magazines that are of no value. The rest should be sealed for subsequent cold processing.
The walls and ceilings in all rooms are cleared of wallpaper, ceiling tiles and other similar types of decoration.
All furniture is moved to the middle of the room to treat the perimeter with a pest control agent.
Next, all upholstered and cabinet furniture in the house are treated with the product. There is no need to be afraid to spray all things thoroughly. This is the only thing necessary for the remedy to work, and for this method of fighting insects to be effective.
After treatment, you must leave your home for 4-5 days.
Upon return, thoroughly wash the floor and perform a wet cleaning.

House bugs

The most unpleasant and unwanted insect that can appear in any home, regardless of the wealth and cleanliness of the household. In principle, a bed bug is a linen bug. It received this name because of its behavior and habitation. Since it prefers to hide in the folds of furniture, bedding and live in beds, closer to the power source.

There are several dozen existing types of house bugs. They are all similar in structure and behavior. But the type of bed bug can be distinguished by several characteristics. The body is flat, small, capable of increasing its size several times. The wings atrophied as unnecessary. Parasitic insects enter other apartments by “traveling” in furniture and suitcases.

In places where bedbugs accumulate there are a lot of remains of their vital activity: skins of chitinous shells, scales, excrement, egg shells, droplets of blood and simply dead bedbugs.

Different types of bedbugs in an apartment cause the same damage to the inhabitants of the home. Besides the fact that they feed on human blood and do not make concessions to anyone, it is a big misconception that bedbugs “love” someone more. It's just that different people react differently to bites. Some people get severe itching and crimson spots that swell and swell, while others may not even immediately notice small punctures on the skin.

The bed bug's closest relative is the stinging bug. Minor differences in the behavior of the insect allowed scientists to classify it as a separate species. It is slower and can jump when moving, apparently compensating for its low speed. Cold is destructive for it, so it can only be found in countries with a hot climate. When changing from southern to northern latitude, it quickly dies.

It bites more painfully, which is why it is hot. The person gets an allergic reaction, like hives. The itching is unbearable, which forces you to scratch the bite sites, further injuring the skin.

Perhaps the most dangerous type of bedbugs lives in Latin America. This is an insect from the family of predators. Its bite is dangerous due to the developing allergic reaction that threatens anaphylactic shock.

The triatomine bug bites humans mainly at night, when the “victim” is sleeping. The insect's saliva may contain an infection called Chagas disease, which is caused by protozoa. This disease is fatal, for which there is still no cure.

The world of insects is much more interesting than it might seem. The number of some species reaches hundreds and amazes with their ability to adapt to the surrounding world.

Even bugs are represented by so many insects that are divided into large groups, some of which are capable of helping humans, preserving and increasing crops, and conducting “invisible” pest control in the garden and in greenhouses. Others simply lead a parasitic lifestyle, not only feeding on human blood, but also damaging furniture, mattresses and sofas.

The ability to use modern methods and chemicals to combat parasites greatly simplifies human life. Using other bugs as biological weapons against pests is a new modern approach to growing crops.

Who is a friend, who is an enemy, and who is just for fun?

Like any living organism, there are harmful ones and there are useful ones. Also with bedbugs. Someone helps a person and preserves his harvest, and some not only strive to ruin the entire harvest, but also feast on the blood of its owner.

Bed bugs are beneficial (harmless)

These individuals are often identified by their coloring. It is designed specifically for repelling. Some types of bedbugs in the photo look like they are specially decorated. The line bug is a frequent visitor to home gardens and front gardens. A black and red small body, like lines drawn under a ruler. With all his appearance he “screams” - don’t come near!

His main task is to examine all umbrella plants in search of food. Dealing with it will not be difficult - assemble it manually.

Soldiers are the most common victims of children. They catch them and arrange obstacle races for them. The wingless redbug is the correct name for this insect. Hides at the roots of trees, stumps and dry grass. He finds food right there; everything suits him, from seeds, ants, eggs, larvae, dead insects and the remains of living organisms. Useful in your garden as a sanitation worker.

The bug Perillus, It was brought to Russia from Mexico on purpose. He is a threat to the Colorado potato beetle and many other “undesirable” insects. The main target is the eggs of the potato pest.

Flower bugs are specially bred to kill pests indoors. They feed on plant pests - aphids, mites, insect larvae and eggs.

Predators are the number one enemy of beetles that cause damage to agriculture. They live in abandoned houses and basements, finding food and shelter there.

Folk remedies

A reliable way is to get rid of pests using high temperature. It is necessary to treat bedbug nests using a steam generator. An ordinary household hair dryer will not work - it will not be able to maintain a high temperature for a long time. Insect nests and possible places of their stay are processed.

Folk recipes suggest using products with a pungent odor, for example, kerosene, vinegar, turpentine. When diluted, these substances are used to lubricate baseboards, bed legs, and furniture parts. But the pungent smell will be unpleasant for humans and pets, and they will have to leave the apartment for a while.

You can use aromatic oils and herbs with a more pleasant aroma for humans. Essential oils of tea tree, eucalyptus, and orange are not liked by bedbugs. Among the plants they do not like tansy and wormwood. But it should be remembered that parasites do not die from odors, but only leave the room. There is a risk that they will return after some time.

The most effective and useless methods against bedbugs

When pinning your hopes on certain methods of fighting bedbugs, you need to analyze how effective they will be. Chemicals work well in a neglected room that has not been renovated for a long time and has a lot of old furniture. There are also a lot of cracks, holes, torn wallpaper - possible hiding places for parasites. Traditional methods will be ineffective in this situation. You will have to use strong chemicals. Re-processing may be required.

In a room with a new, high-quality renovation, with a small infestation of bedbugs, it is quite possible to get by with aromatic oils from folk recipes. If bedbugs were accidentally brought in with things from a trip, it will be enough to wash things at high temperatures, wash the floors several times with the addition of essential oils, and spread dry grass around the apartment.

The use of kerosene, vinegar and other strong-smelling substances does not bring the desired result, and the smell from things remains for a long time. Turpentine cannot be removed from clothes; it is easier to throw them away. It is better not to use such methods against bedbugs.

It is important to constantly change anti-bed bug products because the parasites become accustomed to the substances and do not respond to them. Prevention of recurrence

Prevention of recurrence

Preventive measures will help protect the premises from the reappearance of parasites. As a preventive measure after removing bedbugs, you need to do the following:

regularly carry out wet cleaning by adding a few drops of essential oils to the water;
seal cracks in the apartment, glue baseboards and torn wallpaper;
wash items at high temperature after traveling;
iron bed linen with a hot iron on both sides, this way you can get rid of clutches of eggs;
throw away cardboard packaging from furniture, parasites often live there.

Prevention will prevent parasite eggs from being transferred into the apartment, which will prevent re-infection.

Why are bedbugs dangerous?

First of all, there is a high risk of developing allergies. Linen bug bites do not contribute to the infection of humans with dangerous diseases. It is known that insects of this species carry pathogens, but when attacking a person, bacteria and viruses are not transmitted, because they enter the digestive tract. From there they have no way back to the salivary ducts.

As parasites live in a person’s home, they leave a large amount of excrement, shell husks, and empty egg shells. There is an unpleasant smell at home. The reason for this state of the apartment is that insects multiply rapidly. The room may become completely infested after a few months. Moreover, the parasites themselves will be cramped; some individuals may go in search of a new home.

Bed bugs nest

Description

Linen bugs received this name due to the fact that they very often settle on furniture or bedding . They can also be found on clothes in a chest of drawers or in a closet, as well as under wallpaper. In recent years, there have been frequent cases of these insects being found in household appliances.

Bedbugs are quite unpleasant insects for humans, which can bring a lot of inconvenience and discomfort over a short period of time. But the main problem is that bedbugs feed on blood, which means that they will constantly bite the inhabitants of the home. At the slightest hint of bedbugs in the house or their immediate detection, the fight should begin immediately.

Linen bugs are difficult to recognize; they are microscopic in size and to some extent resemble fleas or lice. But the difference is obvious if you pay attention to photographs and pictures of these parasites.

The average size of bedbugs reaches 5 mm, much depends on the age of the individual.

The color can also be varied: from light brown to red. If an individual has recently eaten, then differences in color immediately become obvious. The insect may have a bright burgundy coloration, making it quite easy to spot, especially on light-colored bedding or clothing.

Linen bugs have a special proboscis; if you examine the insects under a magnifying glass, you can definitely see it . This proboscis is used by annoying insects to pierce the skin and inject a special substance with an anesthetic into it. Bed bugs bite like mosquitoes, but most often in the dark, in a dream a person does not always feel it, but at the same time the insect can fully eat.

Bedbug larvae are called nymphs; they are not yet fully developed, and therefore there is no special anesthetic substance in their saliva. Their bites are quite noticeable. Bedbug eggs can resemble small, light-colored grains of rice. Females are very fertile and can lay 200-300 eggs in a short period of time. These insects multiply throughout the home very quickly.

How to detect bedbugs in a bed

If the bed is iron, of an outdated model, then parasites do not live on such a structure. They prefer wood or textiles. On a wooden structure, insects usually settle inside: under the mattress, on the side walls, in the corners. You may also see red dots on the bedding or mattress. They are clearly visible on light-colored underwear. If the cover on the pillow is damaged, insects can get inside. However, pests rarely establish themselves here, for example, in cases of severe infestation, where little attention is paid to cleaning and changing bed linen.

There is a colony of bed bugs in hidden places of the bed.

How to fight?

Controlling household pests is little fun for residents, but most importantly, it can be challenging. Due to the peculiarities of the life activity of parasites, as well as the difficulties in eliminating them, we recommend contacting specialists who will be able to eradicate linen bugs from throughout the house or apartment in the shortest possible time. Professional disinfection allows you to achieve excellent results in one go; in addition, the quality is many times higher than getting rid of insects using improvised means.

Chemicals

It is often possible to get rid of bedbugs at home using special insecticides. They are presented in a huge variety of different formats. These can be aerosols, dusts and even anti-insect tablets. With any treatment, it is very important to understand that there is no point in simply spraying poison indoors; first, it is very important to find the habitats of insects, and only then begin to destroy them.

with any chemicals according to the instructions supplied with them. Thus, it is imperative to comply with all safety standards: work with gloves, a mask and a protective suit. When processing a large area, you should leave the home for a while, after which it should be thoroughly ventilated, and then rinse all surfaces and do a wet cleaning.

It is very important to destroy insects immediately and at one time - if at least a few clutches of bedbug eggs are left unattended, then in the near future they will return again.

You should choose chemicals in specialized stores; it is advisable that they be of contact action, since bedbugs are blood-sucking insects. You should be extremely careful with very concentrated products; such products are best left to professionals.

It is not always possible to remove bedbugs from bed linen in one go, especially if there are a lot of them. You should prepare in advance for the fact that you will have to poison after some time. Usually after 7-14 days to consolidate the effect.

The most effective way to get rid of bedbugs is to order professional pest control . Specialists discuss in advance what product will be used, and then treat every corner of the room or the whole house for a certain time. An undoubted advantage is that bedbugs die from exposure to the poison, even in their secluded places, since specialists spray it in a fairly large volume and concentration. After such treatment, insects and their eggs simply do not survive.

Folk remedies

Home and folk remedies may be ineffective in controlling insects when there are large numbers of them. However, some products are often used in the fight against bedbugs, and they give good results.

Folk remedies include herbs with a pungent odor, such as tansy or wormwood. With the help of these herbs, you can easily get rid of bedbugs; just spread out several bunches of herbs in those places where annoying parasites were noticed. Another option would be to prepare tinctures or decoctions of valerian or tansy.

The resulting products can be used to treat surfaces in the home where bedbugs live.

The undoubted advantage of folk remedies is their safety and non-toxicity. However, you should not expect very quick results from them.

It is also effective to use folk remedies if there is certainly information that bedbugs are located in one specific place. You can treat such areas with vinegar or kerosene. The smell of these products is specific, but it has a very negative effect on bedbugs.

In other ways

Linen bugs really do not like and cannot tolerate low and high temperatures. Therefore, if it is possible to take the furniture out into the cold in winter and leave it outside for a while, this will certainly kill all the pests on it.

You can get rid of bedbugs by exposure to high temperatures, usually hot steam is used for this.

At home, an iron can easily be used for these purposes, but there is no guarantee that you will be able to get rid of insects in hard-to-reach places. You can also use a steam generator.

This method is only suitable if there are not very many parasites. In addition, using steam it is quite difficult to get rid of insects in hard-to-reach places, for example, in cracks under the baseboard. In addition, steam cannot be used to treat equipment on which these insects are also often found.

Many people believe that bedbugs are afraid of washing. Of course, after washing bedding, insects are unlikely to remain on it, but such a measure is unlikely to help get rid of bedbugs forever, even if all the clothes and bedding in the house are washed. In this case, you should act exclusively comprehensively. In addition to washing, the main insect poisoning cannot be avoided.

Bedbugs are found everywhere; species diversity has given them different body shapes and sizes. A distinctive feature of insects is semi-rigid wings, although some groups lack them. Not everyone knows what bugs look like, even if they have seen them on plants in the summer. They can be of different colors: brown, green, red. The most familiar species shown in the photo is bed bugs. The parasite feeds on human blood and settles in homes.

How to destroy an individual while the size of the bedbug is small

The methods for controlling larvae are the same as for killing adults. In order to eliminate the problem of infestation in an apartment as quickly as possible, you should treat bed bugs with different means, and it is advisable to use them simultaneously

It is important to repeat all steps after 1-2 weeks, when a new generation of bedbugs appears. The protective shell prevents the destruction of parasites inside the eggs

Anna Biryukova, 34 years old, Moscow I have children at home, so I treated the apartment with a steam generator. We had to move a lot of furniture throughout all the rooms to open access to remote corners, baseboards, and back walls of cabinets. But the result justified such actions. There were no more parasites.

Veronika Kosareva, 39 years old, Perm I use insecticides. These products act quickly, however, I have a 1-room apartment, so I can easily treat all places. Then you need to do the cleaning, and after 2 weeks process again. After this, not a single parasite at home.

Herbs and essential oils

This method helps repel bedbugs. It is used to prevent bites. It is recommended to use herbs with bitterness: wormwood, tansy. They are laid out around the apartment in different places.

Essential oil does not kill bedbugs, but repels them

Temperature

Parasites die within 30 minutes if exposed to temperatures of +50°C. When the value of this parameter increases to +60°C, insects die instantly. The higher the temperature, the faster they die.

Bedbugs are very sensitive to ambient temperature

Steam generator

This is the most preferred processing method: safe, effective, convenient and helps to quickly get the desired result.

In fact, this is not steam, but tiny particles of liquid and insecticide.

Chemicals

They use natural insecticides - the pyrethrin group, as well as synthetic ones: pyrethroids, organophosphates, etc.

In modern times, there are a great variety of chemical insecticides against bedbugs.

Feedback from our readers:

“Everything we tried to fight these parasites, we thought it would last forever!!! And then the salesperson in the store advised me to take GEKTOR against bed bugs. Oh miracle!!! We didn't believe it ourselves! Peace and grace! Nobody bites, this stench has disappeared from the apartment! In general, life has improved. Let’s sleep peacefully now!”

Andrey, Tula

The modern medicine for bedbugs, Hector, is a fairly effective remedy for bedbugs that allows you to carry out extermination work with maximum effect and minimal consequences.

It is worth noting that one treatment of an apartment will not give a 100% guarantee that all bedbugs will disappear, even if the best product was used. This is explained by the fact that during treatment with poison, you may not notice some bedbug eggs, or the bedbug simply found a secluded place and went through hard times. And then he got out and began to restore the population with even greater diligence.

Therefore, many insecticidal preparations are recommended to be used twice at weekly intervals. The second treatment is intended to destroy the remaining individuals. This sequence of actions ensures the full effect of the treatment.

Today on the market there are many effective means for killing bedbugs that will help you deal with the problem quickly and without unnecessary hassle!

What do bed bugs look like?

Bed bugs (cimex lectularius) are wingless parasitic insects with an oval, flattened body and a size of up to 8 mm. The color of a hungry parasite can be dirty yellow or dark brown. After the linen bug has had its fill of blood, the color changes to scarlet or black, and the body itself becomes more rounded and inactive.

Bite marks on a person’s body are clearly visible and resemble tracks - several punctures almost on the same line. Quite often, bites in children can cause an allergic reaction. Read about other dangerous bedbugs in our relevant articles.

The larvae externally resemble adults, but are smaller in size and lighter in color, and those that have recently hatched are generally transparent.

It is possible to notice them without difficulty only after the parasite has had its fill of blood. Then the stomach with a drop of drunk blood is clearly visible in its transparent body.

The parasite eggs laid resemble smaller grains of rice. Elongated shape, white color and length 1 mm.

Having glands with a special substance (secret), they have a specific smell when crushed. People call this unpleasant smell the smell of a bug.

Difference from other parasites living in the house:

The bug, unlike the cockroach, does not have processes in the back in the form of antennae and wings. Its body is more round and smaller in size.
To distinguish a bedbug from a tick, you will need to count its legs. The tick is an arachnid parasite and has 8 limbs, but the bug has 6.
It is more difficult to confuse a bug with an ant, but their larvae are very similar. The eggs of the former are wider and shorter.
The optimal temperature for good functioning of the parasite is +15 – + 30ºС. These indicators are most often present in a person’s bedroom.

REFERENCE! At low temperatures down to -15ºС, the parasite does not die, but only falls into suspended animation. As soon as the conditions for survival improve, he moves away from this state and safely continues his life activities.

Where do they come from?

Many people believe that bedbugs and other parasites cannot appear in clean and tidy apartments and houses. However, this is not always the case. Of course, preventive measures and regular cleaning reduce the risk of insects, however, they appear in the home in other ways.

Very often, bedbugs appear in an apartment along with the purchase of new furniture on which insects parasitize. In this case, any buyer is at risk, because insects from new furniture can crawl throughout the home in a matter of days or even hours. Most often, bedbugs appear on new furniture if the recommendations for storing it in a warehouse were violated, as well as if various sanitary standards were not observed. In this case, of course, it is not the buyer’s fault, but he will have to deal with the parasites.

Bed bugs can appear in the house not only after purchasing a kitchen set or upholstered furniture. They are often transported along with new equipment, in which they can also live perfectly. But, as a rule, only parasite eggs remain in the equipment, which much later begin to fully develop and reproduce in a new territory.

Very often, bedbugs appear after traveling. From any hotel you can easily bring annoying insects with you in your suitcase, which in a matter of days will ruin the life of everyone in your household. As a preventative measure, all things should be washed immediately after a trip, and suitcases should be treated with a special antiseptic.

Linen bugs are very common in places where groups of people live, for example, in hostels, dormitories and other similar places. Be extremely careful when receiving guests after such places. The bedbug can be carried on clothing or any accessory.

As in the case of cockroaches, linen bugs, with their huge numbers, can settle in neighboring apartments . In this case, it will be very difficult to fight them until their main habitat is found.

And finally, the possibility of bedbugs being carried on the fur of animals or birds cannot be ruled out.

Unfortunately for home owners, bedbugs always appear very unexpectedly, and therefore trying to track where they came from is not always possible.

Bedbug bites: photo

Bed bug bites

Bedbug bites When crawling to the surface of the skin to feed, bedbugs look for a vessel with blood, make a puncture, and then move to another place.

This can be repeated up to 8 times. As a result, in the morning a path of several red, swollen dots appears, located at a short distance.

When several parasites attack one area, a large, reddened spot forms on the site.

In 80% of people, the skin reacts with redness, swelling, and unbearable itching.

Bedbug habitats

When scratching, wounds form, infection can lead to inflammation and the appearance of pus. Some people develop irritability and sleep disturbances due to fear of bites.

With increased sensitization of the body, an allergic reaction to the secretion of the parasite is manifested by the formation of large blisters and bumps, a rash, sometimes swelling of the mucous membranes, difficulty breathing, and anaphylactic shock rarely develops.

Differences between bedbugs and other insects in the house

Males feed on blood, although in some insect species only females feed on blood to be able to reproduce.

Bed bugs are often confused by name with bed dust mites. Dust mites are very small and cannot bite through human skin; they live in pillows and other parts of furniture. They feed on microscopic particles of skin that fall off our bodies. It is unlikely that you will be able to see a dust mite with the naked eye, but it still causes harm: a person can develop an allergy from its waste products, which is confirmed by tests, and this is what is written in the diagnosis “dust mite allergy.”

Dust mite under a microscope

Unlike ants, bedbugs do not build nests and do not form colonies; they prefer to randomly accumulate near a food source, usually near the place where a warm-blooded living creature spends the night. Ants do not feed on human blood, but can only bite in defense.

Unlike fleas, bedbugs are larger in size and cannot jump. Traces of their vital activity are easier to detect than to understand that there are fleas in the apartment. Scars from flea bites most often appear on the legs, in contrast to marks from bedbugs, which can also cover the upper body.

Special signs

When a room is infested with bed bugs, you can navigate by one of the manifestations of the parasites. This is due to the fact that each of the signs differs from traces of contact with mosquitoes, fleas, lice and other blood-sucking insects

However, sometimes you need confirmation of your own fears, so pay attention to other signs

Characteristic bites

This is the main sign of bedbugs in an apartment, since it can be noticed immediately after an object is infested. For comparison, other manifestations become visible only after some time. Contact with bed bugs produces red spots of varying sizes. Some people do not have such a symptom; only invisible red dots remain on the body.

Bedbug bites can be easily distinguished from the bites of other insects.

Other symptoms of bed bug bites:

itching, and its intensity is quite high, and scratching occurs on the body;
swelling, as a result of which bumps are found in the areas where the bites appeared, but without compaction inside, the intensity of the swelling depends on the sensitivity of the body;
the size of the red spots varies from 0.5 to 5 cm, and the tracks of the bedbugs form a straight line - a path, since the parasite makes several punctures per meal, moving forward every few centimeters.

Other symptoms appear less frequently: pain, fever, headache, chills.

Chitin shells

There are many signs of bedbugs appearing in an apartment, but in second place is the detection of husks, which are shed by the larvae after each molt. A young individual of the pest changes its shell up to 4 times. This happens at different intervals - from 7 to 14 days or more, depending on environmental conditions. The shell can be seen on the floor or other surfaces, as it is distinguished by its light brown color. Moreover, the outer covers are transparent.

Chitinous shells shed by bedbugs during molting

Clutches of eggs

A female bedbug lays up to 5 eggs per day. To provide the offspring with protection, she leaves them not only in the nest, but also in different parts of the room. If one clutch is destroyed, for example by human discovery, the remaining eggs remain intact. The offspring at this stage look like small white formations - up to 1.5 cm in length. On one side there is a lid that allows insects to escape from the shell when necessary.

Clutches of bedbug eggs: not a single infected object can do without them

Specific smell

If bed parasites have only recently appeared, this sign is absent. The smell is felt when the number of pest colonies increases to several hundred individuals. This is a consequence of the vital activity of parasites. They leave excrement and secrete other secretory fluids in minimal quantities, but as the number of insects increases, a large amount of excrement accumulates in the apartment, which contributes to the appearance of a smell reminiscent of old cognac. If you stay in the room for a long time, you won’t feel it.

The specific smell of bed bugs is a guarantee that there are insects in the apartment

Blood stains

Such signs of bedbugs are also detected if there are a lot of parasites at home. Dots or small specks of blood appear on the bed if a person accidentally crushes the parasite in a dream. This occurs due to an increase in the volume of the insect’s body after eating. As a result, the parasite is much easier to kill. His body becomes more pliable and breaks easily. For comparison, in a hungry state it is more difficult to destroy a pest mechanically.

Blood stains from squashed bedbugs remain on the bed

Traces of bedbugs on the wallpaper

If red spots remain on the bed linen, then on the finishing materials only stains from excrement, as well as other secretory fluids of parasites, appear to a greater extent. You can see traces of a bug on the wallpaper when the insects have built a nest in the area where the material has moved away from the wall. Parasites penetrate under any covering.

In particularly infested areas, traces of bedbugs are even present on walls and wallpaper.

Vital signs

When parasites colonize an apartment, black dots are found on different surfaces, and more often in areas where nests are located. This is parasite excrement. Bed bugs feed on blood, which is why the stool turns dark. The blackheads are small in size, which is why they resemble poppy seeds. The larger the pest nest is, the more things deteriorate in the area where it is located.

If furniture is infested with bedbugs, it is practically beyond repair.

Favorable conditions

The conditions in the apartment are suitable for the existence of bedbugs: in urban housing there are no sudden temperature changes, optimal heat and humidity are maintained. The sanitary condition of the premises does not play any role; in any housing there are many secluded places for building a nest.

Bed bugs love warmth, it stimulates their vital activity, so they reproduce most actively in the summer. A comfortable temperature for the parasite is 20-25 °C. Darkness is important for hunting

The most important condition for a prosperous existence is a source of food (human) and quick access to it

A nest of bed bugs in the sofa.

Interesting Facts

Residents of apartment buildings should know some signs of the presence of linen bloodsuckers indoors:

The bug has an odor reminiscent of coriander.
An indisputable sign of the presence of insects is complaints from family members about the appearance of numerous bites located on the body.
Peak food intake for parasites is from 0:00 to 05:00 hours.
An insect that feeds on blood can go without food for 2 months.
An adult quickly finds a food source, because senses the warmth of the human body and the presence of carbon dioxide in the exhaled air.
A bug bite causes an allergic reaction in 80% of people.
The insect is often the cause of anemia in young children.
Triatomidae are carriers of the causative agent of Chagas disease or American trypanosomiasis.
An increase in the number of blood-sucking parasites is facilitated by the formation of populations resistant to the effects of insecticides, for example, 25% of cypermethrin, which is part of disinfectants.

There are many ways to combat home bugs, which allow you to destroy all blood-sucking insects living in the room.

Garden pests and predators

These insects are not dangerous for humans, but they can cause great harm to cultivated plants, as they feed on flower sap. They can only get into the apartment by accident. It’s very easy to get rid of them: pick them up on something and throw them back out the window. The appearance of bugs of the herbivorous group depends on the presence of a defense mechanism and mimicry of dangerous species.

Soldier

Additional names: wingless red bug; Cossack Latin name Pyrrhocoris apterus. Distributed throughout the northern Palearctic, North Africa and North America.

It feeds on plant juices. Can hunt small insects, including its own young. You can see what soldier bugs look like in the photo below. Defense mechanism – unpleasant taste and conspicuous coloring

Redbug

Forest

A group of species of bugs that feed on the sap of grass and young trees. Other names:

woody;
stinky;
garden;
stink bug;
herbal.

You can only end up in the house by accident. Usually during forest fires or heavy rains, driving bedbugs out of the forest. These are quite large insects with a body length of more than 1 cm. The forest bug can be recognized by its characteristic body shape, similar to an irregular pentagon, since the color varies from green to brown. The insect is flattened on top.

Woody

The second name for a group of forest bugs. The official name of the “arboreal” species is the green shield bug (Palomena prasina), which belongs to the family of true shield bugs. It also feeds on flower juice and ripe berries. One of the troubles for people: a nasty smell and taste in the mouth, if you are “lucky” to bring it into your mouth with a berry. The photograph of the green tree bug shows that its main defense mechanism is camouflage coloration.

forest bug

Stinky

Another option for the name of forest or tree bugs. It does not attack people and is not dangerous.

They fly only to save lives, so they most often end up in an apartment with fruit. Thanks to the camouflage coloration of the stink bug, the stink bug is more often noticed when it is already in the mouth. To get these pests out of your apartment, just throw the unfortunate insect out the window. It is guaranteed not to return. Doesn't live at home.

Water bug

In Eurasia, water bugs include:

water strider;
smoothie;
rower

All these insects are predators. Depending on their size, they feed either on very small living organisms, or they can even catch a fish or a frog.

Of the aquatic species, water striders are the smallest bugs and are afraid of everything. Some species of water striders can fly and fly at night in search of a body of water richer in food.

Gladysh doesn't care about people, but if you catch him, he bites. The smoothie's bite is similar to that of a wasp, which is why it is nicknamed the “water wasp.” The size of the smoothie is 1.5 cm. An adult flies excellently and can fly into the light of a lamp at night. It is not recommended to catch it.

It looks a bit like a smooth boat. It has the same dimensions: 1.5 cm. But the smoothie is white and transparent, the smoothie is a black bug.

You can distinguish which one is better not to touch with your hands by looking at a photo of the bedbugs and the bedbugs. The smoothie is on the left, the rower is on the right.

Water bugs

Turtle

Belongs to the family of shield turtles. Size up to 13 mm. Damages grain crops. Not dangerous for humans. It got its name because of the shape and pattern of the elytra, reminiscent of a turtle shell. We have to fight it in order to save the crops of cereal plants. It’s worth looking at photos of turtle bugs to know which bug appears on a plant and you need to immediately run for an insecticide.

bug bug

Attack of turtle bugs on crops

Scutellum

He's a stink bug, he's a forest bug, he's a tree bug. An insect belonging to the shield family. Many shield bugs are predatory. The photo shows a representative of the genus Podisus having lunch.

stink bug

Predator

Representatives of the largest family of bedbugs. They feed on other insects. The foul predator and the domestic predator are synanthropic species that live in houses and prey on other synanthropic insects. Predatory bugs in the house: photo below.

Predator bug, adult and nymph

The dirty predator is a large black insect. Body size is 1.5 - 2 cm. The nymph of the predator bears little resemblance to an adult insect. More like a dusty, incomprehensible spider. For comparison: a photo of an adult predator and an image of a nymph using dust camouflage.

Perillus

Perillus bugs

A very helpful North American guest. Natural enemy of the Colorado potato beetle. Attempts to acclimatize the insect in the Krasnodar region were unsuccessful. Probably due to the fact that summer residents confused the perillus with the toy soldier. These species have similar coloration. In the photo you can see what color the perillus bugs are and how the perillus sucks out the larva of the Colorado potato beetle.