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What are bed bugs?
Bed bugs are small, flat insects that feed on our blood, typically at night, while we are sleeping. Adult bed bugs are about 1/4 of an inch long, have flat, rusty-red-colored oval bodies, and look like an apple seed. They feed for about 3-10 minutes and their bodies swell and become bright red. During the bed bug life cycle, a female can lay 200-400 eggs depending on food supply and temperature. Bed bugs don’t fly, but can quickly walk across floors, walls, and other surfaces.
![Bed Bug](https://i0.wp.com/granthealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/ZD-BedBug.jpg?resize=414%2C252&ssl=1)
What are the signs and symptoms of a bed bug infestation?
Symptoms – There are no known cases of infectious disease transmitted by bed bug bites. Itchy swollen bites may be the first sign of a bed bug problem. The most common skin reaction to bed bug bites are itchy red bite marks that appear clustered or in a straight line, often along the edge of clothing or where sheets were pulled up to a person’s skin. Small swollen red bumps are also common.
In rare cases, people may develop large, often itchy, red welts. Bed bugs tend to bite any exposed area of the body while a person is sleeping, such as the face, neck, arms, hands, or legs.
Signs – Bed bugs typically infest mattresses, box springs, bed frames, and couches. You may be able to find them hiding within the cracks and crevices of beds, furniture, floors, and walls. Bed bugs often leave evidence of small dark stains (fecal droppings) and rusty red spots (bloodstains) on bedding sheets, mattresses, and other areas they hide in or travel along. Heavy bed bug infestations can cause a sweet, musty smell.
Who is at risk for getting bed bugs?
Everyone is at risk for getting bed bugs when visiting an infected area. However, anyone who travels frequently and shares living and sleeping quarters where other people have previously slept has a higher risk of being bitten and or spreading a bed bug infestation.
How do I get rid of bed bugs?
The best way to control bed bugs is to use an integrated pest management approach, which combines a variety of control techniques that pose the least risk to human health and the environment. The use of pesticides is just one part of the potential control strategy for bed bugs.
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Confirm that you have bed bugs. Contact a pest control company for bed bug identification help.
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Use your vacuum’s nozzle attachment to capture the bed bugs and their eggs. Vacuum all seams and crevices on your mattress, bed frame, baseboards, and any other objects close to the bed or furniture in the home found to be harboring bed bugs. It is essential to vacuum daily and immediately place the vacuum’s contents into a sealed plastic bag and throw it away in an outdoor garbage can.
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Wash all your linens in hot water and place them in a hot dryer for at least 20 minutes.
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Cover your mattress, box spring, and pillows with a certified bed bug cover encasement.
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Remove all unnecessary clutter.
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Seal cracks and crevices between baseboards, on wood bed frames, floors and walls with caulking. Repair or remove peeling wallpaper, tighten loose light switch covers, and seal any openings where pipes, wires or other utilities come into your home. Pay special attention to apartments or rooms that share a wall – bed bugs can move through extremely small gaps to infest new areas.
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Monitor nightly to catch the bed bugs. Trapping provides evidence of bed bugs, but it shouldn’t be used as the sole method of control because it probably won’t catch all the bed bugs. You can purchase a trap or make your own, see UNL Extension’s Do-It-Yourself Bed Bug Trap (PDF).
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Closely examine any items that you are moving around in your home or are bringing in. If you throw away infested items, make sure that no one else will want to use them again – cut holes in upholstery or attach a sign to it saying, “Infested with Bed Bugs.”
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Contact a professional pest control company to assist you with these control steps and to see if pesticides or other bed bug control strategies should be included. Use the least toxic pesticide product available and follow the label’s instructions.
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Never use pesticides that are intended to be used outdoors, inside your home. Bug bombs, or total release foggers, are not effective in controlling bed bugs. Bed bug infestations can be difficult to control, but don’t resort to improperly using pesticides. Serious health risks can occur when pesticides are used improperly.
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