How Itchy Are Bed Bug Bites?

Do bed bug bites itch? For some this may sound like a stupid question - of course bed bug bites itch! Nevertheless this does not always happen. Bed bugs as you are most probably aware are unpleasant little pests who thrive by feasting on blood. Any warm blooded creature will do but human beings are frequently first in line these days. Our vampire pals prefer to bite under the cover of darkness - typically in the hour or so before the sun comes up however they will come out in the daytime if they are hungry and food becomes available. They can detect the victim who will provide their next meal from the Carbon dioxide they breath out and their body heat. You will usually find that bites will appear on parts of the body which have been left uncovered for example the face, neck, arms and neck. Bed bugs are extremely smart they make sure that they can enjoy a good dinner without being detected. They do this by injecting a local anaesthetic to slightly numb the spot and an anticoagulant to allow the blood to flow more easily both of these substances can be found in the bed bugs saliva. It is the allergic reaction caused by the saliva which prompts the rash and itchy bed bug bites to appear. The rash may take a few days to appear and can look like small red spots or bumps or possibly welts on the skin. Itching from the bites can be annoying and can last for a few hours or a few days. As I said at the introduction to this article bed bug bites don't always itch simply because there are many individuals who do not suffer any ill effects at all. Due to the appearance and the symptoms produced by the bites it is often extremely difficult for a doctor to accurately diagnose them as being from bed bugs! Other insect bites such as fleas bites and mosquito bites can look very similar. Skin conditions also like eczema and psoriasis and even scabies can display similar symptoms. The only way to be certain is to physically track down the bugs in your home and have them correctly identified. Having said all that, there is no real treatment for bed bug bites. Oral antihistamines or cortisone creams will relieve the itch. Scratching may lead to bacterial skin infection and should be avoided. There only one effective way to stop horrid bed bug bites that itch like crazy - ELIMINATE THE BED BUGS!!!!

Think Your Rash Is Caused By Bed Bugs?

One sure symptom that you have got a possible infestation of blood sucking bugs on your hands is the bed bug rash. It is important all the same that you do not just surmise that any rash which appears on you or possibly any of the family is because of bed bugs! There is a vast number of skin conditions that are likely to present with the same symptoms like eczema, psoriasis, even chicken pox along with bites from other blood sucking pests that include fleas and mosquitoes. This can often make a doctors task of providing a diagnosis extremely challenging. Subsequently, if you are afraid that your rash may perhaps have been caused by bedbug bites you really need to try and find evidence of an infestation. Make sure you search the household for clues such as for example, bedbug poo, cast skins, small blood smears on your mattress and bedding, bedbug eggs and of course live insects. If you uncover none of these signs you really should reconsider exactly what the trigger of the rash could be and seek medical advise. Confirmation of the existence of bed bugs in your property will likely help your doctor make straightforward diagnosis. Okay so, what does a bed bug rash look like? Typically a bedbug rash will develop randomly as little red bumps which will either be flat or risen on areas of your skin. The site around the bumps can often be swollen and is usually itchy. The worst thing you can do however is scratch because this may possibly lead to the rash becoming infected. The frequently affected areas include the face, neck, arms and legs i.e. any part of the body which has been kept uncovered during the night. Not everyone bitten by these vampire insects displays symptoms. Quite a few fortunate individuals will suffer no reaction what so ever to their saliva. Bed bugs are fairly smart, because, their saliva has a mild anaesthetic to prevent the victim feeling the bite plus an anticoagulant to let the blood to flow more readily to make feeding a lot quicker. There are some unfortunate individuals however that may suffer a serious reaction maybe even anaphylaxis which will need to have urgent medical attention. The bites can typically appear within a time frame of anything from one day to as much as several days after the initial bite. The more regularly a person is bitten the more sensitized they will become meaning the bites are likely to appear a great deal faster. Just how do you treat a bed bug rash? In the vast majority instances no medical assistance is required - unless of course a bacterial skin infection sets in and antibiotics are required. The itching may be calmed using creams such as hydro cortisone or even oral antihistamines. The bites themselves will disappear over time provided of course that the bed bugs have been wiped out from your home. There are various other medical conditions which an infestation might cause like anxiety, panic attacks and insomnia. These could possibly have a far greater impact on somebody's life when compared to a bed bug rash.

Can You See Bed Bugs With The Naked Eye?

Can you see bed bugs? Awakening with itchy, red bites on areas of your skin definitely is not a nice experience. Then you begin wondering precisely what triggered it? A skin disorder, fleas, mosquitoes, BED BUGS? Such symptoms will most likely have many causes and it can be very hard for a doctor to pin down the genuine cause so if you suspect bed bugs it will make diagnosis a great deal faster if you can actually try to find the culprits! Ok so, the major question is can you see bed bugs? The answer is yes! A full grown bed bug is reddish brown in color and has a flat, oval shaped body and six legs - ideal for fitting into the littlest of hiding places! In terms of size an adult will measure something like 4 to 5 mm long and 1.5 to 3 mm in width.Sometimes the adult bug is likened in appearance and size to an apple seed. A freshly hatched nymph or "baby bed bug" looks like a tinier version of its parents. You can see immature bed bugs with the naked eye. They only measure somewhere around 1 mm and are translucent. I have heard nymphs likened to poppy seeds in size! Both adult and bed bug nymphs grow in width after a blood dinner. When engorged their usually flat bodies become more "puffed up" and their coloring changes to red because the blood inside them is visible. The color only changes to the more usual tan or reddish brown as the meal is digested. Subsequently if you see what resembles a mobile blood spot on your bedsheets it is most likely a bed bug! Finding and eliminating bed bug eggs is a vital part of any bed bug treatment program because an adult female has the ability to lay eggs at a speed of around 1 to 5 per day that's up to 500 in her life time. Can you see bed bug eggs? These are often described as looking like grains of rice in shape and color. It is possible to see bed bug eggs with no magnification due to the fact they measure approximately 1 mm. You will usually discover them "glued" to the surface of a mattress or maybe a headboard. As they developed bed bugs cast their skins a total of 6 times before they develop into sexually mature adults. This process normally takes in the region of 5 weeks. It is possible to spot bed bugs skins which have been shed during this process. Basically they look exactly like a bed bug but are in fact transparent, empty skins. Should you come across these when hunting down bed bugs in your home they are a sure sign of an active infestation.

Looking For A Treatment For Bed Bugs?

Are bed bugs giving you sleepless nights and nasty bites? If you need help and advice about treatment for bed bugs read on.....

Bed bugs are similar in size to the lovable lady bug - about 1/5th of an inch. They tend to be mahogany or a rusty reddish color. These creepy crawlies come out at night to feed - on blood and will hide away during the day in all sorts of places from small cracks and holes in the floor and walls of a room to the folds of bed linen and the creases of the mattress. When in need of food they can travel up to 100ft so don't be surprised if you find them in obscure places. The nasty bites which bed bugs inflict are quite often the first indication of a problem. The bites are usually red, swollen areas which are itchy and appear in lines of three. It is important that you ensure that the bites do not become infected - this can be painful and mat require medical attention. There are a minority of people who will develop a severe reaction to the bug bites and who will need to see a doctor urgently. Time is of the essence, the bed bugs must be eliminated as quickly as possible to prevent the infestation growing out of control. Treatments for bed bugs vary. The use of insecticides is still common and can be very effective but also very dangerous if used incorrectly. There are non toxic, natural alternatives available which can work equally as well and have the advantage of being safe if there are pets or children in the house. The first course of action should be to determine whether or not that it is indeed bed bugs which are the problem. This can be established relatively easily. Look out for blood spots on bed linen and possibly dead bugs which have been squashed during

the night. Check along the seams and in any folds or rips in your mattress not forgetting the box spring too. If bugs are present you will find dark fecal marks, the small white eggs and of course the live bugs. The whole room must then be searched carefully as these little pests can move around the room in search of food. When I say the whole room I mean drawers, cupboards, smoke alarms, picture frames. The biggest tell tale sign that bed bugs are in residence are the dark faecal marks that they leave behind. Chemical treatment for bed bugs is usually required to ensure that all the bugs are exterminated and that eggs and larvae are destroyed. Insecticides can be extremely dangerous and must be used with great care. Pets and children should be kept well away form treated areas. There are alternative non toxic options which can be just as effective and which are child and pet friendly. Treatment for the bed bugs cannot be applied until the room and all the items in it have been cleaned thoroughly. It is best done in a systematic and ordered fashion to ensure that there is no area left unchecked or cleaned. Six Tips To Get Started: 1. Strip the bed of all linen and remove all soft furnishings where possible. Place them immediately into a plastic bag and seal it tight. NB. do this in the room which is infested to prevent bed bugs getting into other areas of the house. Launder suitable items at a high temperature. 2. Items which are not suitable for laundering should be put into the tumble dryer on a high heat setting for around 10 minutes. Bed bugs cannot survive in extreme heat or cold so by placing items like for example shoes in sealed plastic bags and placing them outside in the heat or cold for a few hours will kill the bugs. 3. Clear out any little crevices and holes where the bed bugs may be nesting. Once the treatment for the bed bugs has been completed make sure that all of these are suitably filled in. 4. Remove any clutter which may be in the room. Bag and seal newspapers, magazines etc. and dispose of them.

5. Use the vacuum cleaner on floors, curtains, mattress and box spring - in fact anywhere you can get into with it. The benefit of this is that it will not only suck up bed bugs but eggs and larvae too which are more difficult to see. Be sure to seal and dispose of the bag from the vacuum cleaner immediately. 6. The chemical or non toxic equivalent spray can then be applied once you are confident that the room has been thoroughly cleaned. It is essential that the correct dosage id applied so ensure that manufacturer's instructions should be followed carefully. Infestations can be very large and may be impossible to get rid of using the by treating bed bugs using the treatment for bed bugs suggested here. In such instances it really is best to call in professionals who can apply fast effective treatments for bed bugs.

Know How To Exterminate Bed Bugs

The problem with bed bugs is that the little beggars just don't go away! At least not without a fight. This can make exterminating bed bugs a long, and often difficult task. However, if you have a little knowledge of how to go about it, it is not an impossible one!

The most important aspect of exterminating bed bugs is taking swift action immediately you find an infestation. By doing this quite often it will be possible to carry out your own extermination process rather than employing professionals to do the work for you. So, how do you deal with a bed bug infestation? Simply follow the steps below.

1. Positively ID The Enemy.

Cast Bed Bug Skin

The best place to start is by making certain that bed bugs are the problem. The biggest tell tale sign are bites on the body when you wake. Check for blood stains on bedding, discarded skins from developing bugs and so on. Do not limit your search to your bed. Check the whole room including the more obscure places such as inside light switches, radios etc.

2. Let battle Commence!

Once you are confident that you do have a bed bug problem the process of exterminating can begin.

You must clear the affected room of all clutter. Place it all in sealed plastic bags and dispose of it. Use a vacuum cleaner to clean the whole room. Vacuum EVERYTHING! this will not only remove live bugs but also eggs which are usually stuck to surfaces quite firmly as they are laid.

The next step is to use a steam cleaner, these are a a great weapon in the battle against bed bugs because the steam not only kills adult bugs and nymphs but it will also destroy any eggs missed by the vacuum cleaner. Follow the same systematic method as with the vacuum cleaner and again steam clean EVERYTHING!.

The last assault on the bed bugs should be applied in the form of a toxic bed bug spray. This step is optional however, it is an additional safe guard in exterminating bed bugs. There are a few options as regards bed bug sprays - the organic options are best especially where there a children and pets in the household.

So, there you have it how to exterminate bed bugs - in a few easy steps. However, do not be fooled one treatment may not be enough to get rid of these blood sucking pests. You may have to repeat the whole process twice or perhaps more before you can claim victory in this war.

What Is The Best Way To Kill Bed Bugs - Part 2

Okay, you should have carried out the first part of the extermination i.e. de-cluttered the room, laundered or heat treated garments and soft furnishings and used the vacuum to get rid of eggs, nymphs and bugs from EVERY area, including furniture.

Now have you to make a choice - which bed bug killer to use?

You may want to hire or buy a steam cleaning machine, bed bugs will not withstand heat so using steam is a brilliant bed bug killer! After you have used the vacuum cleaner on the whole room, methodically follow the same path using the steam cleaner, you will find more information on how to do this in my article How to Kill Bed Bugs Using Steam.

Another option to consider is a bed bug spray, this is not quite so straight forward as there are thousands of products available. Personally I have tried one called Bed Bug Patrol which is manufactured using only natural plant extracts like Euginia Carophylla, Mentha Piperita, and Sodium Lauryl Sulphate from Coconut Extract. These ingredients are totally harmless to humans and pets but lethal to bed bugs, killing them immediately and at all stages of development. Some alternative products do not kill bed bug eggs because they are unable to permeate the outer skin.

If I am honest, I would have to say that using both these methods as a combination is without doubt the most effective way to kill bed bugs. So the the best method would be Vacuum --> Steam --> Spray.

But, there are yet more things you can do.

Using of fossil shell dust can also be an excellent bed bug killer. As an alternative to a non toxic spray, once you have steam cleaned the room you might want to sprinkle a dusting of this around. It too is totally natural and is derived by crushing fossil shells and other marine life. It works quite simply by penetrating the waxy skin of the bed bugs causing them to dehydrate and die.

You might purchase bed bug traps! These are extremely easy to use and again totally natural. Stick one trap to each bed post, chair leg or whatever and as the bugs begin to climb to feed ( on your blood) they become totally stuck on the trap and die. Believe it or not these are actually really effective!

Finally, you could perhaps purchasing are mattress and box spring encasements. These can be used in two ways, to stop bed bugs ever infesting your mattress and box spring should you be unfortunate enough to have an infestation. Secondly you can use them to trap any remaining bed bugs which will eventually die.
However, be aware, these horrid little creatures can survive for up to a year without feeding so, don't be tempted to remove these encasements too soon.

As you can see there are many options for getting rid of bed bugs but finding the right bed bug killer is not always easy. Doing the job yourself will save you money but it will take a good deal of time and effort.

What Is The Best Way To Kill Bed Bugs - Part 1

So, you have just discovered that your house has a bed bug infestation, your face, arms, legs and other body parts are covered in itchy red welts and all you want to do is to get rid of these blasted bugs.

The big dilemma is which bed bug killer do you choose? There is a whole host of products on the market and making an informed choice about how to effectively tackle the problem is vital

Bring In Professionals

Your first choice may be to use a professional "bed bug killer" company, however this comes at a price! They will come and spray your home with chemicals which should eliminate the bed bugs however before engaging a company you should perhaps consider a couple of points. To begin with, you and your family will most probably have to vacate your home whilst the work is carried out and will be unable to return until the chemicals are dry.

Secondly, pesticides and insecticides can be very harmful to the health of both humans and that of any pets living in the affected property, it is possible that over time you or someone in your family could have health issues.

The third problem to consider if using bed bug killer chemicals such as pesticides and insecticides is that bed bugs can build up immunity - this has already happened with many types of chemicals in the past - so greatly reducing the effectiveness of the treatment, and perhaps leaving you with a much lighter wallet and a house still harbouring unwanted guests.

I should actually stress at this stage that this really is the worst case scenario and that most bed bug killing companies only use treatments which are safe - the last thing they want are law suites!

You could of course take things into your own hands and save yourself a fair amount of money - become a D.I.Y bed bug killer! So, where do you begin?

There are quite a few ways in which you can tackle a bed bug infestation, non of of them using hazardous chemicals.

No matter which treatment you intend to use the first job which is essential is to clear the room of clutter. Through magazines, books and anything else which can be disposed of into plastic bags, seal them tightly and remove them from the house! Remember, do all of this in the room which is infested, the last thing you want to do is allow bugs to spread to other areas of the property.

Next, remove bedding, gather up clothing and other items which can be machine washed. Place these also into plastic bags and remove them to your laundry area. Launder all these garments at as high a temperature as possible, garments which cannot be laundered could perhaps be placed in your tumble dryer on a high heat for 10 minutes. Alternatively go over them carefully with a steam cleaner, paying special attention to pockets and under collars. It is essential that you disinfect and clean your laundry area very carefully once you have done. Place all clean garments into CLEAN plastic bags and seal them to prevent re-infestation.

Once you have done this it is time to get the vacuum cleaner out. This is a fantastic tool because it allows you to get into all the cracks and crevices where these nocturnal creatures like to hide removing the bed bugs at all stages of development. Vacuum EVERYTHING, the mattress, box spring, curtains, inside drawers, closets, soft furnishings and so on. Don't forget the more obscure places - bed bugs do travel and will hide out behind pictures, in light switches and smoke alarms etc. This is also a great time to fix holes or cracks in walls or floors because bed bugs will use these to hide in as well.


Read part 2 and discover what your D.I.Y. bed bug killer options are.