How to recognize Bed Bugs?
- The adult bed bug is 5-7 mm long and 1 mm thick. It gets thicker after blood feeding.
- It looks like an apple seed.
- It is flat and hides easily in vey small cracks, as thin as a credit card.
- The adult bed bug is reddish-brown. It becomes darker after blood feeding.
- Its body is segmented. The female is oval shaped. The male body is sharper at its end.
- The bed bug is nocturnal. Its eyes are very small and the antennae are short. The bed bug has no wing and does not jump.
- Its mouth is a small spiky tube, folded under its head.
- The beb bug walks 1m per min.
Nymphs:
The nymph looks like the adult bed bug except it is smaller. The nymph looks like a sesame seed. Its body is translucent. After blood feeding, there is a small black point in their abdomen.
Eggs:
- Elongated tube shape, 1-3 mm long, whitish.
- Eggs are clustered 5-15 together, fixed to surfaces with sticky substance.
What’s the risk for me and my belongings?
The bed bug has not been proven to transmit human disease but its bites are very irritating and painful. The irritation is caused by the bed bug saliva.
The bed bug injects an anticoagulant through its bite and an analgesic, to avoid awakening its host. It usually bites between 12 to 4 am. The bed bug exclusively feeds on blood.
Skin bites can cause severe itching. If itching is too intense, skin bite scratching can cause infection and scars.
People who have bed bugs can suffer from anxiety, stress, sleep disorder and fatigue.
In case of severe infestations, blood and fecal marks can stain furniture or other belongings permanently.
Call an expert Ask an expert » Get a quick quote »What are the signs of the presence of Bed Bugs?
Mattresses and bites :
- You can see bed bugs when checking the bed, mattress, boxspring, skin bites.
- It feels like a black fly bite for those who can feel them
- 25-30% of people who have bed bugs do not feel the skin bites. There is no mean for those people to easily detect if they have bed bugs.
- Skin bites can have different patterns; in line, square, triangular shape, etc. Pinkish pimples appear at skin bite sites.
- Bed bug bites 3-7x per visite. A complete blood meal lasts 10-20 min (2-3 min per bite).
Blood marks:
- Most common bitten body parts are uncovered and hairyless; neck, back, inner thighs, back of calves, ankles, forearms, hands. Bed bugs do not bite on head hair nor intimate parts.
- The bed bug leaves blood marks and fecal stains on bed sheets. Black spots 1-3 mm diameter can be found where bed bugs gather: baseboards, beds, blankets, electric wall plugs, screw heads, etc. Empty casting can also be found.
- A strong coriander-like smell can be felt in severe infestations.
What should I do if I have Bed Bugs?
Do not use detergent, disinfectant or spray to try to repel them as it may spread them and worsen the problem. You cannot get rid of bed bugs yourself, Health Canada does not recommend it either.
Bed bugs elimination requires rigour, expertise and the use of proven techniques. SOS Bugs has developed an expertise treating bed bugs infestations. SOS Bugs uses a combination of proven techniques: vacuuming, ICAP, dusting, thermal treatments. SOS Bugs also uses detection devices for monitoring.
All of our interventions are done by our biologist who has over 25 years of experience in pest control. SOS Bugs offers professional and trusty services. We love our job and will be eager to help you get rid of the bed bugs.
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