Click Free Pest Control Quote
to fill in a form to obtain a free pest control quote today.
Detection Appearance
Adult bed bugs are light brown or reddish-brown, flattened, oval-shaped and have no hind wings. Their front wings are vestigial and reduced to pad-like structures. They have segmented abdomens with microscopic hairs that give them a banded appearance. Adults grow to 45 mm in length and 1.53 mm wide. Newly hatched nymphs are translucent, lighter in colour and become browner as they moult and reach maturity. Bed bugs may be mistaken for other insects, such as booklice, small cockroaches, or carpet beetles, however when warm and active, their movements are more ant-like. They emit a characteristic disagreeable odor when crushed.
Fleas are wingless insects 1.5 to 3.3 mm long. They are agile, usually dark colored (for example, the reddish-brown of the cat flea), with tube-like mouth-parts adapted to feeding on the blood of their hosts. Their legs are long, the hind pair well adapted for jumping: a flea can jump vertically up to 7 inches (18 cm) and horizontally up to 13 inches (33 cm), making the flea one of the best jumpers of all known animals (relative to body size), second only to the froghopper.
Bed bug bites cannot usually be identified by bites alone, as they look similar to mosquito and spider bites. Signs of a bed bug infestation include dark spots on bedding, eggs and eggshells (which are about 1mm across and white), and rusty or reddish stains on sheets caused by crushed bugs.
Check out the video below to learn about bed bug infestations:
Your pets are more likely to be bitten by fleas than you are. To see if a pet has fleas, part its hair or fur. Fleas will try to run and hide from the movement but will be visible. You can check more thoroughly using a special flea comb. Any fleas caught in the comb can be killed in soapy water.
Flea bites on humans show as clusters of red dots. While these bites can be anywhere on the body, they usually show up on the legs, ankles, and forearms, as exposure to fleas tends to come from being around or petting animals that are infested.
When not feeding, bed bugs can be found near the piping, seams and tags of mattresses, and in cracks in the bed frame and headboard. In heavily infested rooms, they can also be found in chair seams, between cushions, in curtain folds, under loose wallpaper and in drawer joints.
The most common type of fleas can be found on pets and hiding in the carpet and in upholstery. Fleas rarely live on human hosts in the US, although they can bite them.
Bed bug bites (cimicosis) can cause itchiness, skin rashes and blisters. Scratching may lead to secondary infection. In addition, they can have damaging psychological effects. However, bed bugs are not known to be a vector for transmitting diseases.
In contrast, fleas transmit a variety of viral, bacterial and rickettsial diseases to humans and other animals. Flea bites are very itchy and annoying. Some people and animals suffer allergic reactions to flea saliva resulting in rashes. Flea bites generally result in the formation of a slightly raised, swollen itching spot with a single puncture point at the center (similar to a mosquito bite). The bites often appear in clusters or lines of two bites, and can remain itchy and inflamed for up to several weeks afterwards. Fleas can also lead to hair loss as a result of frequent scratching and biting by the animal, and can cause anemia in extreme cases.
Bed bugs are notoriously difficult to kill or get rid of. The EPA suggest integrated pest management (IPM), which uses both chemical and non-chemical treatments. Suggested treatments include putting bedding and clothing in a dryer at high temperatures (as general washing will not kill bedbugs). Infested areas should be heated to at least 113F for an hour. Pesticides designed for indoor use on bedbugs can also be used. It is estimated that an average American family spends roughly $5,000 for bedbug treatment. Folk remedies include bean leaves.[1][2]
Flea infestations can be treated by vacuuming carpets, furnishings, cracks in floors and upholstery, plus any place pets sleep, to remove fleas and eggs. Rugs and pet bedding should be beaten outdoors. Fleas on pets should be killed using specially designed products on their fur.
Flea infestations can potentially be prevented by washing pet bedding every week. But bed bug infestations can be difficult to prevent. You should check secondhand furniture careful for signs of infestation and can eliminate hiding spots by using protective covers to encase mattresses and box springs. In hotel rooms, use luggage racks to hold luggage, and unpack directly into the washing machine when you return home.
In December 2014, researchers at Simon Fraser University announced that they had developed a chemical that attracted bed bugs from wherever they are in a room, thereby allowing them to be counted and killed. It is expected that this invention will be commercialized by late 2015, and will help prevent and even treat minor infestations. However, it may not work in heavily infested areas because female bed bugs tend to disperse rather than congregate when there is a large number of bed bugs around.
See the original post:
Bed Bugs vs Fleas - Difference and Comparison | Diffen
- Bedbugs at Iowa State University - August 25th, 2011 [August 17th, 2011]
- Iowa Hotel Launches Bed Bug Battle - August 25th, 2011 [August 20th, 2011]
- Newswatch - Oct. 3, 2010 - September 5th, 2011 [September 5th, 2011]
- Newswatch 18: The Year in Review Part 2 - September 6th, 2011 [September 6th, 2011]
- Industry Adaptation and Advances in Bed Bug Control - September 8th, 2011 [September 8th, 2011]
- Organic Biological Pest Control Product Non Toxic Green Best - September 8th, 2011 [September 8th, 2011]
- Spring Brings Insect Invasion - September 8th, 2011 [September 8th, 2011]
- Polk County creates bed bug task force - September 11th, 2011 [September 11th, 2011]
- Pauls Pest Control Adel IA - September 13th, 2011 [September 13th, 2011]
- Bed Bug Talk With Jeff Springer - September 19th, 2011 [September 19th, 2011]
- Lifestyles of the Creepy and Crawly - September 22nd, 2011 [September 22nd, 2011]
- Company Plans Bigger Battle Against Bedbugs - September 24th, 2011 [September 24th, 2011]
- ISU Extension: Bed bugs - Video - October 14th, 2011 [October 14th, 2011]
- Bed Bugs Becoming an Epidemic - Video - December 10th, 2011 [December 10th, 2011]
- Bedbug Heat Treatment - Video - January 20th, 2012 [January 20th, 2012]
- Bedbug bill causes rash of debate in House subcommittee - February 1st, 2012 [February 1st, 2012]
- SHELTER BUGS: A homeless shelter in Des Moines is infested with bed bugs - February 13th, 2012 [February 13th, 2012]
- Bedbug Bill Tries to Hold Tenants Accountable For Infestation - February 13th, 2012 [February 13th, 2012]
- Bedbug expert scratches head over extent of UNL infestation - February 18th, 2012 [February 18th, 2012]
- Mount Mercy Treats Apartments After Bed Bugs Found in One Unit - October 11th, 2012 [October 11th, 2012]
- Green Iowa Bed Bug Treatment - Miller Pest & Termite - Bedbugs - November 9th, 2013 [November 9th, 2013]
- Bed Bug Detection and Extermination :: Springer Home Services - November 9th, 2013 [November 9th, 2013]
- Bed Bug Detection and Removal for Iowa :: Springer Home Services - November 25th, 2013 [November 25th, 2013]
- Bedbug Treatments - Downs Pest Control | Des Moines Safe Pest ... - December 3rd, 2013 [December 3rd, 2013]
- Bed Bug Picture / Bedbug Picture 3 (Hardin MD / CDC) - December 9th, 2013 [December 9th, 2013]
- Chicago Tops Bed Bug Cities List for Second Year in a Row ... - January 16th, 2014 [January 16th, 2014]
- SW Ohio ranks again for bedbug treatments - January 20th, 2014 [January 20th, 2014]
- Indiana Bed Bugs Bettenhausen & Jarman, Ltd. Real - March 31st, 2014 [March 31st, 2014]
- Bed Bug Report for Holiday Inn, Davenport, IA - May 8th, 2014 [May 8th, 2014]
- Bed Bugs Iowa State University | Bed Bug Relief - July 10th, 2014 [July 10th, 2014]
- Identify Bed Bugs, Identify bed bug, Iowa Bed Bug, Iowa ... - July 10th, 2014 [July 10th, 2014]
- Bed bugs on the rise in eastern Iowa - September 23rd, 2014 [September 23rd, 2014]
- County looks at bed bug problem - October 8th, 2014 [October 8th, 2014]
- Killing Bed Bugs is No Easy Task - November 3rd, 2014 [November 3rd, 2014]
- Battling Bedbugs On A Budget - November 7th, 2014 [November 7th, 2014]
- MastiClub.net | Rapid Systems For bed bugs termal ... - November 19th, 2014 [November 19th, 2014]
- Investigating Easy Options Of bedbugs removal ia | Home - November 30th, 2014 [November 30th, 2014]
- Bed Bug Services - Des Moines's Bed Bug Experts | Janssen ... - December 24th, 2014 [December 24th, 2014]
- Getting Rid Of Bed Bugs :: Springer Bed Bug Removal - January 29th, 2015 [January 29th, 2015]
- Herbal Health Care: Bed Bug Repellents - blogspot.com - February 9th, 2015 [February 9th, 2015]
- Bed Bug Treatment Des Moines and Ames - Iowa Bed Bugs - March 7th, 2016 [March 7th, 2016]
- Bed Bug Control & Prevention | Plunketts Pest Control - March 9th, 2016 [March 9th, 2016]
- Bed Bugs | Linn County, IA - Official Website - July 22nd, 2016 [July 22nd, 2016]
- Bed Bugs Treatment and Extermination Testimonials - Page 1 - December 27th, 2016 [December 27th, 2016]
- Baltimore, D.C. Rank #1 and #2 On Orkins Bed Bugs List ... - February 4th, 2017 [February 4th, 2017]
- Pest Control Omaha | Bed Bugs | Termites | Priority Pest ... - February 24th, 2017 [February 24th, 2017]
- Questions and Answers for Tenants About Bedbugs | Iowa ... - March 4th, 2017 [March 4th, 2017]
- Iowa Bed Bug Control - March 8th, 2017 [March 8th, 2017]
- Bed bugs trouble for hospitals across Iowa and US - KCRG - April 8th, 2017 [April 8th, 2017]
- Central Illinois struggles to find solution for bed bugs - Moline Dispatch - Quad-Cities Online - July 27th, 2017 [July 27th, 2017]
- Experts on bed bugs and bed bug extermination - Bed Bug Guide - August 8th, 2017 [August 8th, 2017]
- Springer Canine Teams Receive NESDECA Bed Bug Certification - PCT Magazine - August 19th, 2017 [August 19th, 2017]
- Bed bugs have favorite colors | Science News for Students - February 21st, 2018 [February 21st, 2018]
- Iowa, United States Bed Bug Registry Map Bed Bug ... - March 17th, 2018 [March 17th, 2018]
- BedBug Chasers Rated #1 Iowa Bed Bug Heat Treatment - March 17th, 2018 [March 17th, 2018]
- Driving someone with bedbugs Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums - March 22nd, 2018 [March 22nd, 2018]
- Bed Bugs - Termites | Priority Pest Control - Omaha, NE - April 14th, 2018 [April 14th, 2018]
- Bed Bugs AnswerLine Iowa State University Extension ... - November 1st, 2018 [November 1st, 2018]
- Pest Control | Bed Bug Exterminator Iowa City, Cedar ... - April 19th, 2019 [April 19th, 2019]
- Iowa Bed Bug Hotel and Apartment Reports | BedBugReports.com - May 22nd, 2020 [May 22nd, 2020]
- CrossFire Bed Bug Concentrate (Residual Spray) - January 17th, 2022 [January 17th, 2022]
Click Free Exterminator Quote
to fill in a form to obtain a free exterminator quote today.