Unlike mosquitoes, bed bugs do not carry or transmit any diseases. Small consolation, eh?
Bed bugs - Cimex lectularius - are small blood-sucking parasitic insects. They emerge at night from mattresses and crevices in beds to feed on your blood.
Unlike mosquitoes, which also behave in this way, bed bugs do not carry or transmit any diseases.
While many of us dont react to bed bug bites, some people develop itchy, red bumps between one and nine days after being bitten. If you do develop an itch, then a combination of a mild steroid skin cream and non-sedating antihistamine tablets should help your skin clear up in about a week.
Adult bed bugs look a bit like lentils and are visible to the naked eye. They are oval-shaped, flat and reddish-brown, and may grow to about 5mm in length. As they grow, they shed their skin, which looks like mottled brown shells on your mattress.
Bed bugs can spread easily from room to room. They do not fly but can crawl quickly. They can spread within a building by getting through holes in walls or pipes, and can potentially invade apartment blocks and hotels. The bugs can also be transported in luggage, furniture and bedding.
Although bed bugs do not carry or spread disease, their presence is upsetting for most of us and so it is best to take action to eradicate them.
This is best done by a commercial pest control firm, which may need to treat the affected area on two separate occasions with a chemical insecticide.
If clothes or bedlinen have become infested, wash them at 60 degrees Centigrade and place them in a dryer on a hot setting for 30 minutes to kill the bugs.
Read more:
What are bed bugs? And how do you get rid of them?
- First Aid - September 5th, 2011 [September 5th, 2011]
- Healthy Skin Advice : How to Get Rid of Bed Bug Scars - September 6th, 2011 [September 6th, 2011]
- BED BUGS Bed Bugs need a host you! - September 6th, 2011 [September 6th, 2011]
- "Mendoza" Alamou's photos around Mendoza, Argentina (bed bugs - argentina - mendoza) - September 7th, 2011 [September 7th, 2011]
- Sweet Home Chicago Blues with Solo - September 7th, 2011 [September 7th, 2011]
- Sweet Home Chicago Blues with Solo - September 7th, 2011 [September 7th, 2011]
- "Bedbugs in Belgrade" Stevewade's photos around Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro (mostar bed bugs) - September 8th, 2011 [September 8th, 2011]
- BED BUGS Bed Bugs need a host you! - September 10th, 2011 [September 10th, 2011]
- "Mendoza" Alamou's photos around Mendoza, Argentina (bed bugs - argentina - mendoza) - September 13th, 2011 [September 13th, 2011]
- First Aid - September 15th, 2011 [September 15th, 2011]
- Healthy Skin Advice : How to Get Rid of Bed Bug Scars - September 17th, 2011 [September 17th, 2011]
- Bed Bug Soccer (Day 34 9•22•09) - September 20th, 2011 [September 20th, 2011]
- Bed Bugs Bites by Mole Removal Specialist, Brooklyn NY, Eliot Y. Ghatan - October 3rd, 2011 [October 3rd, 2011]
- Mixx 96.1 Favorite things for Birthday Bash 2011 - October 6th, 2011 [October 6th, 2011]
- Bed Bug Killer - Bed Bug Powder - Video - October 16th, 2011 [October 16th, 2011]
- BBCTV DIY #1 - Solar Heat - Video - December 8th, 2011 [December 8th, 2011]
- BBCTV DIY #1 - Solar Heat - Video - December 8th, 2011 [December 8th, 2011]
- 99 Cent Only Stores Advises all Romeos on Good and Bad Valentine's Day Gift Ideas for their Juliets - February 14th, 2012 [February 14th, 2012]
- 99 Cent Only Stores Advises all Romeos on Good and Bad Valentine's Day Gift Ideas for their Juliets - February 14th, 2012 [February 14th, 2012]
- Eating Local, Eating Green: With distinctive flavor, aroma, cilantro has both lovers, haters - February 21st, 2012 [February 21st, 2012]
- Eating Local, Eating Green: With distinctive flavor, aroma, cilantro has both lovers, haters - February 21st, 2012 [February 21st, 2012]
- Dr. Susan Taylor: Five Questions to Help Determine Why You May Be Itching - February 22nd, 2012 [February 22nd, 2012]
- Bed Bugs Reported At Redding Hotel - March 7th, 2012 [March 7th, 2012]
- Bed Bugs Reported At Redding Hotel - March 8th, 2012 [March 8th, 2012]
- Allegations of bed bugs at Pearl apartments - March 23rd, 2012 [March 23rd, 2012]
- Allegations of bed bugs at Pearl apartments - March 24th, 2012 [March 24th, 2012]
- Top Ten Bed Bugs Tips | Pesticides | US EPA - November 3rd, 2013 [November 3rd, 2013]
- Bed Bugs - About.com First Aid - November 3rd, 2013 [November 3rd, 2013]
- Finally, An Easy Solution For Bed Bug Bites That You Can Use Now! - November 3rd, 2013 [November 3rd, 2013]
- Top Ten Bed Bugs Tips | Pesticides | US EPA - November 3rd, 2013 [November 3rd, 2013]
- Bed Bugs Health Risks - Bed Bug.org - November 3rd, 2013 [November 3rd, 2013]
- Can you kill bed bugs by using Permethrin Cream? what is the best ... - November 3rd, 2013 [November 3rd, 2013]
- Bed bug fact sheet - King County, Washington - November 3rd, 2013 [November 3rd, 2013]
- Video: How to Get Rid of Bed Bug Scars & Marks | eHow - November 10th, 2013 [November 10th, 2013]
- Bed Bugs Ointment - November 11th, 2013 [November 11th, 2013]
- Bed Bugs - November 11th, 2013 [November 11th, 2013]
- Video: How to Get Rid of Bed Bug Scars & Marks | eHow - November 11th, 2013 [November 11th, 2013]
- Bed Bug Information and Treatment - The Natural Memory Foam ... - November 24th, 2013 [November 24th, 2013]
- Prevention and control of bed bugs in residences : Insects ... - November 25th, 2013 [November 25th, 2013]
- Bed Bug Bite Individual Pack Treatment :: Treat the Red ... - November 25th, 2013 [November 25th, 2013]
- Video: How to Treat a Bed Bug Bite | eHow - November 26th, 2013 [November 26th, 2013]
- Video: How to Treat a Bed Bug Bite | eHow - November 27th, 2013 [November 27th, 2013]
- How to Treat Bed Bug Bites - Bad Bed Bugs - November 27th, 2013 [November 27th, 2013]
- MedicineNet: Bed Bugs - November 29th, 2013 [November 29th, 2013]
- How to Cure Infections Caused by Bed Bugs | eHow - December 3rd, 2013 [December 3rd, 2013]
- ENY-227/IG083: Bed Bugs and Blood-Sucking Conenose - December 6th, 2013 [December 6th, 2013]
- Bed Bug Cream - December 16th, 2013 [December 16th, 2013]
- Testing for Bed Bugs | eHow - eHow | How to Videos, Articles ... - December 18th, 2013 [December 18th, 2013]
- Testing for Bed Bugs | eHow - eHow | How to Videos, Articles ... - December 19th, 2013 [December 19th, 2013]
- How to Stop Bed Bug Itching | eHow - December 23rd, 2013 [December 23rd, 2013]
- Bed Bug Bite Symptoms - Buzzle - December 23rd, 2013 [December 23rd, 2013]
- How to Stop Bed Bug Itching | eHow - December 23rd, 2013 [December 23rd, 2013]
- Your Bed Bug Repellent Cream Intended For Skin | Your Skin ... - December 27th, 2013 [December 27th, 2013]
- Woman bitten 300 times by bed bugs in hotel room - December 28th, 2013 [December 28th, 2013]
- Woman suffers 300 bed bug bites at Auckland motel - December 28th, 2013 [December 28th, 2013]
- Bed bug bite treatment tips - Bed Bug Treatment Site - January 4th, 2014 [January 4th, 2014]
- Bed bug bites - What do they look like? - THERMAL REMEDIATION ... - January 4th, 2014 [January 4th, 2014]
- Your Bed Bug Repellent Cream Intended For Skin | Your Skin ... - January 15th, 2014 [January 15th, 2014]
- Bed Bug Bites Treatment Cream, Bed Bug Bites Treatment Cream ... - January 17th, 2014 [January 17th, 2014]
- Bed Bug Information and Treatment - The Natural Memory ... - January 21st, 2014 [January 21st, 2014]
- Bedbugs: How to Get Rid of These Pests - February 13th, 2014 [February 13th, 2014]
- Treatments for Bedbug Bites - Hotel Reviews - Resort and ... - February 24th, 2014 [February 24th, 2014]
- Does Bed Bug Repellent Work To Prevent Bed Bug Bites? - February 24th, 2014 [February 24th, 2014]
- Mosquito Bite Pictures Vs Bed Bug Bite Pictures - June 2nd, 2014 [June 2nd, 2014]
- Bed bug - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - June 2nd, 2014 [June 2nd, 2014]
- Bed Bug Bites Pictures and Photos of Bedbug Attacks - June 2nd, 2014 [June 2nd, 2014]
- Bed Bug - June 2nd, 2014 [June 2nd, 2014]
- Bed Bug | United States, Bed Bug Pest Control Exterminator ... - July 23rd, 2014 [July 23rd, 2014]
- After Bed Bug Complaints, Lodi Theater Closed Until Thursday To Eliminate Insect Problem - August 20th, 2014 [August 20th, 2014]
- The Herb Gardener: Natural Bed Bug Control - August 23rd, 2014 [August 23rd, 2014]
- Top Ten Tips to Prevent or Control Bed Bugs | Bed Bugs ... - August 23rd, 2014 [August 23rd, 2014]
- bed bugs photos, eggs, cast skins, stains; bed bug bites ... - August 23rd, 2014 [August 23rd, 2014]
- What are Bed Bugs? | Bed Bug Symptoms | Bed-Bugs.net - October 27th, 2014 [October 27th, 2014]
- Bed bug control techniques - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - October 28th, 2014 [October 28th, 2014]
- What are Bed Bugs? | Bed Bug Symptoms | Bed-Bugs.net - October 28th, 2014 [October 28th, 2014]
- Top Ten Tips to Prevent or Control Bed Bugs | Bed Bugs ... - October 28th, 2014 [October 28th, 2014]
- How to get rid of bed bugs, stop bed bug bites (Bedbugger ... - October 28th, 2014 [October 28th, 2014]
- Bed Bugs Guide: How do I know if I have bed bugs ... - October 31st, 2014 [October 31st, 2014]
- Battle to take bite out of bed bug problem - November 26th, 2014 [November 26th, 2014]
- How to Treat a Bed Bug Rash - Bedbugs - December 1st, 2014 [December 1st, 2014]