Effective Home Remedies for Bed Bugs – Grandma's Home Remedies

Youve probably read or heard about the horror stories associated with the small insects that feed on human blood in the night. They attack when you are sleeping and are quite adaptable in most of the environments catering to humans. This is the life of a bed bug and contrary to popular belief they surround themselves beyond unsanitary and unkempt conditions even striking the ritziest of five-star hotels. While professional extermination is almost always the only way to eliminate the problem, there are a few home remedies associated with the dreaded bed bug.

Waiting until the night to attack their victims, the small nocturnal insect known as the bed bug belongs to the family Cimicidae, which is known to feed on blood. While humans are commonly referred to as the main sufferers of this pest, the bed bug also seeks out other warm-blooded hosts for their meals. With a past that traces back to ancient history, the common bed bug (Cimex lectularius) has learned to successfully adapt to the same living spaces as humans [1].

With a preference to temperate climates, the bed bug is often found in warm temperatures, especially in locales such as Florida and the tropics of West Africa and South America. It is there that various species of the bed bug infest poultry, bats, humans, and other types of birds.

When the bed bug reaches maturity, it is reddish brown in color with a flattened, oval appearance. On their body, microscopic hairs give off a banded appearance. They possess no wings. Some people believe that bed bugs are so small that they cannot be seen by the naked eye. This is not the case, as some adults reach length of 4 to 5 millimeters (which translates into 1/8 to 3/16 of an inch). Their size is comparable to that of an apple seed. Since bed bugs are extremely shy and wary of others, an infestation of the insect is quite hard to pinpoint [2].

When feeding, the bed bug is typically active only at night with the most activity taking place an hour before dawn. Using two hollow tubes, the bed bug pierces the skin of their host and draws blood. One tube injects an anticoagulant into their victim, while the other tube is used for blood extraction. Average feeding times are about five minutes, where the bug then returns to their place of hiding. At the time of the bite, a victim is unaware, although late reactions come minutes to hours later.

In the home, the bed bug seeks many different places to hide during the day, including linens, drapery, headboards, desks, nightstands, artwork frames, mattresses, and clothing [3]. With the use of a flashlight, you may find a bed bug crawling about at night. Additional signs, such as blood spots help detect an infestation.

The best way to detect a bed bug infestation is to call upon a professional, who will complete an inspection of your home. In case you wish to analyze your surroundings before hiring someone out of the Yellow Pages, some of the signs to seek out include:

Even though you may display bed bug bites on your body that occur during the night, this is not a sure sign that a bed bug was the culprit.

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Effective Home Remedies for Bed Bugs - Grandma's Home Remedies