What Do Bed Bugs Look Like?
What Are Bed Bugs?
Bed bugs (scientific name cimex lectularius) are little, flat, invasive insects that feed exclusively on the blood of sleeping humans and animals.
What Do Bed Bugs Look Like?
Adult bed bugs have flat, oval-shaped bodies and are wingless. They’re about the size and form of an apple seed, about 6–10 mm in length. After a blood meal (feeding on a host’s blood), bed bugs change colour from brown to brownish-red to dark red. Between moulting cycles, a blood meal is required.
Bed bugs can be found in wall cracks, underneath your bed, and even within your mattress. A bed bug, whether alive or dead, is the best indicator of a pest infestation. However, there are other indicators that bed bugs have infiltrated your home.
How do I control a bed bug problem in my home?
- Clean & declutter your home, especially the bedrooms. Make your bed as far away from the walls and furniture as possible.
- Every day, vacuum the mouldings, windows, and floors. Mattresses, box springs, and furniture have their sides and seams vacuumed because these are the common bed bug hiding places. Empty the vacuum or bag as soon as possible and dispose of it outside in a sealed container or bag.
What Kills Bed Bugs Instantly?
Hot water
If you suspect bed bugs have taken up residence in your bedding, blankets, or even garments, it’s time to give them a good wash in hot, steamy water. To kill bed bugs, it’s critical to wash these objects in hot water, as long as they can tolerate the heat.
Because the strong heat causes the animals to dehydrate, heat treatment is an effective technique to get rid of bed bugs. Put your garments and linens in the dryer as well to give them an extra push of heat. The bed bugs will struggle to survive this.
Baking soda
Another DIY method for bed bugs is baking soda, which dehydrates the bugs by removing moisture. Sprinkle a small layer of baking soda on the locations where you suspect the rodents are hiding Allow a week for the powder to settle before sucking it up with your vacuum cleaner. You’ll have to repeat this process until no bugs or eggs remain.
Black walnut tea
Black walnut tea’s antibacterial, antifungal, and insecticidal properties can assist you in removing an infestation from your home. Instead of throwing away your spent black walnut tea bags, place them in areas where bed bugs are known to hide.
Any cracks and crevices, as well as baseboards and other locations, are included. You can also sprinkle dried tea leaves on your mattress and sheets to get rid of not only bugs but also eggs.
Tea tree oil
Tea tree oil is another option for getting rid of bed bugs in your home. Tea tree oil not only has antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, and antibiotic effects, but it also possesses antiparasitic properties that can aid in the elimination of parasitic bed bugs. Only use this cure if you have a little infestation on your hands.
20 drops of tea tree oil in a spray bottle filled with water should be sprayed on all the furniture, including the mattress, cabinets, pillows, and drapes. To totally kill them, all garments, linens, and bedding must be washed in hot water.