Bedbug, Bed Bug or Bed-bug Control

Bedbug, Bed Bug or Bed-bug Control

Bed-bugs occur nearly worldwide. Bed bugs became relatively scarce during the latter part of the 40th century, but their populations have resurged in recent years, particularly throughout parts of North America, Europe, and Australia. Bedbugs are wingless insect have a flat, oval-shaped body, cannot fly, and are 4-7 mm long and as such move arond by crawling or riding from place to place in clothing, luggage or other such transport. Distribution can be further exacerbated in places such as theatres and public transport, with infestations frequently occurring in hotels and other buildings where there is a high density and turnover of individuals. Their colour is shiny reddish-brown but after a blood-meal they become swollen and dark reddish brown in colour.

There are three stages in the bedbug?s life cycle: egg, nymph and adult. The female lays her eggs in batches of 10 to 50, they are white in colour and deposited on various surfaces with a thin glue. The eggs are white and about 1 mm long. The nymphs look like adults but are smaller. Female bedbugs lay about 200 to 500 eggs in their lifetime. Under ideal conditions, eggs hatch in about seven days and the nymphs molt five times, taking a blood meal between each molt.

Complete development from egg to adult takes from six weeks to several months. Both male and female bedbug feeds principally on human blood by piercing the skin with a long beak and sucking blood into their stomachs. They feed mostly at night, but will feed during the day if hungry and the light is dim. Feeding takes about 5-8 minutes for adults, less for nymphs, and is repeated about every three days. By day they hide in dark, dry places in beds, mattresses, cracks in walls and floors, and furniture; they are also found behind pictures and wallpaper; hiding places are also used for breeding. Adults can survive for several years without food.

Symptoms of a bedbug bite include large wheals, itichness, reddining of the skin, localized swelling. Bedbugs are not known to transmit any infectious agents. Contact us for professional management options.

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