Bedbugs are parasites that feed on mammals and birds. A fully-grown bedbug will be reddish-brown, and flat. While many people have always made the misconception that bedbugs cannot be seen with the human eye this is completely untrue. Bedbugs can be spotted very easily, but it is just their feeding habits that make them so hard to spot. They only come out to feed in the late hours of the night, when you are usually asleep and if you are dealing with a large infestation they may only come out once a week to feed.
Once you introduce a few bedbugs into your home, it does not take long to become an infestation. Eliminating your home of an infestation can be quite a difficult process and often times require a professional like bed bug extermination in Denver. Below you will learn more information about bedbugs.
About Bedbug Bites
While bedbugs do bite humans, they are not known for carrying any diseases. The bites are virtually painless and you will probably never feel the actual bite take place. This is another reason bedbugs are so hard to identify. Just because something is biting you during the night, it does not necessarily mean that you have bedbugs. Bedbug bites are going to be found on parts of the body that are exposed, while you are sleeping like the hands, face, neck, shoulders, arms, or legs.
Often times bedbug bites are grouped together in a small area on the body. However, there are times when the bites will appear in a line or in a zigzag pattern. Once you have been bitten it can take a few days for the symptoms to kick in or the symptoms could show up the next day. Different people react differently, but the bites can become inflamed, red, itchy, or blistered. Some people can even suffer an allergic reaction from the bites.
Other Risks of Bedbug Bites
In most cases you can deal with bedbug bites in your home. However, there are certain cases in which you may need to visit a hospital. If you experience any of the following symptoms, you should seek medical assistance immediately:
- Shortness of breath or shallow breathing
- Chest pain
- Wheezing
- Tongue or lip swelling
- Itching rashes all over the body
- Fever
How to Detect Bedbugs
Trying to determine if you have bedbugs can be difficult because of their size and they like to hide in cracks and crevices. However, if you look closely at your bedding or mattress, you should be able to spot dark brown or black clusters. These clusters would be dried excrement left behind. You could also possibly spot dried blood on your sheets or pillow, where the bedbugs bit you.
Bedbugs like to live near their victims, since they feed at night they are most likely going to be found in the bedroom. Bedbugs like to hide in places like your mattress, headboards, box springs, bed frames, or other furniture that is near your bed. Bedbugs can also hide in cracks or gaps behind electrical outlets, floor and door molding, or where the carpet edge meets the wall.
Call Bed Bug Exterminator Denver right away if you need help!