Bed Bugs - HealthyLife

Bed bugs are found in cracks and crevices, including mattress seams, sheets, furniture, behind baseboards, electrical outlet plates and picture frames. Often found in hotels, where they can travel from room to room and in visitors’ luggage or other personal belongings such as purses and briefcases.

• How to find them? Adult bed bugs are about the shape and size of an apple seed. As the juvenile bugs grow, they shed their skins, discovery of which can indicate their presence. After feeding, bed bugs return to their harborage to hide where they defecate black to brown stains on porous surfaces or black to brown mounds on nonporous surfaces. Bites also may indicate bed bug activity, but further signs will need to be found, since other sources can cause red welts on the skin.

• How to control? Remove all clutter from your home, which makes finding bed bugs easier. Wash and dry your bed linens on the hottest temperature permitted. Closely inspect any second-hand furniture before bringing it in your home. Inspect your home after moving, trips, service calls or overnight guests. When traveling, think of the acronym S.L.E.E.P. to remember the following action steps to help avoid bringing bed bugs home with you. Survey surfaces for signs of an infestation, such as tiny rust-colored spots on bed sheets, mattress tags and seams, and bed skirts. Lift and look for all bed bug hiding spots, including underneath the mattress, bed frame, headboard and furniture. Typically, they come out at night to feed, but during the day they are most likely found within a 1.5 meter radius of the bed. Elevate your luggage on a luggage rack away from the bed and wall, since bed bugs can often hide behind headboards, artwork, picture frames and electrical outlet panels. Examine your luggage carefully while repacking and when you return home. Always keep luggage off the bed and store it in a closet or other area, far away from your bedroom.
• Image credit: Entomologytoday.com