How to get rid of bed bugs in your home

According to recent social surveys, most of the world's population is very critical of bed bugs. The mere appearance of the parasites and the peculiarities of their life activity terrify some eyewitnesses: to some extent they have an external resemblance to cockroaches, moreover, they feed on human blood and live near the owners of an apartment or private house. However, these moments, although unpleasant, are not the most critical.

The consequences of bedbug bites are what you should be afraid of first. At a minimum, they are fraught with serious disorders of the body, and in some cases the situation completely gets out of control, resulting in serious consequences for the victim.

WHAT DOES BUGS APPEAR IN AN APARTMENT?

There is an opinion that bedbugs appear only where there is a large accumulation of garbage, old things, or where cleaning is rare. Although the cleanliness of the owners does not always affect the appearance of these insects.

Most often, bedbugs enter the home from neighboring apartments, as well as from basements. Their small weight and size allow them to move through ventilation shafts and crawl through narrow cracks in walls and ceilings. At the same time, residents of an apartment can “bring” a bedbug with them from another apartment.

Does the soldier bug bite?

Very often, especially children or their concerned parents, seeing how these poor insects rush around the hands of their children in turmoil, they ask the question - can a soldier bite a child or an adult? No, fortunately, the sucking mouthparts of the soldier bug are not capable of biting through the delicate skin of a child or an adult. But children should not be allowed to play with soldier bugs: firstly, these are living creatures, not toys, and secondly, they are real scavengers, and where this or that bug ran before and what it ate before is unknown, but after contact with a beetle, the child will definitely pull his fingers into his mouth, and thirdly, these beetles are quite adaptive, as soon as you bring one such cute miracle into your apartment or house, in an hour it will recover and begin to feed on your own plants.

Interestingly, the active connection of soldier beetles with their “fellow soldiers” has already been proven: as soon as you bring a couple of such “tomboys” into the house, then after a couple of hours a whole dozen of them, or maybe more, can appear in your home.

WHERE ARE BUGS HIDING IN AN APARTMENT?

Typically, these animals choose hard-to-reach places where humans cannot always detect them. This could be the thickness of the mattress, cracks in the parquet flooring and gaps behind the baseboards, or peeling wallpaper. Basically, these are secluded places protected from daylight.

Finding bedbugs can be very difficult, but how can you recognize that they are still there? First of all, your sensations indicate their presence. If you feel that someone is biting you, find bite marks on your body, and strange dots on your bed linen, then you can draw an almost unambiguous conclusion that there are bedbugs in the apartment.

When does the insect appear and where does it live?

Usually the soldiers appear as soon as the sun melts patches of snow to the ground, but here and there there is still crust, and in the thawed patch the soldiers are already scurrying around, huddled together. The primary habitat of the soldier is Eurasia, and the European continent is most preferable for him.

Interesting . The pest, although it is very similar to a beetle and has the closest structure to it, will not fly up like a ladybug from your finger, but rather crawl down and go down to the ground or simply fall - it cannot fly at all, individuals of any age have this possibility deprived.

Larva of the soldier bug. © Genealogist

Mating of soldier bugs

WHAT DO BED BUGS LOOK LIKE?

These insects look quite scary. You should know what bed bugs look like in order to detect them in your apartment in time.

They have a small, flattened body covered with hairs. The size of the bug does not exceed 5-8 mm. In a “hungry” state, it is almost impossible to crush them, it is so easy for them to press against the surface. Well-fed bugs stretch in size and become plumper. On the left in the photo you can see the animal in its normal state. On the right is a bug that has already bitten a person.
Also, the “degree of satiety” determines the color of the bug’s body: it can range from light brown to red.
Most often, it is difficult to see these organs, but bedbugs have a special proboscis, as well as jaws.

What diseases are carried?

What disease carriers are we talking about? It is impossible to answer this question unequivocally, since experts have different opinions on this matter.

Bedbugs are carriers of infection - through a bite they can transmit pathogens such as:

tuberculosis;
Hepatitis B;
typhoid fever;
anthrax, etc.

The provocateur of the disease enters the human body through a bite along with blood. However, there is no scientifically confirmed fact of transmission of infection from a sick individual to a bitten person through bed bugs. Accordingly, there is no reliable answer to the question of what diseases bedbugs carry.

According to experts, in addition to bites, contact with the parasite also poses a danger to humans. The hepatitis B virus remains in the excrement of an individual. The pathogen, once in the body, is able to develop - the infected person will begin to get sick.

Can bedbugs transmit HIV in the same way? With a high degree of probability, it can be said that AIDS is not transmitted this way.

WHAT ARE BUGS DANGEROUS FOR HUMANS?

When bedbugs appear in an apartment, first of all, it is unpleasant. And immediately the owners have a reasonable question - how can these insects be dangerous to health? One thing is reassuring: there is no evidence that bedbugs can carry any diseases. The harm of these insects lies in the painful sensations after their bites, swelling of the affected area and the desire to scratch it. If the “attacks” of bedbugs do not stop every night, then a person may become angry, irritated and completely lose sleep.

Consequences of bites for humans: should we immediately sound the alarm?

So, the main threat posed by insects is based on their lifestyle. Bedbugs are true predators that need to attack warm-blooded creatures for their own survival. In most cases, the victims are ordinary, unsuspecting people, residents of huge cities and small rural areas. The most interesting thing here lies in the moment of the parasite’s attack, because it is almost impossible to feel its presence on your body, and even more so to realize the fact that you are being bitten. The whole secret lies in the unique enzymes of saliva, which have an analgesic effect and at the same time prevent blood from clotting. Thanks to this, bedbug bites do not cause discomfort for some time. The consequence in the form of unpleasant itching on the damaged area will begin to appear only after the insect has had enough.

In general, the mechanism of this process has some similarities with mosquito bites. And if attacks occur on a small scale, then a person will not even pay attention to them, shifting the blame to flying bloodsuckers or a banal allergy. But if numerous injuries were found on the body, then they will bring a lot of trouble to their victim. Distinct, incessant itching and the secondary appearance of allergic rashes will become faithful companions of the unfortunate person for several days.

Also, bed bug bites can cause significant harm to the human body with increased individual sensitivity. As a rule, this goes far beyond the usual rash and is manifested by headache, nausea, fever, and sometimes swollen lymph nodes. No less dangerous are the inflammatory processes that occur in people who are unable to tolerate the itching of the affected areas of the skin: constant mechanical damage to the bites leads to the formation of open wounds into which pathogenic organisms penetrate. Very often, young children and teenagers suffer from this.

Disturbed sleep patterns and disorders are another problem for owners of infected apartments. Firstly, a person will in any case wake up from itching and will not be able to sleep for a long time. Secondly, just imagine the situation: you calmly fell asleep in your bed, looking forward to tomorrow, but literally a few hours later something makes you forget about the country of Morpheus, and unpleasant sensations in certain parts of the body make themselves felt with increasingly acute urges. Next, you turn on the table lamp, glance at the bed and immediately notice an unexpected guest - a creepy parasite in all its glory. Will it be possible to sleep that night, overcoming your own fear, feelings of hostility and trying to find the answer to the question: “Where do bed bugs come from?”

WHAT BUG BITES LOOK LIKE

The appearance in the morning of fairly large red spots and a “path” of bites indicates that you were not mistaken, and there really are bedbugs in the house. Characteristic differences between the bites of these insects and, for example, mosquito bites or an allergic reaction:

Swelling and redness appear as a continuous spot and are located on the same line. They also focus on a specific area of the body, as opposed to an allergy that affects the entire skin at once.
A bug bite has a more defined shape than a mosquito bite.
Bedbugs, unlike many other insects, bite painlessly and the consequences of the bite can only be detected after some time.

The danger of bedbugs for children

Are bedbugs dangerous for children? Parasites very often attack children while they sleep. The next morning, parents may notice small red spots on the child’s skin, which the baby periodically scratches. The immature immunity of a child leads to the fact that bedbug bites for children are more painful and severe.

The most important thing that night bloodsucker bites can lead to in a child is to provoke the development of iron deficiency anemia. Anemia or low hemoglobin affects the child’s health, since this component in the blood performs an important function, transporting oxygen to all cells, tissues and organs. Such bites are also dangerous for pregnant women, who suffer more from low hemoglobin during this delicate period.

Children suffer from bedbug bites to a greater extent than adults. Anemia can also develop in an adult if bedbugs commit a massive attack on their victim.

WHAT ELSE YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BUGS

When dealing with bedbugs, you should study some facts:

Female bedbugs lay larvae; within a day the number of eggs can reach five. Considering that bedbugs rarely exist alone in apartments, they will begin to spread very quickly, so the fight against insects must begin immediately.
The bug senses the characteristic smell of human sweat at a distance of ten meters.
If there are an abundance of bedbugs in the apartment, you can feel a specific smell characteristic of these insects.
The life cycle of bedbugs depends on the nature of the conditions in which they live. In a favorable environment, insects can live up to one year. If the place where they accumulate is very hot (more than 30 degrees), then the life period is reduced to 10 months.

What is the main danger?

It is believed that the main danger in insect bites is the itching that accompanies them. The symptom appears in response to a substance that the insect injects into the blood of the victim to reduce blood clotting - this makes it much more convenient for the parasite to feed on blood.

At the site of the bite, a red spot forms with a noticeable dot in the center, which causes itching.

How else can bedbugs be dangerous?

If we talk about the subsequent harm of bedbugs, then we can say that it manifests itself in the form of:

inflammation at bite sites;
allergic manifestations;
nervous system disorders;
decreased hemoglobin levels in the blood (usually observed in children and women during pregnancy);
fatigue, weakness.

However, the greatest danger is fraught with another fact: bedbugs often carry diseases; people with weakened or fragile immune systems (pregnant women, children who have suffered secondary facial pathology) are more susceptible to them.

Video

Why are bedbugs and cockroaches dangerous?

HOW TO PREVENT BUGS IN YOUR HOUSE

Finding bedbugs can be quite difficult, so you need to carefully monitor all the changes that occur in your apartment and, preferably, prevent these insects from appearing at all. There are some principles that will help protect your home from bedbugs.

Since bedbugs can crawl from neighboring apartments even through holes in sockets, it is recommended to replace ordinary sockets with new ones with a closing cover for the plugs.
Wallpaper joints are hiding places for bedbugs. It is necessary to carefully check them, glue them, and, if such an opportunity exists, then replace the outdated wallpaper with new ones.
All possible defects should be eliminated: cracks, crevices, uneven joints.
It is necessary to regularly carry out preventive measures: treat the room with a special product, for example, RAPTOR Destruction of bedbugs. However, bedding cannot be treated with such an aerosol; it is better to have it dry cleaned.
If you suspect the presence of bedbugs, then in winter you can leave your clothes and bedding in the cold for several hours.

Where do bedbugs come from?

Bedbugs are experts at playing hide and seek. Their slender but dense bodies, with a flat shape, allow them to fit into tight spaces and remain there for long periods of time, even without food. Bed bugs are typically transported from place to place when people travel. Bedbugs crawl into personal belongings from infested places and travel in seams and folds of luggage, sleeping bags, folded clothes, and bedding.

Often bedbugs are brought home as a free bonus by lovers of old furniture found in a trash heap or purchased from others.

Another option is the migration of bedbugs from neighbors. It is often observed when they begin to actively fight them and use repellents. The bugs line up and begin a long and painful journey to find new victims.

PREVENTION OF BUGS

In some situations, the likelihood that bedbugs will soon appear in the apartment increases. It is in this case that all measures must be taken to prevent this from happening. This should be done immediately if:

You have recently returned from vacation or a business trip. Even if you happen to live in a high-class hotel, and even more so in someone else’s apartment, be sure to process your belongings. If you did not find the insects themselves on your clothes, this does not mean that they could not lay their larvae there.
If you decide to move, it is not recommended to immediately transport all your belongings to your new apartment. You should first carry out preventive treatment of the premises against harmful insects.
If you have had guests in your home for one or more weeks, you need to take preventive measures after they leave.
Alarm signal: there are bedbugs in your neighbors’ apartment. In this case, carry out the treatment especially carefully, because soon the insects may migrate to you.

Beneficial predator bugs

A number of insects from the order of bugs, on the contrary, are useful in the household. They are even bred specifically to minimize the use of chemicals to protect the crop.

How bedbugs can be useful:

macrolophus - one of the subspecies of the horse fly bug - eats eggs, larvae and adults of aphids, whiteflies, thrips, spider mites;
perillus - destroys its natural enemies - Colorado potato beetles, as well as leaf beetles and butterflies;
Podisus is another predatory bug that destroys caterpillars, butterflies and leaf beetles;
picromerus is a predatory bug that preys on butterflies, sawflies, Colorado potato beetles, cutworms and other crop pests;
Soldier bug - feeds on the remains of insects and plants, thereby cleaning the area, and is a sanitarian.

The use of predatory bugs, which are specially bred in biofactories and research institutes, allows us to minimize the use of insecticides and obtain a healthier harvest.

WHAT TO DO IF BUGS STILL GET IN?

If you find bedbugs or any signs of their appearance in your apartment, you must immediately take measures to combat harmful insects. Yes, crawling creatures cannot tolerate dangerous diseases, but their bites cause a lot of inconvenience, and the very fact that bedbugs live in an apartment is not very pleasant.

Moreover, the best solution would be not just to force the bedbugs to leave your house and move to your neighbors, but to get rid of them for sure. With modern bedbug protection, this is easy to do. The Raptor instant insect elimination system works perfectly.

What harm do insects and their larvae cause?

Some time ago, the soldier bug was not considered a harmful insect at all: it crawled and crawled on its own, without bothering anyone. But science, studying an increasing number of plants, insects and animals, got to him and delivered a verdict - guilty!

In addition to the fact that soldiers, like aphids, eat sap and are scavengers, their aggression towards beneficial insects, for example, lacewings, has recently become noticed.

With soldiers, everything ends up the same as with aphids, the leaves become bent, the shoots stop growing. Photosynthesis decreases, the plant’s consumption of nutrients is reduced, hence the reduction in yield. It often happens that plants attacked by hordes of beetles simply die. And fruits and berries, speckled with bites from such insects, look, to say the least, not at all attractive.

Grape plantings are at particular risk, and, by the way, these bugs are seen there most often. The strength and durability of the soldiers' proboscis is quite enough to pierce the grape stems and the fruits themselves, turning them into something wrinkled and completely unattractive. You need to constantly fight soldier bugs, and now we will tell you how.

AEROSOL FROM BUGS

RAPTOR anti-bed bug aerosol will help get rid of harmful bed bugs and provide you with truly healthy and sound sleep. An important quality criterion is that the aerosol does not contain ozone-depleting substances, which means it is absolutely harmless to humans.

After treating the room with this product, the drops fall on the insects and penetrate their body through the chitinous cover. Due to the long-term action of the components included in the aerosol, the sprayed substance settles on surfaces and provides long-term protection of the room.

ADVICE FOR USE:

Shake the bottle well before use.
For better spraying, the aerosol can must be held vertically.
Before using the aerosol, you need to vacuum the affected surfaces.
The procedure consists of spraying the product in the habitats of bed bugs, as well as in places where they may still be able to settle. It is necessary to treat the joints of elements of beds, sofas, cracks in parquet and walls, hard-to-reach places under window sills, in places where baseboards adjoin the wall, the reverse sides of wall objects - paintings, clocks, carpets).
It should be remembered that the bedding itself does not need to be treated!
It is recommended to carry out processing at a temperature not lower than +10°C.
15 minutes after spraying, ventilate the room for 30 minutes.
Important! After treatment, prepare a soap and soda solution and wipe areas and surfaces with which a person may be in direct contact. This procedure must be carried out with rubber gloves.

Vector-borne diseases

There are a number of diseases that are transmitted through insect bites; they are called vector-borne. For example, these include tick-borne encephalitis and mosquito-borne malaria.

No such diseases have been identified for bedbugs. It has been scientifically proven that they are carriers of a number of diseases. However, it is still unknown whether bedbugs are dangerous as vectors; not a single case of human infection has been documented.

The following were found in the body of these parasites:

plague is a severe infectious disease that affects internal organs and often leads to death;
coxiellosis – fever 39-40°C, accompanied by pain in muscles and joints;
toxoplasmosis is a disease that is most dangerous for pregnant women, causing damage to the nervous system of the fetus;
tularemia is an infection that has symptoms such as high fever, pain, inflammation of the lymph nodes with subsequent ulcers;
hepatitis B is a viral disease that leads to liver dysfunction and cirrhosis.

Which diseases from this list can be dangerous? Coxiellosis and tularemia are transmitted not only by direct contact with the blood, but also by aspiration, through the respiratory system, so the presence of bugs carrying these diseases in a room can be unsafe: the air in such housing is dusty with microresidues of insects and their feces.

As a result of laboratory studies, it was revealed that hepatitis B persists in the body of bed bugs for 2 months, moreover, it is actively excreted in their excrement.

Thus, it is possible that infection can occur through household means, and in the presence of fresh wounds and scratches, through blood.

Egg clutches and shells

A female bedbug lays up to 5 eggs per day. During her entire life, she can lay up to 500 eggs. They can be found in bed bug nesting areas. They look like an elongated oval, painted transparent white and up to 1 mm long. After the larvae hatch, all that remains of the eggs is an empty shell with a hole on one side.

If conditions are favorable (and in a person’s home they are), the larvae emerge from the eggs in 6-17 days. Nymphs hatched from eggs reach sexual maturity in 4–5 weeks. Therefore, you can get rid of bedbugs using professional pest control only if you order a double treatment with an interval of 1.5-2 weeks.

Measures to combat the soldier bug

So, the bugs have appeared, here’s one, there’s a second one crawling along the birch tree - it’s time to sound the alarm! But you shouldn’t rush headlong to the store and buy drugs containing chemicals, maybe we’ll make do with folk remedies for now?

The simplest of them are onion decoctions (250 g per bucket of water, the norm per square meter of soil of infected plants), wood ash (200 g per bucket of water, this is also a passable potash fertilizer and also the norm per square meter of infected plants), mustard powder (100 g per bucket of water, the norm per square meter of infected plants), laundry soap (you can use a whole piece, the norm per square meter of infected plants).

Planting black cohosh (especially for Botanichka readers - this is a plant belonging to the Buttercup family) or black cohosh (here the name speaks for itself) can also help. For some unknown reason, the smell of these plants makes the soldiers feel bad, and they try to set up a base in a neighboring area, leaving yours alone.

Next comes artillery, a little more powerful, but still biological. This is the Baikal drug, it must be diluted in strict accordance with the instructions on the package, but usually six milliliters are diluted in a bucket of water, a spray bottle is filled and the beetles or infected areas of crops are spot-treated.

Chemicals. Here you need to be careful - serious chemistry requires compliance with mandatory processing times, doses, drugs must be approved for use, and so on and so forth. More recently, Karbofos and Aktara effectively fought against the beetle; they caused paralysis in insects and they simply died.

Description of the pest

Soldier bugs rarely exceed 1.2 cm in length, more often up to 1 cm, and can be fiery red or bright crimson in color. They have black spots that create a characteristic pattern, as if on soldiers' uniforms of yesteryear (hence the name). Colonies of insects can be found on the walls of barns, decrepit stumps, especially many of them near compost heaps; they do not disdain bugs and carrion.

Insects appear early. The snow has not yet completely melted, there are still frosts at night, and during the day the soldiers gather in platoons to find some kind of plant. The bugs move through the thawed patches in dashes, because they do not know how to fly at all.

The insect has a sharp proboscis, with which it pierces the stems and foliage, then drinks the juices.