The common bed bug (Cimex lectularius) is a small, nocturnal insect – feeding on blood and causing itchy bites on humans. The pests are reddish or brown in color, with a flat, oval shape body and an adult may grow to be the size of 4-7mm (about the size of Abraham Lincoln’s head on a penny). Young bed bugs are smaller and lighter in color. Bed bugs are primarily active at night and will feed on humans when they are sleeping. Adult bed bug after feeding. Bed bugs can come from a variety of locations. Most commonly, they are transported to people’s homes via clothing and/or luggage from hotels, motels and resorts, as well as many other high traffic sources including movie theaters, apartments, dormitories, parks and cabins. Bed bugs are very successful hitchhikers, moving from an infested site to bedding, baggage, boxes, and clothing with ease. Although they typically feed on blood every five to ten days, bed bugs are very resilient and are capable of surviving over a year without feeding.
Bites from bed bugs can be painless, but may become itchy later and can look like small reddish welts. They do not have nests, but tend to live in hiding places that provide them easier access to people that they can feed from. Common hiding places in the home can be in mattresses, box springs, headboards, nightstands, baseboards and even in cracks in walls. Baby bed bug feeding on a human. While bed bugs are visible to the naked eye, they generally only appear in dark conditions. You may have been bitten by bed bugs if you wake up with itchy areas on your skin that you didn't have before falling asleep. You can spot a possible bed bug infestation by looking for the following indicators: Bed bugs on a mattress. Although they are a nuisance, bed bugs have not been found to transmit any human diseases. Consider encasing both the mattress and box spring in a protective cover like those used for allergy relief to eliminate access to your mattress by bed bugs.
Mattress encasements will seal the mattress and box spring, keeping bugs in the mattress trapped (where they will eventually die) while also keeping new bugs out. While an encasement will not keep bed bugs from crawling onto a bed and biting a sleeping person, it will be easier to spot and destroy any bugs residing on the outer surface during examination. Without an encasement, once a mattress becomes infested, you should consider replacing it since treating your bed and pillows with pesticides can be harmful. Encasements for both mattresses and pillows specifically designed to help protect against bed bugs are available for purchase at any Sleep Train location. New mattresses are placed in a tightly sealed mattress bag immediately after being manufactured, creating an inhospitable environment for any living organism. New mattresses are not removed from this bag until they have reached the customer's home. Here are a few simple precautions that can help prevent bed bug infestation in your home:
Consult a professional pest control company. For more information on bed bugs please consult the following Websites. Here's how it works: Anybody can ask a question The best answers are voted up and rise to the top I've moved into a smaller room and would like to maximize my space. I've decided to build a new bed frame, but for that to work how I would like I would need to eliminate my box-spring as it would make the bed too high. I currently have a standard mattress, with a box-spring, on a metal frame. If the new bed frame has a solid enough foundation, could I eliminate the box-spring?You can use slats instead of a box-spring. It will be a LITTLE bit stiffer, but it's perfectly fine and you'll love how your bed squeaks less. Here's a pic from an Ikea bed frame assembly guide - just as an example: Box springs help evenly distribute pressure on the mattress not just while laying but also when you're getting on/off the bed resulting in concentrated pressure points.
They are for the most part, very firm and yield only the slightest bit. Most box strings don't even consist of springs at all. They normally consist of cheap flexible wood, thin upholstery batting, and cardboard. Without a box spring you run a higher risk of popping a spring in your mattress. The thickness of a box spring is only for decoration while the functional properties could be reduced to a much smaller design. Slats are typically used with mattresses that don't have springs (coils). If you want to go the slat approach and have a mattress with springs, I'd strongly suggest using a thin yet strong sheet like material over the slats. Something like plywood or faux wood paneling. Take these concepts into mind whilst building your new frame and you should be perfectly fine without a traditional box spring. No you don't need one IF you have a foundation for the mattress to lay on, a thick sheet of plywood would do, since that is basically what a box spring us though you bed will lie 4-6 inches lower if you only have a 4 inch typical mattress.
I have a friend that has sold furniture for years. He has told me that box springs can change the firmness of a mattress drastically. So, if you want to buy a firmer mattress, just remove the box spring instead. No one in Europe uses box springs. They use slats or wire mesh, and lay mattress on that. Box springs are just a nest for bugs ! Go and buy a Euro bed at IKEA, less cost, less space, and no bug nest ! My opinion is the best mattress is a quality air mattress, specifically designed for a bed and not the camping-quality air mattress. Only one company that I know if that makes them, but I won't mention the name. You've probably seen the ads. Been using one for over 20 years and it is great. You can adjust the firmness. Doesn't bounce at all. I use a sheet of plywood beneath it vs box springs. No dangerous chemicals as found in some of the "foam" type mattresses. Same firmness after 20 years as on day 1. Only ones that don't like it are the traditional mattress dealers because it takes their business away.