Bedbugs Family HealthMenSeniorsWomen Table of Contents OverviewWhat are bedbugs?Bedbugs are oval-shaped, wingless parasites that have 6 legs and are about 1/5 of an inch long. They range in color from white to brown, although they may look dark red after feeding. Bedbugs feed on blood during the night and hide during the day. They prefer to feed on human blood, but they will also feed on other mammals, such as dogs or cats.Bedbugs can be a terrible nuisance, but they have not been shown to spread disease.Where do bedbugs live?Bedbugs live in dry, dark crevices, such as mattress seams. Because bedbugs feed at night, mattresses are an ideal place for them to live. But bedbugs don’t just live in mattresses. They can also live in crevices in your furniture, walls or floors and crawl into your bed at night.Places such as hotels, apartments, dorms and shelters are more likely to be infested with bedbugs. This is probably because more people come and go in these places than they do in single-family homes.
Bedbugs can travel from place to place on clothing and in luggage, secondhand furniture and used bedding.Bedbugs are a growing problem in the United States. This may be partly because more people are traveling internationally and bringing bedbugs back in their luggage or on their clothes. Also, pesticides that got rid of bedbugs in the past have been replaced with milder chemicals that don’t harm bedbugs. This has allowed the bedbug population in the United States to grow. SymptomsHow do I know if I have bedbugs?The best time to search for live bedbugs is in the middle of the night when they come out to feed. Other signs that you have bedbugs include the following:Small bloodstains on your sheetsDark flecks of bedbug feces in areas where bedbugs might liveA sweet odor that indicates the presence of a large number of bedbugsHow do I know if I have been bitten by a bedbug?Bedbug bites show up as small, swollen, red bumps that may or may not have a bite mark in the center. These bites are very itchy.
It is common to have several bites at a time, often in a straight row on your skin. PreventionCan bedbugs be prevented?Insect repellent does not keep bedbugs away, so the best way to prevent them is to avoid bringing them into your home. When you travel, be sure to inspect your bed for signs of bedbugs before you sleep in it. And, check your luggage when you get home to make sure no bugs have hidden in your bags or clothing. Inspect secondhand furniture thoroughly before bringing it into your home. If you buy secondhand clothes, bring them into your house in plastic bags, and wash them right away in hot water.Finally, try to keep bedrooms free from clutter, which can give bedbugs more places to hide. TreatmentHow can I treat a bedbug bite?Bedbug bites should go away within 2 weeks. In the meantime, you can try an over-the-counter (OTC) hydrocortisone cream or lotion on the affected skin to relieve the itchiness and swelling. An OTC antihistamine pill or cream called diphenhydramine (brand name: Benadryl) may also relieve itchiness caused by bedbug bites.
It’s important to avoid scratching your bites as much as possible. Scratching can damage your skin, which makes it more likely to get infected.When should I go to the doctor?If an OTC cream doesn’t relieve your itchiness, you may need to ask your doctor about a prescription-strength medicine to treat your symptoms.If your bedbug bites become infected, talk to your doctor. You may have an infection if the skin around your bites becomes red and swollen, you have a fever, or your bites blister or become sores. Your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic to treat your infection.If you have a severe allergic reaction to a bedbug bite, see your doctor right away.How can I get rid of bedbugs?If you have bedbugs in your home, wash all of your pajamas and bedding in hot water and dry them in a hot dryer, or freeze them for at least 24 hours. Vacuum all of your furniture, especially your mattress and its seams. If your mattress is infested, either replace it or cover the mattress and box springs in plastic covers.
They cause itchy bites. Bedbugs are not known to spread disease. Signs or Symptoms of Bedbugs Itchy insect bites, which often occur in a row, on areas of skin that are exposed during the night.Bites often have a red dot where the bite occurred in the middle of a raised red bump. Bites typically occur on face, neck, arms, and hands. Look for specks of blood, rusty spots from crushed bugs, or dung spots the size of a pen point on bed sheets and mattresses or behind loose wallpaper. Look for reddish/brown live bugs, about 1/8 of an inch, in crevices or seems of bedding. Incubation and Contagious Periods Bedbugs do not reproduce on humans like scabies or lice. They bite humans at night, then hide in cracks or crevices on mattresses, cushions, or bed frames during the day.How Bedbugs are Spread Bedbugs are not spread on people. They are not a sign that people are dirty. They do need to feed on people and may hide in belongings or clothing that allow them to spread to others in group care settings.
They crawl at the speed of a ladybug.How to Control BedbugsOne bedbug is not an infestation. For example, it is not necessary to send a child home from child care. An inspection and any pesticide application should be done by a trained pest control operator. Educate your family about bedbugs. Reduce clutter and limit items that travel back and forth between home and school, child care facility, etc.Clean up any bedbug debris with detergent and water. Extermination involves vacuuming and one of the following approaches: Application of the least toxic (preferably “bio-based”) products, heating the living area to 122°F (50°C) for about 90 minutes, freezing infested articles, or (if necessary) use of synthetic chemical insecticides. Use Integrated Pest Management, which involves a combination of nonchemical strategies such as maintenance and sanitation followed by pesticides, if other methods are not effective. Wash bedding and clothing (hot water and hot drying cycle for 30–60 minutes), vacuum cracks and crevices, and freeze articles that may have been used as hiding places for bedbugs may reduce infestation until extermination can be performed.