Don’t Let the Bedbugs Bite…
September 14th 2006 08:06
Don’t Let the Bedbugs Bite…
Ewww… insects! Even worse – bedbugs! These disgusting little creatures feed on animal blood, and they have a preference for human blood. Bedbugs just love the Carbon Dioxide we expire and the body heat we generate which leads them to their host. These bugs really favour the shoulders and arms. Their bite is painless but becomes itchy and swells into a reddened wheal (or welt). Unlike the random pattern of bites made by mosquitoes, bedbugs are a tidy bunch and tend to leave orderly rows.
When bedbugs feed they pierce the human’s skin with their proboscis (feeding organ) much like the mosquito. Then they inject their saliva which causes an allergic reaction in some people. What’s fascinating about the feeding process of the bedbug (which takes about 5-10 minutes) is that the blood it sucks changes its body colour from light brown to dark red!
Since bedbugs feed on blood not waste, and are attracted to Carbon Dioxide, not dirt, it is incorrect to assume that bedbugs come about in areas which are unhygienic. Hence, the cleanliness of the environment has no effect on the prevalence of bedbugs.
Where are bedbugs found?
The bedbug can be found in bedding and on mattresses where it has ready access to a feeding frenzy when its target human is fast asleep. Common hiding spots include mattresses (particularly along the seams), bedding (like sheets and blankets), loosened edges of wallpaper, between the cracks of wooden floors, in wall cracks, carpet and furniture.
Risk of Disease from Bedbug Bites?
You needn’t worry about the transmission of diseases through bedbug bites. Unless you are allergic to the bedbug, it is unlikely that it will cause you serious health issues. Although, bedbugs are a serious stressor and will create a lot of alarm and distress. With some individuals, it may precipitate mild to moderate cases of delusional parasitosis – where sufferers delusionally belive they are infected with parasites.
What to Do If You Get Bitten
If you are unfortunate enough to get bitten by a bedbug, here are a few pointers to treat the bitten area:
• Resist the urge to scratch.
• Use calamine lotion or anaesthetic creams to treat the itching.
• Wash the bites with antiseptic soap to reduce the risk of infection.
• Apply an icepack frequently to help relieve swelling.
• Take pain-killing medication if symptoms are severe
So the bottom line is; bedbugs aren’t fatally dangerous but can cause some pretty gross and distressing welts. If bitten, aim to keep the wound clean with antiseptic soap. The bedbug bite typically causes a large, reddened and itchy wheal that fades to a red spot. Also, you can recognise an infestation of bedbugs by:
• Small bloodstains from crushed bugs on sheets or mattresses.
• Rusty or dark spots of bug excrement on mattresses, bedding and walls.
• An offensive, sweet, musty odour from their scent glands which may be detected when infestations are severe.
Image in the Public Domain
Information from Better Health
Ewww… insects! Even worse – bedbugs! These disgusting little creatures feed on animal blood, and they have a preference for human blood. Bedbugs just love the Carbon Dioxide we expire and the body heat we generate which leads them to their host. These bugs really favour the shoulders and arms. Their bite is painless but becomes itchy and swells into a reddened wheal (or welt). Unlike the random pattern of bites made by mosquitoes, bedbugs are a tidy bunch and tend to leave orderly rows.
When bedbugs feed they pierce the human’s skin with their proboscis (feeding organ) much like the mosquito. Then they inject their saliva which causes an allergic reaction in some people. What’s fascinating about the feeding process of the bedbug (which takes about 5-10 minutes) is that the blood it sucks changes its body colour from light brown to dark red!
Since bedbugs feed on blood not waste, and are attracted to Carbon Dioxide, not dirt, it is incorrect to assume that bedbugs come about in areas which are unhygienic. Hence, the cleanliness of the environment has no effect on the prevalence of bedbugs.
Where are bedbugs found?
The bedbug can be found in bedding and on mattresses where it has ready access to a feeding frenzy when its target human is fast asleep. Common hiding spots include mattresses (particularly along the seams), bedding (like sheets and blankets), loosened edges of wallpaper, between the cracks of wooden floors, in wall cracks, carpet and furniture.
Ugly little parasites... the Bedbug
You needn’t worry about the transmission of diseases through bedbug bites. Unless you are allergic to the bedbug, it is unlikely that it will cause you serious health issues. Although, bedbugs are a serious stressor and will create a lot of alarm and distress. With some individuals, it may precipitate mild to moderate cases of delusional parasitosis – where sufferers delusionally belive they are infected with parasites.
What to Do If You Get Bitten
If you are unfortunate enough to get bitten by a bedbug, here are a few pointers to treat the bitten area:
• Resist the urge to scratch.
• Use calamine lotion or anaesthetic creams to treat the itching.
• Wash the bites with antiseptic soap to reduce the risk of infection.
• Apply an icepack frequently to help relieve swelling.
• Take pain-killing medication if symptoms are severe
So the bottom line is; bedbugs aren’t fatally dangerous but can cause some pretty gross and distressing welts. If bitten, aim to keep the wound clean with antiseptic soap. The bedbug bite typically causes a large, reddened and itchy wheal that fades to a red spot. Also, you can recognise an infestation of bedbugs by:
• Small bloodstains from crushed bugs on sheets or mattresses.
• Rusty or dark spots of bug excrement on mattresses, bedding and walls.
• An offensive, sweet, musty odour from their scent glands which may be detected when infestations are severe.
Image in the Public Domain
Information from Better Health
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