What Are Bed Bugs

What are Bed Bugs?

Bed bugs are small insects that measure about a quarter of an inch in length. Their bodies are brownish-red in color and appear flat. Bed bugs have long antennae and a sharp beak that's used to painlessly extract blood from their victims. While the initial bite is painless, the after effects may include red bumps or welts that itch, burn or swell. Fortunately, bed bugs cannot transmit harmful diseases to humans the way various other pests can.

Bed bugs survive by feeding on people and animals. They can survive anywhere there's a warm blooded host. They cannot fly, and tend to live close to the area where their food is. Most active at night, they frequently feed on sleeping humans and live in mattresses. However, they can also be found in upholstered furniture and even inside of walls.

Bed bugs weren't very prevalent in our society after World War II, due in part to extensive DDT use. However, DDT was soon outlawed after it was found to be hazardous. This, along with an increase in international travel, has led to a reoccurance of bed bug infestations in the United States.

Bed bug infestation can be recognized not only by the bites on your skin, but the appearance of dark spotting on your mattress or furniture. These spots are actually dried bug waste, and may be accompanied by tiny spots of blood. Also present will be eggs and eggshells, although they are too small to see.

Bed bugs can spread quickly from room to room, so it's crucial to treat the problem right away. Vacuum or steam clean all areas of your home, especially where bed bugs are suspected. Remove all infested items and call a professional exterminator. Although it may cost you, a professional is the way to go because they have access to methods that the general public does not. The price will depend on the company you choose, the level of infestation and the methods utilized to get rid of it.

Today's pesticides used by exterminators are effective and often environmentally-friendly. Talk to your pest control professional about ways to get rid of bed bugs that don't involve harmful chemicals. There are ways to get rid of these pests without causing harm to children, pets, or the environment.

Bed Bug News:

Topeka Capital-Journal, The - Yes, Virginia - Believe
December 24, 2008 -- Dear Editor: I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, 'If you see it in The Sun it's so.' Please...

Superbugs found to live on doctor#39;s mobile phone - Mobile Phones
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-0fd=Rurl=http://www.mobile-phones.co.uk/news/mobile-phones/superbugs-in-mobiles_M10062.htmlcid=1287260373ei=ha1iSeu6HIHI9ATavJCUBAusg=AFQjCNFPtIYN2FBN-maiSrZ0U1E4oa7BKQSuperbugs found to live on doctor#39;s mobile phone/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMobile Phones,nbsp;UKnbsp;-/font nobr8 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1These two bbugs/b alone were linked to over 800 deaths in hospitals in Scotland alone. Given the way phones are used, being put close to both the mouth and b./b/font/div/font/td/tr/table..

INSIDE THE NFL - SI.com
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6-0fd=Rurl=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/ross_tucker/01/05/lines/cid=1286921193ei=ha1iSeu6HIHI9ATavJCUBAusg=AFQjCNGmyzQZUBHzBCTfy6SU3_V5b_HJQgINSIDE THE NFL/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fSI.comnbsp;-/font nobr6 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Put the women and children to bbed/b when these two bruising units collide in what promises to be the most physical matchup of the weekend. b./b/font/div/font/td/tr/table..

Dont Let the Bed Bugs Bite: The SECs Three Sleeper Teams for 2009 - Bleacherreport.com
It has been another great year in the SEC with great upsets, big wins, and a lot of great players. Now I think everyone would agree Ole Miss upsetting Florida was the upset of the year in the SEC, and arguably the best upset in the country. Next year ...

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Arctic conditions have meant a miserable return to work for millions of shivering Britons. Icy rain, sleet and snow moved down the UK, turning to ice in many places as temperatures dropped overnight. The Met Office issued a severe weather warning for ...

Deseret News (Salt Lake City) - #39;First Ladies#39; exhibit returns to Smithsonian
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Theyre back: dont let the bed bugs bite - Logan Daily News
HOCKING COUNTY EUR” Bed bugs are back. During nearly 50 years of eradication in the United States, society passed along the popular bedtime phrase, EURœSleep tight. Dont let the bed bugs bite,EUR without any fear our loved ones actually would be ...

Independent, The (London) - Changing climate devastates UK species
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Bedbug plague invades Ohio - GulfNews
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/3-0fd=Rurl=http://www.gulfnews.com/world/U.S.A/10272783.htmlcid=1287219622ei=ha1iSeu6HIHI9ATavJCUBAusg=AFQjCNEAZcjNO1TzA4rG859sKdWT4cTYvwBedbug plague invades Ohio/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fGulfNews,nbsp;United Arab Emiratesnbsp;-/font nobr4 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1The bbugs/b have shown up in unexpected places: A Fox News executive said the Manhattan newsroom had to be fumigated for bbedbugs/b and furniture replaced after b./b/font/div/font/td/tr/table..

Jeremy Laurance: Ignore all those scare stories: flu is in steady . - Independent
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-0fd=Rurl=http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-wellbeing/features/jeremy-laurance-ignore-all-those-scare-stories-flu-is-in-steady-decline-1227845.htmlcid=0ei=ha1iSeu6HIHI9ATavJCUBAusg=AFQjCNFinGsJgSr73CDP7pt_NYK2f_O3JQJeremy Laurance: Ignore all those scare stories: flu is in steady b./b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fIndependent,nbsp;UKnbsp;-/font nobr1 hour ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1An unsuspecting visitor to these shores would conclude that we are engaged in a life-or-death battle with battalions of bbugs/b and viruses, all threatening to b./b/font/div/font/td/tr/table..

All on the line: Breaking down the divisional round#39;s battles up front - SI.com
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/7-0fd=Rurl=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/ross_tucker/01/05/lines/%3Feref%3Dsircrccid=1286921193ei=ha1iSeu6HIHI9ATavJCUBAusg=AFQjCNFmC44ZWt125swV19Ac458ROc8VkwAll on the line: Breaking down the divisional round#39;s battles up front/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fSI.comnbsp;-/font nobr6 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Put the women and children to bbed/b when these two bruising units collide in what promises to be the most physical matchup of the weekend. b./b/font/div/font/td/tr/table..

Number of cold and flu cases drop - WalesOnline
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-0fd=Rurl=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2009/01/05/number-of-cold-and-flu-cases-drop-91466-22611961/cid=1287082760ei=ha1iSeu6HIHI9ATavJCUBAusg=AFQjCNHfVrZ13TF-9wD5ZAhQBvTyWzXRHQNumber of cold and flu cases drop/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fWalesOnline,nbsp;United Kingdomnbsp;-/font nobr5 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1But Professor Steve Field, chairman of the College, warned that people returning to work and school could easily spread flu and the vomiting bbug/b norovirus. b./b/font/div/font/td/tr/table..

Authorities explore ways to detect digging underground - NewsLetter
MONITORING for increased levels of bed bugs and fleas; equipment for detecting human odours; burying microphones underground and employing chemical and biological sensorsEUR¦ Just a few of the dozens of ideas considered by the prison authorities, in ...