Bedbugs, A Horror Story

The satires made about bedbugs are true. If ever there was a nuclear bomb that hits an area, the only thing that could probably survive it are cockroaches and bedbugs. They are extremely hard to destroy on your own. It’s best to hire exterminators like Swarm Pest Control in Brisbane to help you get rid of them.

Unlike most insects, being bitten by bedbugs don’t give you disease. They’re just highly irritating as they feed on our blood and their bites leaves us itching and with red welts. Bedbugs come out of hiding at night and find warm places (our bodies) to feed on and then they go back into hiding before the sun comes up. So in the morning, we can wake up with bedbug bites but we won’t be able to see these creatures at work. Bedbugs don’t go far. They will hide close to where there is a food source (our blood). They can make their homes everywhere! No matter what country they’re in, they’ll survive. In cold countries, they generally stay in people’s homes in their clothing, mattresses, bedsheets, bedcovers, etc. They can live anywhere even in walls, carpets, and bed frames. It’s a myth that only messy places carry bedbugs. Bedbugs are very prolific and can be carried anywhere, even in hotels and other very clean places. Due to international travel being more common today, bedbugs are carried on clothes and luggage and are transported from one place to another. Even hospitals can have bedbugs.

Signs you’ve been bitten by bedbugs:

-itching in areas where you’ve been bitten
-red circular welts sometimes in a line which can last days or a couple of weeks
-infection from itching bites
-scarring from regular itching of bites
-rare anaphylaxis or allergic reaction like major swelling in areas where bitten

How do you know your home has been infested by bedbugs?

– dotted red or dark red staining on bedding or mattresses where bedbugs have been killed accidentally
– small dark spots where bedbugs have excremented.
– small about one millimetre bedbug eggs or yellowish skin shed by molting bedbugs
– seeing these tiny bedbugs themselves which are dark brown with a small lighter brown head and reddish tinge on the body especially after they’ve eaten blood

What can you do to protect yourself from infestation?

-declutter your house
-clean and vacuum regularly
-get rid of old wallpaper
-seal any small openings in your walls or ceilings
-if you buy anything second-hand, make sure you check it thoroughly for bedbugs
-buy mattresses that are covered in plastic
-be kind to yourself by not using your vehicle to help friends move out of infested homes or apartments.
-check for bedbugs in your luggage or clothing before coming inside your house
-leave your stuff outside if you do find bedbugs
-wash clothing and bedding in steaming hot water
-trash any furniture that has been infested