Bedbugs: Night predators
Tiny reddish-brown parasites called Cimex lectularius , usually known as bedbugs, feed on blood of animals and humans. In 40’s and 50’s, pesticides were used frequently that caused the eradication of these bugs from America. But later invention of more focused pesticides (to kill only one type of insects) proved to be ineffective for bedbugs. Moreover the emigrants from other continents became the reason of revival of these parasites. Americans travelling abroad to such bedbugs inhabited areas brought these back to US.
Bedbugs are expert hitchhikers and can travel back to your home with your luggage and clothes. You must be aware of these uninvited guests as they can cause skin infections. The family of these bugs is called Cimicidae and consists of nocturnal insects that suck blood during the3 night. Long since the evolution of human beings, these bugs have caused problems for animals and humans living in dark caves.
At moderate temperature, these bugs reproduce at high rates. The type of bugs that specifically feed on chicken, bats and birds is called Cimex hemipterus and is usually found in warmer regions. A special kind of bedbug is found in South America that sucks blood of humans and bats. While another fellow specie only prefers to live on bats’ blood and is called Cimex pilosellus. Chicken and poultry are targeted by Haematosiphon inodora which are usually found in North American region.
Bedbugs have flat and apparently oval bodies and can’t fly. Grown bugs can be seen easily as they are usually 5mm long and can crawl from one place to another swiftly. You might not spot any bedbug in your house but you can never be so sure that you don’t have them at your place. Being nocturnal insects, they only come out of their hidings in the middle of the night and immediately get back if they sense any movement. Newborns are hard to be seen and appear white or cream colored and keep on changing color after they start feeding on blood.
Bedbugs are tough creatures and can survive as long as up to one year without sucking blood. Yet they feed after 6-10 days and attack on host during night, preferably just before dawn.
Unlike the mosquito sting, which gives an instant itching and piercing effect, bedbug bites can’t be felt immediately because of a sedative present in the saliva of the bedbug that keeps the blood from clotting and immunes the body for some time. The process of sucking blood of a host lasts for 4-5 minutes.
The only good thing about these bugs is that they don’t carry germs or bacteria that may cause harmful diseases to human body. So these are not as dangerous as other blood-sucking insects like dengue mosquitoes.
Bedbug Bite causes a bump that produces itching and can get infected by thorough scratching and rubbing. Wash the infected area with an antibacterial liquid and apply calamine lotion afterward. Keep your house clean and spray an effective pest control formula to eradicate these bugs completely.
