Bed Bugs

Latin Name: Cimex lectularius

Months of Activity: January - December

The common bed bug is the best adapted to human environments. It is found in temperate climates throughout the world and has been known since ancient times. Small, nocturnal insects, bed bugs feed on the blood of humans, occasionally causing skin infections and scars when the bites are scratched.

While bed bugs have been known to harbour pathogens in their bodies, including plague and hepatitis B, they have not been linked to the transmission of any disease and are not regarded as a medical threat.

What your bed is made from will make no difference to whether you get bed bugs or not. Whether you have a wooden bed or metal bed (wood or metal beds from time4sleep.co.uk) precautions need to be made.

Appearance

• Adult bed bugs are 4-5mm long and reddish-brown in colour. They appear flattened, oval, and are wingless.
• Newly hatched nymphs are translucent and lighter in colour than the adults.

Lifecycle

Female bed bugs lay between 200-500 eggs over a two month period, and are able to reproduce all year round. The eggs are visible to the naked eye measuring 1 mm in length and are a milky-white tone in colour.

The eggs hatch in one to two weeks, with the hatchlings beginning to feed immediately. They pass through five moulting stages before reaching maturity, requiring a feed during each of these stages.

At room temperature, it takes about 5 weeks for a bed bug to pass from hatching, through to maturity, at which point they become reproductively active.

Pest Control

Having once been almost eradicated in the UK, bed bugs are beginning to make comeback, presenting new challenges for pest control. Without DDT and similar banned agents, there is no fully effective treatment available.

DIY pest control on bed bugs has had limited success, so it is always advisable to get a reputable pest control company in to advise and perform treatment as necessary.

Latest News about Bed Bugs

The Art Of Detection
Inspection and monitoring are described as the first steps in any integrated approach to pest management. Today, the pest management professional may spend as much or more time searching for, observing and collecting data on activity than in the actu... [more]

Bed Bug Codes of Practice
The European Code of Practice for Bed Bug Management was launched in May 2011 and joins the Australian Code of Practice for the Control of Bed Bug Infestations, now in its third edition and the USA's Bed Bugs Best Managment Practices for Pest Profess... [more]

7 Tips For Chemical-Free Pest Control
The weather's heating up, and that means all sorts of creepy crawlies are about in force. Conventional pesticides are full of nasty chemicals linked to health concerns from ADHD in children to Parkinson's Disease in adults. Why spray harmful toxins w... [more]

The Unwelcome Travel Companion
Whether traveling for business or pleasure, many Brits take to the skies or hit the road for a holiday break during the summer months. In addition to packing luggage and double-checking itineraries, travellers should learn how to prevent unwelcome su... [more]

Protecting Your Wallet
Warmer temperatures across the country are prompting bugs and other pests to seek shelter in many homes and office buildings. Pest Control Charter files indicate that consumer enquiries into local pest control companies typically spike during the mon... [more]

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