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

Bed Bug Battles
The conflict between humans and insect pests has raged for centuries, but few battles boast the sheer make-your-skin-crawl ick factor as the war between people and bed bugs. And the battle, once played out largely in hotels with high international tr... [more]

Choosing A Pest Control Company
Discovering a pest problem or infestation that is threatening your property, your health or even just your peace of mind can be a major annoyance. The last thing one needs in this situation is the added stress of finding a reputable pest control com... [more]

Building A Bed Bug Program
Bed bugs are among the most distasteful of pests. When people suspect these creepy-crawlies might be invading their homes or offices or the hotels they frequent, they want them out... now! This aversion, coupled with the tremendous resurgence of bed ... [more]

Pest Free 2012
Winter would seem to be the time when residents in the UK have fewer pest problems, but between an invasion of bed bugs or mice, the problems remain active even when most insects species enter a dormant period. Rodents are by far the biggest problem... [more]

Pest Plague Looms
A cocktail of lamentable circumstances is proving a potent mix, fuelling a surge in pest infestations across Britain. As austerity measures bite, living standards fall, the property rental market grows and we have mild – even warm – autum... [more]

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