Avoiding bed bug issues
The thought of having bed bugs in the home can put most people into a panic. People will worry about bringing bed bugs into a home after a trip. Others will have concerns when they purchase secondhand clothing or furniture in regards to bed bugs also.
Anyone at some point can have problems with bed bugs. Today, we will be sharing some basic tips on how you can avoid bed bug issues in your home. I will be sharing information from a UGA publication by Pamela Turner, Jacquelyn Ogden and Melanie Badding, representing UGA Extension and Armstrong State University.
Bed bugs like all insects will go through a life cycle. You will have the egg stage, the immature stage and then the adult bed bug stage. I remember as a young agent not seeing a bed bug sample before.
We were holding a UGA Extension class in Bartow County and a person brought samples by for identification. Normally, the adult bed bug is about the size of an apple seed. These adults were more pencil eraser in size. Adults are flat, oval shaped and will be brown in color. The immature bed bugs are the size of a poppy seed and are transparent to yellowish in color.
The immatures will get darker in color with each of the five molts per our information. If you have bed bugs in your dwelling, there are some common ways this happens. Luggage can be one way to bring bed bugs into a home. Bed bugs simply can hide in luggage and when you come home, the bed bugs come home with you.
One tip is to avoid putting your luggage on hotel beds or on the floor. Put your luggage on a luggage rack away from the wall. Guests to your home and timing of their visit can be an issue. Our info states that guests in your home that have been traveling may bring bed bugs into your home and they are unaware.
The bed bugs are hiding in their personal belongs. Tip here is to inspect the room where they stayed while visiting after they leave. Movie theaters or any place where people sit for a long period of time can be prone to bed bug issues. Secondhand items such as clothing and furniture can be a problem in regards to bed bugs also. It can be fun looking for great and cheaper clothing and furniture, but these items can have bed bugs.
Bed bugs feed on the blood of human or other mammals. They can also live a long time without a blood meal. Be sure to check used items for bed bugs and clean completely before bringing into the home. Bed bugs can be difficult to find because they can hide in tiny holes, cracks or along seams.
What about the bites from bed bugs? Recently, I shared data about mosquitoes and the issue of disease transmission through bites. Bed bugs do not transmit diseases when they bite for a blood meal. They are seen more as a nuisance, but can leave itchy red welts on the skin, but not all people bit will have the welts.
I will add that since the bites can make the skin itchy, people will scratch the bite area which can lead to other skin infections. Also, people with bed bugs in the home may not sleep well which can lead to lack of sleep issues or even anxiety.
Again, this article is about keeping bed bugs out of the home in the first place. I will be sharing tips on what to do when you do buy certain secondhand items. It again can fun to shop for secondhand items while saving money at the same time. You just need to be bed bug wise as you bring those items into the home. First, household textiles and clothing. Before you buy, look along the seams and in the pockets.
Turn the item inside out if possible and shake. If you purchase the item, immediately wash the item using normal setting and detergent and dry on a normal setting. Dispose of the bag used for the item by putting in an outdoor trash can. Heat kills bed bugs and the eggs so if an item can’t be washed, it can be placed in the dryer for one cycle. You can also put the item in a hot car.
For delicate or dry clean only garments, inspect the garment the same way you do household textiles and clothing. For delicates or dry clean only garments, dry clean or follow the washing guidelines stated above.
Now ... for upholstered furniture. You should remove cushions and inspect along the edges and seams. Carefully inspect the frame and the underside for signs of bed bugs. What are signs of bed bugs? Naturally, seeing a visual bed bug is one. You may see dark spots which would be bed bug excrement.
You may find shed skins of immature bed bugs or bed bug eggs. Before bringing indoors, vacuum completely. You can steam fabric items such as sofas and chairs then leave in an open area for a few days. Then recheck for signs of bed bugs and treat if necessary. You can place items in a small sealed room and heat up to 120 degrees F for several hours also.
Finally, I can share our UGA resource for additional information on bed bugs by request.