How do you know if you have bed bugs
Bed bugs are blood-sucking insects. They are efficient hitchhikers and easily transported. They can disperse over long distances for a considerable period of time in search of a new host. They are mainly nocturnal (active at night) and hide during the day. They only approach a host when they intend to feed and spend of their time hiding or resting. They require blood meals to mate, lay eggs for females, and moult. However, they can withstand long periods without feeding.
The male, female and young nymphs are all blood-suckers. They hide in cracks and crevices close to their sleeping hosts, such as in the bedroom. A sign of bedbug infestation is the unpleasant odour they emit. Another is the speckled appearance of their faecal deposits.
Bed bugs come out of their hiding places at night and bite humans, as well as other mammals like mice, rats or poultry. The bedbug takes between 3 to 15 minutes to engorge themselves with blood. The bite produces a hard swelling, whitish in colour and causes severe irritation. After feeding, they crawl back to their hiding places where they usually crowd together.