Well-nigh every house had bed bugs before the Second World War, which meant that many people were bitten every night and hence the popularity of that rhyme. The Baby Boomers never saw bed bugs when they were children and so were the first generation for 400 years not to suffer from bed bug problems.
Fifty years on and the bed bugs are back and some big cities are in dismal straights because the insecticide that works best on bed bugs, DDT, is banned in most countries in the world. This means that the situation will get worse until researchers come up with something to replace DDT.
So, how would you know if your house has become victim to the spread of this superbug? It is not as simple as you would think, because bed bugs are fairly shy for insects. not only that, but they shun daylight and their dark skins blend into the shadows.
The first thing is to check for bites. The bites are normally a quarter of an inch in diameter, round and pink to red, if they show up, because they do not show up on some people. Similarly, some feel an itch but others do not; some will get a swelling, others will not. Not only that, but some individuals get an immediate reaction and others suffer a deferred reaction.
There is no confusing a bed bug bite with a mosquito bite although it can look like a flea bite. There are often five or six of these bites in a line, nut not necessarily a straight line. If you see these marks at bath time, it is time to check the bed for conclusive proof.
Strip the bed clothes back and look at the sheets and the mattress. It will be easier there because thy are normally light in colour. Look for red and brown smears. The red smears are blood, where the insect has consumed too much and vomitted up a bit and the brown is faeces of digested blood.
If you see those marks, you have got them, so now you have to get rid of them and that is not an easy task. If you rent your place tell the landlord instantly, because he might be liable for eradicating them. If you have funds, call in the exterminators. Otherwise, you have a lot of things to do.
If you may not move out whilst you are debugging the house at least you can clean the bed so that you may get a decent night’s sleep.. Remove the bedding and mattress and steam clean the bed (you can hire a steam cleaner). Then sew up any rents in the mattress and steam clean that.
Put the legs of the bed in small bowls of oil and place the mattress and pillows in bed bug proof mattress covers. Boil the sheets and blankets and replace, but do not let them hang on the floor at night. Put a mosquito net about your bed for further protection.. Then you require advice on cleaning the household.
Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on numerous subjects, but is at present concerned with Bed Bugs Treatment. If you want to know more, visit our website now at Pest Management at Home.