Bed bugs are those nasty little things that your mom would tease about “Don’t let the bed bugs bite.”  Well guess what?  They really do bite.  Bed bug bites even leave a mark.  I thought they just ate your dead skin cells that slough off in the night.  But no. They actually bite and feed off of you.

If I could quote my dad when I was just 7 years old.  “Bed bugs are so small you can’t even see them.”

I thought my dad knew everything.  He has been gone for several years now so I can’t ask him.  But, was he just trying to make me feel better and not scare me?

The adult bed bugs are normally mistaken as ticks or cockroaches, as they are approximately ¼ inch in length with flat and hard bodies. These insects can move swiftly in floors, ceiling, walls and other surfaces but cannot fly. The female bed bugs can lay as many as 500 eggs during their lifespan and choose secluded areas to make their move.

When the eggs hatch, the baby bugs or nymphs can fully develop as fast as a month. Cool areas or where there is no access to blood will prolong the development time. The nymphs can live for several months without feasting, while the adults can last for around a year.

Cool area is the key because that is how you get rid of them.  Turn up the heat.  The bed is normally the main breeding ground of bugs. If a bed has holes and tears it is likely that these contain eggs inside or out. Pest control companies normally advise their clients to dispose the beds that are heavily infested or in poor shape.  You need to get the room so hot that the bed bugs die.  This is done with industrial heaters and sealing off the room.  Hotels can’t do this, but I would definitely throw out the mattress