As someone that is looking to get rid of bed bugs, it is important to understand just what these creatures like to do. The habits of bed bugs may amaze you even though you really do not like them.
The bed bug is not a creature any of us really want to get to know, but understanding more about them will help you to get rid of them.
Eating
The bed bug likes to eat at night. He is a nocturnal blood feeder. He likes to find his host when it is sleeping and therefore lying still. This poses less of a risk for his well being, of course.
They are very quick moving animals and can easily get out of the way if needed.
They will use their very sharp, pointed beak to break the skin of the host. By piercing it, they open it up enough to insert a fluid within it. This salivary liquid is what allows them to withdraw blood from their host. It is what is called an anticoagulant which will stop the host’s blood from clotting and closing up the pierced area too quickly.
An adult bed bug will take up to fifteen minutes to feed from that one pierce. Most adults will be filled within ten minutes but can eat for up to fifteen.
The nymphs, or babies, will start to feed as soon as they are hatched and can find food or a host. When they do, the can only feed for as little as three to four minutes. As they grow, they will feed longer until they reach their adult size.
The bed bug does not need to eat very often. It can go several months without consuming any food. But, it will usually begin to seek out the host again after five days for another feeding. The bed bug will look for his host again when he is hungry as it will take him this long to digest the blood meal he has just consumed.
What They Like
Do you care what bed bugs actually like? Most of us would say no, but we still should take a look at this topic for a better understanding of these little creatures.
First off, they enjoy the dark and prefer not to come out unless it is dark. They are creatures that like to hide and stay out of sight.
To hide, they will find small crevices and cracks to hide in. This may be places like fabric or wood, but any place will do as long as they are hidden.
Usually, the bed bug will not travel too far from its host, as it wants to stay close to its source of food. But, they can and do venture away if they so choose to do so. Although they are small, they can travel throughout the entire house if they wanted to do so.
Yet, it is most common to find them near their host’s bed or in the small vicinity of where they know they can find their host.
The most common location for them is in the folds of a mattress.
Searching For Bed Bugs
When you decide to go on a search for bed bugs, you will want to try to look for them at night. This is the most common time that they will come out to look for their host. Remember that they do not feed everyday so you are not likely to see all of them at once.
Still, you can do a bit of searching for them during the day; it is just harder to find them this way.
Odd Facts About The Bed Bug To Know
- Bed bugs are attracted to the carbon dioxide that humans put out when they breathe. They are also attracted to the warmth that a person provides.
- If you are bitten by a bed bug, you are likely not to feel anything for at least several hours. It will take this long for your skin to react to the products that the bed bug will inject into you.
- Some scientists believe that bed bugs can go as long as 18 months without eating any blood at all. Although this is not common, it is thought to be possible.
- In her lifetime, the female bed bug is likely to lay about 500 eggs. This is only if she bears just five eggs per day.
- When reproducing, the battle is on. The male bed bugs will actually impale the competing males. In doing so, he will inseminate the other male. Then, when the other male tries to inseminate the female, he will actually inseminate the female with the other male’s secretions instead.
- Although bed bugs do not like to be outdoors, they can be. They can even climb up under wood and other materials to invade another home. This is common in condos and in apartment complexes.
- You may see a bed bug trapped inside the weaves on a woven shirt or pair of pants. They will appear as a dark speck there and are often missed by viewers.
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