Among the blood-sucking creatures, bedbugs, small insects that like to settle in our apartments and exist at the expense of humans, should be especially distinguished. In our article we will tell you in detail why bedbugs are dangerous for humans, and dwell on methods of combating these pests.
Insect description
The bedbug is an insect of the order of Hemoptera. The majority of the term "winged" does not mean anything to most, so it would be better to describe how it looks visually. In accessible words - this is a very small (from 3 to 8 mm) bug (although the “bug” and “bug” are, of course, completely different things), whose body is very flattened horizontally. The abdomen is segmented; the insect itself most often has a brown color. Before discussing what the bugs are dangerous, consider the style of their behavior, features and habits of these insects.
Insect resistance to mechanical damage
Bed bugs are very nimble insects. They run perfectly, and when trying to catch them, they show miracles of resourcefulness. Even squeezed between the fingers, they slip out of the trap with amazing agility. It is especially difficult to catch hungry critters. If the insect is relatively light and flat, then it has been eating for a long time, and its mobility level is maximum. A bug of a darker color with a swollen abdomen has been eating recently, and its dodging is an order of magnitude less.
When you try to crush a hungry representative, you are likely to fail. The constitution of the body structure of bedbugs can withstand significant deformations, and when they receive even critical damage, they quickly regenerate. Only a bedbug that has been eating relatively recently will be able to crush. In this case, his abdomen bursts, from where a small amount of sintered and undigested blood by the insect flows out. The bug, in this case, will remain alive and make an attempt to escape.
To inflict a fatal injury to an insect, it is only possible to dissect its body in two or flatten it so that a “herbarium” remains, that is, a hammer. But since it is problematic to sleep in a bed with a hammer and anvil, they struggle with bedbugs by other methods, which we will discuss a bit later.
Features, reproduction
Since the insect is very small, it will be difficult to make out its structure even with a magnifying glass. But with a significant increase, it is clear that from the front of the head segment of the bug the proboscis grows, with which it pierces the human skin and with the help of which it sucks blood. At its base there are piercing jaws, consisting of a pair of sharp bristles. The jaws are “equipped” with a pair of canals, one of which is wider, serves to receive blood, and the second to supply pain-relieving saliva through the hole made by the bug in the victim’s skin. About what are dangerous bug bites, read a little lower.
Their paws are small, but relatively strong, allowing them to develop excellent speed. Males are usually much smaller than females. Mating in them occurs according to the traumatic principle. In fact, in order to introduce sperm into the abdomen (abdomen) of the female, the male literally pierces her body with his genitals. At one time, the female can lay up to 5 eggs, after which she is again ready for fertilization. At first, a nymph hatches from an egg - also a rather mobile blood-sucking creature, after the next molt turning into an adult - an adult. The period of development of an insect from an egg to an adult is about 40 days. The average life expectancy of an adult varies around the year.
A distinctive feature of these insects is their ability to hibernate, which is somewhat akin to suspended animation. Under adverse conditions (low temperature, lack of food) they can “fall asleep” for a period of more than one year in order to wake up when the bug’s sensory organs detect an increase in temperature or the proximity of a warm-blooded mammal. What is dangerous for bedbugs is that of all the animals, they are more likely to feast on human blood. Human skin is not protected by wool, and therefore the most affordable. But in rare cases, bedbugs can attack pets as well as rodents that live in human dwellings.
The style of life, behavior
As such, the "lairs" or nests of bugs do not equip. They lead a twilight life and go on a “hunt” in the dark, preferring to attack their victims during sleep. When the light is on, they quickly scatter, hiding in hard-to-reach slots, folds or radio equipment. There they wait for daylight. In the afternoon, only the most hungry representatives go out hunting, which need made them crawl out.
Where do the bugs come from?
Those who are interested in whether bugs are dangerous to humans should keep in mind that they themselves can bring bugs into their home. Any pest and parasite is dangerous in its own way, and there can be no talk of this. Therefore, one should avoid the appearance in suspicious places in which these insects can multiply. Avoid visiting dubious apartments and other dwellings in which untidy and unclean people live, and also not contact with animals (cats and dogs) living on the street. It is enough for one fertilized female to get into the folds of your clothes, and a brood of bugs in your home will already be provided. And then more.
Often bedbugs themselves can overcome long distances from one home to another. All blood-sucking insects are extremely sensitive to warm-blooded mammals and smell the smell of "fresh blood" at a great distance. They travel on mice and rats. So sometimes, no matter how you defend yourself, an attack may catch you by surprise, despite all the precautions.
Bedbug Harm
Finally, we got to the most important question, why are bedbugs dangerous for a person in an apartment or in any other dwelling? We list in order:
- Bedbug bites cause a lot of inconvenience. They itch heavily, and in some they can cause an allergic reaction.
- Bedbugs carry dangerous infections, such as brucellosis, tularemia, typhoid fever, tuberculosis, hepatitis B and even anthrax. What does the peddler mean? This means that his body has a persistent immunity to a transferred disease, but for those who are bitten by an insect, these diseases pose an immediate danger. Through a bite, these diseases are not transmitted. The danger is precisely the excrement of insects. If those fall into a fresh wound, wait for trouble.
- The very realization that blood-sucking creatures live in your house can plunge some people into real depression and cause emotional distress.
That is why it is worthwhile not to turn a blind eye to the problem, but immediately proceed to its solution, that is, measures to destroy parasites and prevent their appearance in the future.
How to recognize the presence of bedbugs in an apartment and how to distinguish bedbug bites from mosquito bites?
What are the bugs in the apartment dangerous? First of all, with their bites. But how to distinguish these bites? Do they differ in anything from the bites of ordinary mosquitoes? Sure, yes. Mosquito bite - a single "pimple on the body." While the bug in the process of feeding pierces the skin not in one place, but in several in turn. Therefore, after bites of bedbugs, several “pimples” appear in one place at once, which itch almost the same way as from mosquito bites. In addition, often around each affected area the skin becomes inflamed and extensive redness occurs throughout the body at the bite sites. And if there are several such foci throughout the body, then you should think carefully and check your home for bugs in it.
Methods of struggle
After we found out why bedbugs are dangerous for humans, it is worthwhile to get together and give battle to these intolerable parasites. To combat bugs, there are many developed means for domestic use. In most cases, they look like sprays that are deadly for insects and safe for humans. They can be used to process all hidden crevices where insects, all seams, the back and bottom parts of upholstered furniture are "crowded" overnight. Also help in the fight against parasites can:
- Heat treatment of bed linen. Insects die at high temperature. A temperature of +60 degrees is fatal for bedbugs, and therefore it is best to soak the laundry in hot water before washing or to wash it at a high temperature of heating the water. Frost can kill them only Siberian. What is dangerous for bedbugs is that if it is -20 degrees Celsius on the street, the parasites will die. But if less, they will fall into their favorite suspended animation, and when thawing at home, they will again take their own.
- A great tool for removing bugs is a vacuum cleaner. Shake the contents of the container into a bonfire or tin with kerosene and set it on fire. Hateful pests roast alive.
- Enhance the effect of sprays with repelling odors. Bed bugs do not tolerate the smell of vinegar, garlic and valerian. However, if there is a cat or a cat at home, it is better not to use Valerian tincture. You will scare away bugs, but at the same time you will drive a poor pet crazy.
All things should be handled. And in the closet, and on the hanger, in items of personal wardrobe, especially cunning representatives may lurk. So that no pests remain in the house, spray with a spray and spray the repellent compound should be everywhere.
What is the danger of bed bugs? The fact that sprays do not act on their eggs. Therefore, after some time, sanitation should be carried out again in order to destroy the brood that emerged from the eggs, which remained at the seams of mattresses, upholstered furniture, etc. Only then, with full confidence, we can say that you got rid of all the bugs in the house.
In extreme cases, if the dwelling is too large or if the bugs have bred to a particularly dangerous scale, you can call a special service to combat parasites.
Prevention methods
To prevent bed bugs in the house, a thorough cleaning should be carried out monthly. Treat all cracks with a deterrent solution. Do not be lazy to thoroughly iron things after washing, especially the seams of bed linen. And, of course, to avoid visiting the above-mentioned dubious homes, hotels, shelters for the homeless, etc. And then everything with your bed and home will be in order!