Bedbugs in an apartment: types of bedbugs, where they come from and how they reproduce, what they eat and how they are dangerous to humans, at what temperature they die + reviews

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House bug or also called bed bug.

This is a type of bedbug, a blood-sucking insect that lives very closely with humans; they are also called “bed bugs.” It feeds on human blood or the blood of domestic animals. Even famous Russian writers have references to bedbugs, for example, L. Tolstoy in his book, gives bedbugs extraordinary cunning, saying that even if you put a cup of water under each leg of the bed, the bedbugs will jump from the ceiling.

Why do bedbugs not bite all people?

So, the myth that bedbugs do not bite all people in the family is widespread, but fundamentally wrong.
Parasites bite everyone, regardless of blood type, gender, dietary habits, use of personal hygiene products and a number of many other factors.

As for the misconception that bedbugs bite selectively, the following facts are the prerequisites for the emergence of such a myth::

Bedbugs, as well as other parasites, sense blood circulation; therefore, people with thin skin are often attacked by parasites. Since representatives of the stronger sex have dense skin, it is believed that bedbugs do not bite men. From this we can draw the following conclusion: of two people sleeping together, the one with sensitive skin will be subject to a massive attack of parasites.
Insect bites are more common in children. This can also be explained by the vulnerable and thin skin of children, increased blood flow in the child’s body. In addition, children throw off the blanket in their sleep, which provides access to the skin for parasites.
The presence of thick clothing and thick hair, which some representatives of the stronger half of humanity possess, also prevent the attack of bedbugs. Thus, we can conclude that children and women are indeed bitten by bedbugs somewhat more often.
According to statistics, only three out of ten people have sensitive skin that is prone to redness, swelling and other signs of bedbug bites. Even if parasites bite all family members, traces of the insect attack will remain only on those who have delicate skin.

We should also not forget that bedbugs bite people only in the dark, and the peak of attacks by parasites occurs between three and five o’clock in the morning. Accordingly, lovers of daytime sleep are extremely rarely attacked by insects.

When might bed bugs bite some people more than others?

So, why are some people bitten by bedbugs and others not? For example, bedbugs can live inside an apartment only in one of all the beds, so the person who sleeps on it will suffer the most. After some time, the insects will multiply and spread around the perimeter of the entire home and, accordingly, bite everyone.
If the house is large, then the bugs first settle in one of the rooms, because of this, those who live in the “captured” room will be the first to suffer from bites, then those in the neighboring one, and if measures are not taken, the number of insects will begin to grow , and they will spread throughout the room.
Why do bedbugs selectively bite people - there is an opinion that bedbugs bite males more often and more - this is justified, since when looking for prey, bedbugs are focused on carbon dioxide, human exhalation, the smell of sweat and the entire human body. This sense of smell allows pests to easily find a victim in the absence of weak light. In stores you can find a special trap that emits carbon dioxide, thereby attracting parasites.
A little more about men - they have larger lung capacity than women and children, so they are able to inhale more air and, accordingly, exhale more carbon dioxide, so bedbugs find men more easily, biting them more often.

DATA

But here’s an interesting fact: females are more likely to complain about bites, and they also say that those who live next to them do not suffer from bites. Why do the facts contradict each other? Everyone knows that men have rougher skin than women, it is less sensitive, which is why they do not feel bedbug bites and do not notice the consequences in the form of discomfort, pain, marks.

But there is no need to refer to gender differences if we take into account the level of sensitivity. It cannot be concluded that the male sex is not as sensitive to bites, since there are no statistical data to confirm or refute the fact. Many men suffer from pests, but also many women do not feel the effects.

We can conclude that the bug does not choose a victim based on a certain characteristic, but bites the one who is closer. If the victim is closer to the place of residence of these insects, then they will attack it first, since it is easier and safer. And here blood type and other factors do not play a role at all. If people sleep on the same bed, and it’s easy to get to them, then the bites will be uniform and with the same intensity, but two people may feel them differently due to the sensitivity of a person’s skin.

The most common myths about the selectivity of bedbugs

You can come across many assumptions as to why bedbugs do not bite all people, among the most common is blood type. No less rare is the fact that insects bite females, as well as children, because of their thin skin - this allows bedbugs to better sense the aroma of blood that flows through the veins of people.

Another theory is that insects bite those who have previously been attacked by their relatives. There is also a completely opposite opinion, which says that a person can develop a unique type of immunity, thanks to which the blood acquires properties that bedbugs do not like.
According to statistics, the theory regarding the selectivity of bedbugs can be completely refuted. According to the victims, they cause inconvenience to any category of people. Both children, women, men, and older people are subject to their bites, and regardless of blood type, pets can also suffer from bites. Insects bite everyone and at the same time with the same frequency.
If we talk about all theories from the scientific side, then there is no confirmation. Scientists cannot even imagine how a bug can find out the blood type and Rh factor without biting a person. As a result, a person would still have several bites, but the interesting thing is that some do not have them at all.
It has also long been known that bed bugs can bite both people and pets. Therefore, if we can make the assumption that bedbugs love one or another blood group, then antigenic characteristics are also important to them. But here there are differences between the characteristics of the blood of humans, dogs, chickens and other animals - and this is not only the group and Rh factor. From this comes the fact that bedbugs would prefer to bite a person with blood type 1 and would definitely refuse the pet’s blood.
Statistics show that parasite attacks are also directed at dogs, cats, domestic rabbits, and birds. If we talk about wildlife, the main victims of bedbugs are bats. Therefore, it is possible to completely prove the inconsistency of the theory about the preference of insects for certain groups.
Also unconfirmed is the assumption that pests can smell human blood through the skin. There is no reason to think that bedbugs most often bite children and women because of their thin skin, due to the fact that the smell is better felt.

THEORIES

None of the presented theories is able to withstand even slight criticism, crumbling during consideration of obvious facts. But at the same time, one should not deny any assumptions about probability.

Age does not matter

Often, if all the parents and the child sleep in the same room, bites can most often be observed in children. Therefore, the conclusion suggests itself that insects prefer young blood, but is this true?
The child has delicate and sensitive skin, which is why bite marks become visible immediately on the cover. Moreover, in the case of a not very large pest population, the parents may remain undamaged. It happens that insects bite sleeping babies, but do not touch the rest at all, but rarely. Usually bedbugs do not disdain the whole family, but here the reaction of the human body plays a decisive role - some do not feel the consequences at all, there are no traces.
There is another option that suggests why only the child is bitten - he sleeps in another bed. If bed bugs live in it, they may not spread to other surfaces.
But one thing is for sure: damage received by children from insects can be very dangerous, since their immunity has not yet developed and is not able to fight the infection carried by the parasite. The most common consequence is an allergic reaction.
In addition, young children are prone to scratching bite sites, which leads to other side effects.

DATA

But in fact, pests don’t care about age at all. Both children and adults are at risk, but there are differences in the level of tolerability of the consequences.

Does the gender of the victim matter?

Many people notice that if bedbugs bite only one of the people living in the same room, then this is a female individual. This is not at all due to a certain taste of blood or the smell of the girl’s body - the insect is not able to distinguish the gender characteristics of a person. But a man’s skin is most often harder to bite through because of its thickness.

Also, the male sex may not pay attention to damage to the skin from bedbug bites, since they can be almost invisible and not cause any inconvenience. If there are a lot of bloodsuckers in the house, they are able to pierce any skin in order to save their lives, since blood is their only food. But first of all, they will bite sensitive and delicate skin - scientists explain this by the fact that the parasites more easily capture the smell of blood through the thin epidermis.

Another interesting suggestion why bedbugs bite women more is that there is less hair, so it is easier for them to move around the body. By the way, it is worth noting that body odor does not affect the preferences of insects at all. For example, if a man clearly smells of sweat, but has thin skin, he will suffer in the same way as others sleeping in the room.

RESEARCH

Research shows that bedbug bites are not felt by about 65 percent of victims, making the insects difficult to detect.

Do bloodsuckers have preferences?

It is believed that pests bite some and leave others in peace, without causing any inconvenience. But this is not true, all people in the same room will sooner or later be bitten by bedbugs if no measures are taken. Bedbugs feed only on blood, and they can only get it from sleeping people.
But bedbugs also have preferences. First in line are those who do not recognize pajama suits, then those who sleep without a blanket. In these cases, insects do not even need to look for an open area of the body, and it is very easy to attack sleeping ones and feed on blood.
The next victims are children, and the younger they are, the more likely they are to be attacked by bedbugs. This can be explained by thin and delicate skin, which makes it easier for pests to find food.
Next on the list we can note the skin of a woman; although it is less thin, it is not rough, like that of men. It's easier to smell the scent through girls' skin. But men are bitten by bedbugs much less often, which is why it is believed that they only attack children and women.

So, let’s note the categories of the population that are most susceptible to bites:

Those who like to sleep without pajamas;
Those who sleep without a blanket;
Children;
Women.

Does blood type play a role?

Some people believe that bedbugs choose victims with the first and second blood groups, and this is a mistake. There is not a single scientific confirmation of this fact. According to surveys conducted, it can be concluded that pests bite everyone to the same extent and with the same intensity. And there are generally fewer people who have blood types 3 and 4 than others, because of this it seems that they prefer 1 and 2.

DATA

Bedbugs prefer blood, but its type is not important. Some people are firmly accessible, others less so.

An interesting fact is that some studies have shown results confirming insect intolerance to alcohol. For example, females who feast on drunken people refuse to lay eggs in the future, so bloodsuckers refuse such treats.

Insects can detect the presence of alcohol in the blood by smell, since it is released in small quantities through the skin. But if bedbugs have no other sources of food, then they are content with what they have.

What blood type do they like?

Many people are interested in what blood type bedbugs prefer. There are opinions that parasites have absolutely no mercy for some people, but do not even touch others.

Bedbugs bite not because of a particular blood type, but because of the thickness of the skin, hair growth, and other factors.

The bloodsucker is not able to determine other parameters due to its physiological characteristics. Therefore, representatives of each group are exposed to bites, regardless of the Rh factor.

Each person has a certain sensitivity of the body to insect bites, so not everyone will be able to understand in the morning that they were attacked by a clan of bedbugs. Most often, pests drink the blood of children and women, since they have thin skin and less hair on their bodies. But it is also worth noting that parasites prefer carbon dioxide exhaled by humans, the volume of which is greater in massive men. Therefore, we can conclude: there are no restrictions regarding age, gender, blood type.

Who doesn't get bitten by bedbugs?

It turns out that everyone is at risk of bedbug bites. But there are some precautions you can take to protect yourself from these pests.

It is worth taking into account the fact that bedbugs are not able to focus on the smell of blood. They are attracted by the evaporation of carbon dioxide. Also, the pest does not determine the thickness of the skin before it tries to bite it.

The location of the beds does not matter either. These pests live under mattresses, in upholstery, and pillows. Because of this, while the victim is sleeping, they easily get to it, choosing the one that is closer.

What blood type do bedbugs bite and can they only bite one person in a family?

Many of those who are faced with the problem of bedbugs in their apartments think that they do not bite all the people in the room, but only some. However, it is not. If you get the impression that someone in the family has been bitten by bedbugs, but someone else has not, this is explained by the fact that some people have traces of insect bites on their bodies, while others do not. At the same time, we can say with confidence that bedbugs attacked everyone with the same frequency.

There are quite a lot of misconceptions among people regarding the behavior of bedbugs and their, so to speak, tastes. We regularly receive questions, formulated differently, but almost identical in meaning. For example, people ask:

“Why don’t bedbugs attack all family members?” Accordingly, a person believes that insects touch only a select few, and wants to know the reason for their choice;
“Why do bedbugs not bite all people indoors?” On this question it is also clear that the selectivity of insects is an indisputable fact for the questioner;
“Does it happen that bedbugs only bite one person in the house?” Apparently someone was clearly tormented by bedbugs, but his roommates were not bothered at all.

But there are also questions that are clearly not related to the selectivity of bedbugs, but imply the same thing. For example:

“What blood group do bedbugs attack people?” It is assumed that they can choose their victims and somehow determine their blood type;
“Why do only women and children suffer from bedbug bites?” The author believes that men are luckier and are not affected by parasites.

Although the questions are slightly different, the essence is the same. Many people believe that bedbugs can know who they can bite and who they shouldn’t bite, and they actually choose one victim. At the same time, everyone wants to find out by what criteria insects identify victims. Some people assume that it is based on blood type, others believe that it is based on gender and age, and others think that the deciding factor for them is smell. There are quite a lot of assumptions. Let's figure out how things really are.

Ideal victim: who do bloodsuckers prefer?

The ideal source for feeding bedbugs will be the person who is located next to the shelter. They will not go looking for another victim in another room as long as there is food nearby.

If the baby's crib is moved closer to the parents' sleeping place, then the bedbugs will prefer it, since the more delicate skin of the child allows them to easily obtain blood, which is especially important for the larvae, since their proboscis has not yet acquired proper elasticity.

Sometimes, out of a married couple sleeping in the same bed, bedbugs bite only one person. Most often, it is the wife who discovers in the morning that she has multiple wounds from insect bites. But if a woman uses body creams or perfumes that have a pronounced aroma before bed, then the man will become a victim of parasites. The smell will repel insects and make them focus on the other person.

The amount of clothing the person is wearing and his habit of wrapping himself in a blanket also matter. Parasites cannot bite through fabric, so the choice will fall on an undressed victim sleeping nearby. Or only exposed areas of skin will be bitten - the face, neck, maybe arms and shoulders.

Features of choosing a victim

As mentioned above, bedbugs do not bite just one person.

However, it is possible to highlight a number of aspects according to which insects choose the most suitable victim for themselves.:

Bedbugs do not bite people who have bad habits or do so extremely rarely. Alcohol consumption and smoking can be considered as effective methods of scaring away bloodsuckers.
Bedbugs cannot tolerate strong odors. Using perfumes, deodorants and other personal care products that have a strong odor will help prevent parasite bites.
Insects readily attack people who lead a healthy lifestyle and eat high-quality products of natural origin. For this reason, bedbugs often bite children.

The above rules can only work if the number of bedbugs in the apartment is small. In large numbers, insects attack all family members without exception.

Bedbugs as carriers of diseases

Vampire insects are frequent carriers of dangerous infections. By sucking the blood of a sick person, and then injecting poisonous saliva when biting a healthy one, the bug can theoretically reward its victim with hepatitis, syphilis and even AIDS. In practice, such cases have not been recorded. Therefore, it is still recommended to carry out treatment against bedbugs and disinsection against ants in the apartment.

There are a number of diseases that scientists have discovered in the bodies of bed bugs during research. This:

typhus;

plague;

Hepatitis B;

tuberculosis;

yellow fever;

syphilis;

human immunodeficiency virus and others.

Despite such a scary list, the risk of hematogenous transmission of the disease is unlikely. Once viruses enter the body of an insect, they do not multiply within it, but accumulate in the digestive tract. This is where the danger arises: pathogenic virions are released into the environment with the excrement of the parasite. Infected feces are quite capable of entering the human body through dirty hands or inhalation of dust in an infected room. However, doctors do not provide reliable data on people who fell ill in this way.

Why do bedbugs bite children more often?

Despite the fact that bedbugs bite everyone and not selectively, children are more susceptible to attack by parasites. This is due to thin skin, the absence of sharp specific odors of hygiene products, and increased blood flow.

In addition, babies often throw off the blanket in their sleep, which provides parasites with unhindered access to the skin.

All statements given above are not based on scientifically proven facts . Arthropods attack all people, focusing on the carbon dioxide released by humans during sleep.

Myths about the selectivity of bloodsuckers are a consequence of the fact that some people have less sensitive skin on which bite marks do not remain. As for children, traces of parasite attacks on children's skin are characterized by severe symptoms.

Do bedbugs bite animals?

Regular bed bugs do not bite everyone. In particular, insects rarely attack domestic animals.

This is due to a number of the following factors:

The dense fur of dogs and cats creates a natural barrier for insects to prevent attack.
The use of various insecticidal products, for example, collars, flea sprays, also repels bedbugs.
Parasites are attracted to the specific smell of carbon dioxide emanating from a sleeping person. Animals have completely different odors, which reduces the likelihood of parasites attacking them to a minimum.
Animals have dense skin, which, due to the specific structure of the proboscis, parasites cannot bite through.

Arthropods can starve for long periods of time. An adult lives without food for more than ten days.

If during this period of time there are no food sources other than animals available to the insect, it may attack a domestic cat or dog. However, the likelihood of such an attempt being successful is extremely low.

How bed bugs choose their victims

The jaw structure of insects is complex, which makes it possible to mask the bite and drink blood. Thus, one part of the bedbug’s mouthparts is designed to pierce the outer integument, the other is responsible for introducing saliva into the skin structure, containing substances that are similar in properties to an anesthetic.

The insect's mouthparts are not strong enough, so the parasite cannot pierce the inelastic, rough skin. A bedbug cannot bite through dense, hard and thick skin.

To make its task easier, the pest chooses people with softer outer coverings. In addition, the location of the capillaries is important. The closer they are to the surface, the higher the likelihood that insects will attack such a person. If one of the family members wonders why parasites bite me and not others, you need to take into account that insects are attracted by carbon dioxide, which is released during breathing, and the smell of blood.

Definition of a victim

There are a number of criteria that play a role in the parasite’s choice of victim:

proximity of the capillaries to the outer integument;
degree of elasticity and softness of the skin;
presence of body hair;
clothing that a person wears.

First of all, insects will bite people with soft skin, if the capillaries are close to the outer skin, there is little hair on the body, and the person does not wear closed clothing while sleeping. Moreover, the parasite cannot know in advance who to attack.

Interesting: When only 1 person lives in a house, even if he has hard skin and deep capillaries, insects will attack him, which is due to severe hunger.

Lifestyle of bedbugs

When pests enter a house, they do not bite a person immediately, because after saturation, they can go without food for 10 days. The female reproduces quickly and immediately lays eggs. To do this, she chooses a secluded place.

A bedbug larva bites much more painfully than an adult insect.

Pests emerge from an impenetrable shell. On one side of the egg there is a kind of cap. The larvae are similar in many ways to the adults. However, they bite more painfully. This is due to the inability to inject an anesthetic. As a result, the larvae often die; if a person immediately feels a bite, it can kill the parasite. After several molts, the young individual turns into a sexually mature pest. She begins laying eggs immediately.

Lifestyle and habits of bed bugs

Habitat of bedbugs

Bedbugs are nocturnal and you won’t find them in open spaces during the day. They hide in furniture, sofas, beds, closets, things, in any place where they will not be found. Although if the house bug is hungry, instinct may allow it to attack during the day. These parasitic insects do not have a specific habitat, no nest, although they usually accumulate closer to human warmth and the presence of their food - human blood. You can tell that there is a bedbug nest nearby by the small black dots; these are bedbug feces; there you will also find the larvae of the embryos of a new batch of individuals. Most often they can be found in upholstered furniture.

Bedbugs are equally comfortable both in an “old hut” that has not been renovated for a very long time, or in a new building with fresh renovations.

House bugs usually attack from three in the morning to six in the morning, at a time when a person is fast asleep. During an attack, a bug cannot be felt or noticed; it injects a special substance with saliva that prevents the blood from clotting and preventing a person from feeling its presence.

Bedbugs feed only on blood. On average, the lifespan of these insects is one year; if the bug does not receive blood, it hibernates and can survive without food in cold temperatures for about 12 months, after which it is again ready for “fight.”

Bed bugs are quite fast ; an adult can cover a meter of its path in one minute.

Bed bug sizes

These insects, if the conditions are considered unfavorable, or they simply begin to be poisoned, immediately move through the ventilation, floors, risers to the next residents. That’s why it’s so important to kill bedbugs together with your neighbors.

Bedbugs drink human blood (they especially love the blood of children) at all stages of their development; if there is no human blood, then they drink the blood of domestic animals.

Low temperatures will not exterminate them, as there is an opinion that “freezing out” the apartment will allow you to get rid of these “rooted” ones. Nothing like that, as soon as the temperature becomes comfortable they will begin to attack again.

Bedbugs have a well-developed sense of smell, which allows them to easily identify a person’s everyday clothing, preferably synthetic, and hide in it, either to rest or to move to other people.

What causes selectivity?

The main reason that motivates parasites to selectively attack people is their need for blood saturation. To ensure this opportunity, bed bugs choose a victim of a certain category. As a result, the parasite gains unlimited access to the food source.

Who is at risk?

If there are several people in the room at once, insects will be attracted to those with thinner skin. However, there are pitfalls.

So, if this person wears closed clothes at night, it is not possible for bedbugs to reach sensitive areas of the skin. They may become interested in other people sleeping nearby.

Does the gender of the victim matter?

For a bug, the gender or nationality of a person does not matter; absolutely everyone is equal before him.

Insects attack men and women equally often. Gender does not play a role in choosing a victim. However, men have rough skin in most cases. This is the main factor that influences the preferences of bedbugs. If a man's skin is soft and the blood vessels are located close to the surface of the skin, insects will attack him no less often than a woman.

Age does not matter

Passport data is really unimportant for bedbugs. Insects can bite children and adults. They are less likely to attack people of retirement age. However, this is due not so much to the natural aging of the body as to the changes that occur to the skin: it becomes rough and loses elasticity. As a result, it is difficult for bed bugs to reach the capillaries.

Does blood type play a role?

For parasites, the most important thing is the presence of a food source; its composition is a secondary factor. Insects are attracted to the smell of blood, as well as carbon dioxide. Blood type does not affect the choice of parasite. Bed bugs are not as selective in their choice of victims as they might seem.

Bed bugs are attracted to the smell of blood, not the group.

What do bedbugs eat in an apartment?

The most important questions that often worry people are whether bedbugs are dangerous to health or cause damage to property. Among all representatives of bedbugs, bedbugs, housebugs, and furniture bugs are dangerous to human health. Parasites feed on blood. Their presence significantly spoils a person’s life and makes it impossible for them to stay in the house. Bedbugs do not spread dangerous diseases, but for people prone to allergies, they cause serious health problems. A severe allergic reaction leads to angioedema, even death.

All other representatives of bedbugs settle outside a person’s home. They can only harm plants with their presence. A person fights with them if necessary. Single specimens on the site do more good than harm. For example, some bedbugs destroy pests such as the Colorado potato beetle. Pointless fight against bedbugs will lead to an increase in the number of more dangerous plant pests.

There is nothing attractive about an apartment for bedbugs. The insects either escape or die of starvation. If a representative of bedbugs appears in the room, you just need to throw it outside. Even if the insect bites, there will be no serious consequences. After a couple of days, the spot will disappear without leaving a trace.

In addition to blood, bedbugs feed on the juices of plants, animals, and other insects. Their dietary habits bring both harm and benefit. Only bed bugs are a dangerous enemy of humanity. The fight against them has been going on since time immemorial and continues to this day. All other representatives of bedbugs regulate the number of other insects, which with their presence cause even more harm than bedbugs.

Is it better to sleep dressed?

Bed bugs, of course, prefer to bite an exposed person, since it is difficult for them to get under pajama clothes or a blanket, attacking an open area of the body.

Because of this, children are most susceptible to attacks, since they sleep chaotically and constantly throw off the blanket and do not like to wear pajamas.

IMPORTANT! About 70 percent of people do not feel the consequences of bites.

Bedbugs initially live in mattresses and beds, but only until their population grows to enormous sizes - in which case it is difficult not to notice them. But in this case it is quite difficult to remove them and you will need to order the services of exterminators.

How to get rid of bedbugs

Complete control of insects is a difficult task. You can try traditional methods if there is a slight infestation of bedbugs.

If the infestation is large-scale, it is better to contact the sanitary-epidemiological station (SES) or commercial pest control companies. Only in this case is successful disinfestation of the premises guaranteed.

What to do if you do get bitten?

If you have become a victim of a bedbug attack, then first of all you need to lie in a warm bath, then you should treat the bitten skin with alcohol or a decoction of herbs. You can also find many special ointments and lotions in pharmacies. If you are allergic to insect saliva, you will have to buy antihistamines.

IMPORTANT!

If bite wounds become inflamed or pus appears, you should immediately visit a doctor, since most likely an infection has occurred.

What does a bug bite look like?

If there are parasites in the house, bite marks cannot be ignored. Waking up in the morning, you can see red spots and numerous spots on the body, which over time become inflamed and begin to itch very much. Typically marks can be seen on the back, shoulders and neck. After some time, the redness goes away and the itching stops, but there are cases of individual intolerance and allergies.

There are a number of signs by which bedbug bites are identified:

The consequences of bites are accompanied by a slight swelling with redness of the skin around and a protruding central part.
If you carefully examine the center of the puncture, you can see a small hole that the bug made with its proboscis.
Bed bugs rarely bite once. After the attack, a trail remains in the form of tracks at intervals of two to four centimeters. Tracks can start with single points and end with dozens.
After the bug leaves the bite site, blood continues to seep from under the skin for some time, so small bloody spots remain on the bed linen.
While sucking blood, the insect injects a specific substance under the human skin, which muffles pain and only after a while the wounds swell and begin to itch.
Bedbugs come out to hunt only at night; during the daytime they scatter in different corners. Only irresistible hunger can force them to leave the shelter during the day.
There is a strong burning sensation and a feeling of mild pain at the bite sites. These areas of the body become very itchy and begin to peel off.

The body's reaction depends entirely on the puncture site and the thickness of the skin. The skin on the neck and face is delicate; in these places, bites manifest themselves as more severe redness and swelling and serious pain. An allergic reaction of the body is possible, in which case you need to take an antihistamine.

Differences between bedbug bites and bites of other parasites

Each blood-sucking species has its own specific “style” of bite, traces of which remain on human skin. The methods of sucking blood by bedbugs differ from the bites of other insects.

Mosquitoes

When a person wakes up in the morning and sees inflamed spots on the body, there are assumptions that these are mosquito marks. At first glance, the bite left by a bug resembles a mosquito bite. But subsequently, the number of lesions on the skin, the smooth inflamed path and the bitten places inaccessible to the mosquito, are puzzling, because they were covered with a blanket all night.

The mosquito is not able to get under the blanket and night clothes. In addition, during the cold season there are no mosquitoes.

Fleas

Skin lesions left by fleas can actually be mistaken for a bedbug attack. But there are certain places on the human body that fleas bite most often - armpits, popliteal cavities, waist. These preferences differ from bedbugs. Visually, the mark of a bug bite is difficult to distinguish from a flea bite.

Midges

Midges operate in the summer and bite mainly on the street. The midge attacks open areas of the body, flies into the hair and bites into the scalp. Unlike midges, bedbugs do not bite a person's face. And the moment of a midge bite itself is much more painful, since it does not contain an anesthetic secretion.

How dangerous are bedbug bites?

Bedbugs are blood-sucking parasites, and this is their main danger. The moment of the bite itself is painless and unnoticeable for a person, but after a while an unbearable itching occurs at this place, which is the main cause of all troubles. The fact is that during the “dinner” the bug injects its saliva into the puncture, which prevents blood from clotting. Bedbug venom in the wound causes a painful “itch”, which forces the bitten person to pay attention to the traces of the night meal. Single bites can easily be confused with mosquito bites, but when there are many of them, the difference becomes more obvious. Important! Skin damage from bedbugs takes longer to heal and more often leads to allergic reactions. People with hypersensitivity may develop signs of allergic intoxication: fever, headache, nausea, swollen lymph nodes. The natural desire to scratch an itchy rash often ends in wound infection. By scratching the bites, you introduce germs into them. The natural result is inflammation of the skin, including purulent inflammation, which requires serious treatment with the use of antibacterial drugs.

How to treat bedbug bites?

Most often, the marks go away on their own and do not require treatment, but if the itching is unbearable, you can use the following remedies:

Toilet or tar soap is brought to a foamy state, lubricated inflamed areas and wait for drying. When the inflamed areas stop itching, wash it off.
Baby cream is rubbed into popped blisters and reduces the desire to scratch the damaged parts of the skin.
Essential oils and Golden Star balm are great for relieving itching.

There are times when it is necessary to treat abscessing wounds. The problem arises from the fact that many scratching the affected areas cause infection. Mild inflammation can be treated at home. When abscesses are alarming, it is better to consult a specialist.

How long does it take for bedbug bites to go away?

After what period of time the damaged areas of the body calm down depends on the body’s susceptibility.

In most cases, bites go away within a few hours.
If the body's immunity is weakened, the damage disappears within 24 hours.
In rare cases, the resulting allergic reaction can delay wound healing and reduce itching for up to a week.

Why do bed bug bites itch?

Itchy red blisters are caused by a bedbug bite, which during the process uses a special proboscis, divided into two tubules. One releases an anesthetic, the second punctures the tissue and sucks out blood. The human immune system fights the damage, causing the skin to become inflamed and itchy.

Sometimes there may be an allergy to bedbug bites, namely to the anesthetic that he injects under the skin.

What to do to prevent bedbugs from biting

A few words about what can be done to prevent bedbugs from biting at night if the removal of parasites in an apartment drags on for days, weeks or even months. In some non-scientific sources, there are recommendations on what you can smear or treat your body with to prevent bedbugs from biting you.

It should be warned that the effectiveness of such advice on the use of ointments, creams or similar products to repel bedbugs has not been reliably confirmed. Although some people are convinced that it helped them, and they willingly share their experience. Here are a couple of examples of recommended essential oils for bedbugs.

What to put on to prevent bedbugs from biting

Neem (or Indian Azadirachta) tree oil. One author recommends that after a shower, apply 5-6 drops of this essential oil to your palms and massage into your skin. Treat all parts of the body in this way, and for an additional effect, you can anoint the frame and legs of the bed with oil.
The smell and taste of lavender oil is believed to repel bedbugs. A few drops are applied to the skin and to the bed frame. The aroma of this oil is persistent, and if it doesn’t protect you from bedbugs, at least your bedroom will smell pleasantly like flowers.
Similar properties are attributed to tea tree oil. It is also recommended to smear the body and bed, and also dissolve a couple of drops in warm water and spray the area around the bed with this solution from a spray bottle.

Do repellents work against bedbugs - the opinion of scientists

Scientists involved in the problem of bed bugs claim that repellents that repel mosquitoes, fleas or ticks do not work against bed bugs. Here's what Dini M. Miller, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Entomology at Virginia Tech in the area of urban pest management, has to say:

“Bed bugs do not seem to respond to any insecticide repellents. These results were confirmed in the earlier scientific literature on bed bugs (Usinger 1966), which stated that many repellents were applied to bed frames to prevent the insects from crawling in, but none were effective. Since we have not tested repellents on skin, we cannot say with certainty whether a bug will bite a person treated with repellent. But we found that bedbugs are very persistent little creatures, and I think it is extremely difficult to stop a hungry bedbug using such means.”

This is confirmed by scientists from the University of Kentucky:

“Insecticides used as skin repellents to repel ticks and mosquitoes (such as OFF) do not work against bed bugs. It is not recommended to use such products at night to protect against bites. Sleeping with the lights on also doesn't deter bed bugs."

How to protect yourself from bites

Practical methods of protection against bed bug bites are based on the fact that, due to the structure of their legs, these insects are not able to climb slippery surfaces. Here's what you can do to prevent bedbugs from biting you at night:

Use a steam cleaner to kill bedbugs and their eggs in the mattress, pillows and bed frame and wash the clothes in hot water. The sleeping area must be 100% free of bedbugs.
Then place bedbug traps under the legs of the bed. At the same time, make sure that the bed does not come into contact with any surfaces other than the legs (moved away from the wall, bedside tables and furniture, bed linen does not hang on the floor).
Cover the mattress in a cover made of thick material with a zipper or a sealed polyethylene bag.

Just remember that such measures will not rid your apartment of bedbugs, but will only temporarily protect you from bites. To eliminate bloodsuckers for good, a carefully thought-out strategy using chemical and physical methods of destruction is required. If you can’t get rid of parasites on your own, seek professional help.

Sources

https://parazitdoma.ru/klopy/pochemu-klopy-kusayut-ne-vseh-lyudey
https://dezincity.ru/klop/o-klopah/pochemu-klopy-kusayut-ne-vseh-lyudej-v-seme-i-mogut-li-oni-kusat-tolko-odnogo-cheloveka-v-dome
https://misterklop.ru/klopy/pochemu-klopy-odnih-kusayut-a-drugih-net-i-kak-izbezhat-posledstvij
https://KlopVred.ru/klopy/pochemu-klopy-kusayut-ne-vseh/
https://TaraKlop.ru/klopy/kak-kusayut-postelnye-klopy/
https://geradez.ru/kak-kusayut-klopy-cheloveka-ru

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