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Most individuals under seventy years of age in the West will not have encountered bed bugs. This is largely due to improved living conditions, DDT and good public education. The DDT was used in the thirties and forties and eradicated the problem in the more wealthy countries.

Bed bugs are a part of the arachnid or spider family, although bed bugs are parasites that suck blood, not all bodily fluids. They will dine on most warm-blooded animals and there is some evidence that humans are not their first choice of prey.

The most widespread form of bed bugs are known as Cimex lectularius by their Latin name. They are quite small but very fast moving bugs and they are members of the spider family, although many of them do not look like spiders at all. Rather, most of them look like little beetles, until they have gorged themselves, after which they can hardly move and are at their most vulnerable.

Bed bugs feed in a similar way to mosquitoes. They insert a tube into the skin of its victim and suck blood out. It is not much to you, about a quarter of a millilitre, but is a lot to them. It permits them to live and reproduce.

Bed bugs, unlike their relatives the ticks, are not known to convey any diseases. In fact, they are one of the few insects that do not pass on a disease.

A bedbug bite is similar to an ant bite in appearance, but it will itch like a mosquito bite. You will probably experience a slight swelling with a red dot in the centre and an itch. Not much more.

You can check for bed bugs quite easily by soaking a bar of soap in a little water for half an hour while you lie on your bed reading a book. Then get up and fetch the soap, wet-side down and throw back the bed clothes. Pat up the bed bugs, if there are any with the soft soap. This is a speedy method of eliminating a small number of bed bugs, but cannot be seen as a resolution.

With regards to the annihilation of an infestation of bed bugs, it depends where you live. If you are in a hotel, the bar of soap will be proof enough of a problem and it is the hotel manager’s duty to provide a solution. If they do nothing, report the hotel to the neighbourhood tourist bureau.

If you live in rented accommodation, it is your landlord’s responsibility to resolve the problem. If he or she is reluctant, then go to the council hall and seek advice.

If the issue is in your own home, then take the skirting boards and architraves off. Spray or paint very powerful insecticide onto the wall and refix the woodwork. If you are still concerned, seal the woodwork off on all sides with mastic or silicone.

These measures will ensure that your house will be free of bed bugs.

Owen Jones, the writer of this piece writes on quite a few topics, but is currently involved with natural tick repellent. If you would like to know more or check out some great offers, please go to our website at tick Repellent For Dogs.

Most people in the West will never see a bed bug. In a way, they are an old-time household pest. This is because houses are cleaner and mattresses are man-made. Having said that, you may come across them. You might not see them, because they go into hiding during the daytime and only venture out at night. However, the next morning you will know that they have visited because you will have bite marks. Bed bugs suck your blood.

Bed bugs will trek a fair way to get to you and then will go home for a good day’s sleep, although sometimes they cannot get home if they have eaten too much. Bed bugs usually like to live in cracks and holes like behind skirting boards.

One method of testing for bed bugs is to leave a bar of soap in half an inch of water for half an hour while you lay on the bed reading a magazine. Then, get up and fetch the soap, wet side down. Pull the bedclothes back swiftly and if you have bed bugs dab them with the soap. They will be drawn by your body heat, but you will have to be snappy, because they are very fast when they have not eaten. If you are in a hotel, you will now have verification for the hotel manager.

So, if your house has an infestation of bed bugs or if you just want to give it a clean sweep, just to make certain, how do you go about it?.

Perhaps the best place to start is your bed. Is the mattress OK? If it is torn either sew it up good and tight or buy a new one. Change your sheets at least once a week, it is not only more hygienic, but you will also be able to inspect for stragglers that have not made it home.

Next, inspect your skirtings. Are they movable, ill-fitting or even rotten? If so, have them fixed or replaced. While the skirtings are off, drench the brickwork or plaster behind there with a powerful insecticide and then fit the skirtings back tight. If you are still concerned, seal them top and bottom with mastic or silicone.

The next step is to spray your floors and carpets, the whole floor space with permethrin. Permethrin will kill fleas, ticks, woodlice, bed bugs and spiders for up to six months and it will resist washing as well. You should now be free of the little blighters.

If you are in a hotel, bed bugs are unacceptable no matter which country you are in and it is the hotel manager’s responsibility to get rid of them. Otherwise, get a tin of permethrin or some flea powder and spray or dust it along the base of the skirtings. If they are in your mattress, have it swapped for an undamaged one and carry out the soap test once more.

If you are in rented accommodation, ask your neighbours if they have the same issue. Be tactful, some people may be too embarrassed to disclose it. You will have to inform your landlord as it is his responsibility to manage such pests in his buildings. If he or she is reluctant to help, say, in as pleasant a manner as possible, that you cannot live like that and that you will have to seek some suggestions from the council. That should gee your landlord up.

Owen Jones, the writer of this article writes on quite a few topics, but is currently involved with natural mosquito repellant. If you would like to know more or check out some great offers, please go to our website at Mosquito Repellent For Dogs.