Bed Bug Life Cycle
Bed Bug Life Cycle
Bed Bug Life Cycle – Makes An Interesting Study
Sometimes, it is not possible to estimate the kind of damage tiny sized insects or parasites can cause. Many of us tend to underestimate the capability of these insects and think that only bigger sized pests are to be kept out and eliminated. So while we are all aware of mosquitoes, cockroaches, lizards and scorpions and do everything possible to ensure they do not enter our house, we tend to relax when it comes to termites, bed bugs and so on. Perhaps the fact that these cannot be quickly seen by the naked eye could be the reason for this neglect. But when you look at the bed bug life cycle images or the dust mite life cycle, you will notice that these insects too follow a rather complex pattern of growth and therefore should not be taken lightly at all.
It is interesting to note that bed bug identification was something that was quite difficult for people at the turn of this decade. Till then, these insects were virtually unheard of, having been almost exterminated since the 1950s. When people got bit by bed bugs, they did not even know or were not aware that they were victims of bed bug infestation. They got themselves treated for mosquito bites, allergy and so on. Even skin doctors were not quick enough to spot these bites and treat accordingly. After all, bed bugs were something people had forgotten about. Moreover, they were always associated with dirt, grime, bad sanitation and these conditions had been well addressed in developed countries.
Countries like the US and many within Europe have some of the best sanitation and cleanliness standards being maintained for many years now and therefore the possibility of insects like bed bugs making reappearance was not factored in at all. It was only after some research and study that people understood the reason for their comeback. Tourism and the fact that DDT was no longer being used for more than a decade were identified as the main reasons for bed bugs being able to make a comeback into countries like the US.
Bed bugs are extremely adaptive to changing conditions. They could thus quickly reestablish themselves back in a country from where they had almost got eliminated. Local people and tourists visiting US from various parts of the world carried these bed bugs with them along with their baggage when they either stayed at hotels or mingled with population already infected with bed bugs. You must remember that the actual size of bed bugs is quite tiny and that makes it easy for these pests to attach themselves to the clothing, baggage, and other personal effects of individuals. It was thus easy for them to move from individual to individual and make an entry into houses once again.
Let us now look at the bed bug life cycle in detail
Bed bugs normally feed or suck blood of humans and mammals. They need this nourishment to grow and breed. They do not need any other solid food to survive. Their life cycle has seven stages.
The first stage begins with the egg laid by the mother bed bug. Bed bugs once they enter the house immediately move to the dark nooks and corners they can find within wood furniture, soft furnishings and so on. Their flat, oval bodies make it easier for them to snuggle into such tiny crevices and once they are able to find such places, they remain there during the day time and only venture out at night or at dawn. Initially, these bed bugs have to start feeding off the host and they do so by sucking the blood of the host.
By doing this activity late night or early morning, they succeed in getting their dose of human blood every night and this helps them to breed. They are also helped by the fact that their saliva contains a chemical that induces drowsiness in the host. This makes it easier for them to keep feeding without any interruption and the host does not even notice that he has been a generous host to bed bugs night after night. The bites are in the form of tiny clusters.
It is only when these bites turn into small blisters that begin to itch uncontrollably that the host suspects something is wrong and initiates treatment. That is also the time he or she realizes that the house has been infected with bed bugs and they have to do something quickly to get rid of these pests. By then however, it often becomes too late as the bed bugs would have started breeding and their numbers would have already registered an increase. Fortunately, bed bugs cannot fly and therefore are incapable of causing any infectious diseases. Apart from skin irritation and itching, they do not cause any other harm. But if left untreated, these skin irritations can develop into blisters and leave behind ugly marks that can be a source of embarrassment since they tend to occur on the exposed areas of the skin such as the face, arms, neck and so on.
That brings us to the second stage of the life cycle. Once the eggs have been laid by healthy mother bed bugs, the babies are born after 12 days as larvae. These larvae quickly get to work by sucking human blood. They do this night after night and also keep molting their skin. The larvae are only about 1.5 millimeters in length at this stage. The third stage is also called the second larval stage where the process of sucking, molting and hibernating between feedings gains momentum. This continues unabatedly over the fourth, fifth and sixth life cycle stages as well. They are able to do this successfully because the hosts in most cases are still not aware that they are being bitten night after night.
The seventh stage is when the metamorphosis to a complete and mature bed bug gets completed and from here on, this mature bed bug takes only about six months to be able to breed on its own. The larval life cycle stages get completed between 30-45 days. Each mature female bed bug can lay between 250-450s eggs and that is a huge number which rapidly multiplies further with each passing day. So the longer you delay the extermination of bed bugs from your house, the more difficult you are making it for yourself.
Prevention and getting rid of bed bugs
The only way you can prevent or eliminate bed bugs is by doing the following. First of all, get rid of any clutter within the house and ensure you plug all holes or crevices in wood furniture. Steam clean or vacuum soft furnishings like curtains, upholstery thoroughly. Wash bed linen, covers with hot water on a regular basis. Expose bed mattresses to the sun as bed bugs cannot withstand heat.
The other precaution you need to follow is to ensure that you sanitize all your personal belongings when you come back from a trip outside your city. If your house is already infected, you need to make use of the best bed bug sprays and use them liberally. Take care that you are using organic sprays to avoid possible side effects.
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Bed Bug Life Cycle
Bed Bug Life Cycle
Bed Bug Life Cycle
Bed Bug Life Cycle
Bed Bug Life Cycle
Related terms: Bed Bug Treatment, Life of Bed Bugs, Fleas Life Cycle, Bed Bug Breeding Cycle, Wasp Life Cycle, Cockroach Life Cycle, Bed Bug Life Cycle Diagram, Bed Bug Life Cycle Photos
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