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Bed Bugs also known as Cimex lectularius L. are usually most active at night and they feed on the blood of mammals. They are called bed bugs because they usually stay around the areas where people sleep. During the day, they hide under beds, headboards, in walls, floor boards in cracks and crevices near the host. When there is a heavy population of bed bugs there is a “bed bug odor” sort of like coriander with like a sweet and musty smell.
Bed Bugs are oval and flat in shape and around ¼ inch in length. You can see them with a naked eye. They molt 5 times and the nymphs look just like the adults, but smaller. Nymphs need to have a blood meal for them to molt to the next stage. Female bed bugs can produce around 350 eggs during their lifespan.
Bed bugs reproduce through a process called traumatic insemination which the male pierces the female’s abdomen and injects his sperm through the wound. Due to the pain the female experiences they usually move further away from the males. That is why bed bugs tend to spread fairly quickly because the female bed bugs will hitchhike to new hosts or belongings.
Bed Bugs often invade a home via secondhand items such as furniture. They spread through boxes, baggage, furniture, and fabric, including clothing worn by people coming from infested sites. They prefer wood and paper, but can roost in stone, metal, or plaster as well.
Even though bed bugs can acquire many human diseases during feeding, there have been no documented cases of diseases transmitted by their bites. They can leave bites that itch and irritate the skin and the bites may last a week or more. In a light infestation occasional bites may occur, but once the population is heavy, many bites will be seen.
It is not advisable for homeowner to treat bed bugs themselves. Using over the counter foggers and sprays may spread out the bed bugs which will make it more difficult control. If you notice signs of a bed bug infestation in your home in Los Angeles, contact Jacob Termite & Pest Control today.