Bed Bugs....Yes, they are real! They are not just part of a bed time story. Bed bugs were once common but were almost completely wiped out in the 40's and 50's. Now, they have made a strong come back in the United States. Nearly every large city has reported a drastic increase in bed bug cases.
Bed Bug Description
Bed bugs are small flat bugs that look similar to a tick. They feed on the blood of animals. Bed bugs have been around for thousands of years. Just because they are called "bed" bugs does not mean that they only are found in the mattress or box spring. They will inhabit any area that is near to a food source. Unfortunately, that food source is very often US!
When Do They Feed
Bed bugs usually are active whenever it is dark. They like to feed between midnight and 5am when the person is sleeping. They crawl onto the person and then suck blood very much like a mosquito does. It takes about 10 minutes to finish feeding and then they will quietly slip back into hiding without disturbing the donor. Many times, people can go days or weeks without ever seeing a living bug. Some people will react to the bite by developing bumps or a rash while others display no symptoms at all.
Where Do They Come From
Most people wonder from where they got their infestation of bed bugs. The answer is complex. The bugs like to travel so if you have stayed in a hotel, motel, dorm room or even at a friends, you are susceptible to bringing home the bugs in your luggage. If you live in an apartment, the bugs can easily travel between the apartment walls to infest connecting apartments.
