These little critters are small, brown, oval shaped insects that live off the blood of either humans or animals. They can grow to be anywhere from 1 to 7-millimeters long. They are flat in shape and look almost like an apple seed.
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WebMD explains that immature bedbugs are called nymphs. Before growing into adult bedbugs they will go through five stages. During each stage they will shed their skin and require a meal before doing so. If their living conditions are favorable, it only takes them about a month to develop from nymphs to adult bedbugs. Once they are adults, they will produce an average of three generations per year. While they aren’t harmful and don’t transmit any diseases, there’s no denying bedbugs are a major nuisance and inconvenience. If you suspect there are bedbugs living in your home, they must be treated immediately.
To get started, here’s an indepth look at how to spot bedbugs and get rid of them quickly…
1. What Causes an Infestation?
The biggest misconception about bedbugs is that they are associated with filth, but there isn’t any scientific evidence to support that. A bedbug infestation can occur in any person’s home, even those that are sparkling clean. They feed off blood, not dirt and grime. So an infestation will occur anywhere there is food, so any place they can feed on blood. This can be any home, apartment, or hotel.
So how do they end up in our living spaces? Well ,thankfully these insects can’t fly. Their only mode of travel is by human or animal. But don’t be fooled by this limitation because they can still spread quite quickly by traveling along floors, walls, and ceilings. Oftentimes bedbugs enter into the home through luggage, clothing, used furniture, or other items. They can go easily undetected as their small, flattened bodies allow them to fit into tiny spaces that are only the width of a credit card. They are even harder to detect because they don’t create nests or anything noticeable like that. They tend to congregate together in groups, usually in small hiding spaces. Their initial hiding spot like usually someplace like a mattress, box spring, bedframe, or headboard.
Once they’ve made it into the home, an infestation can occur if female bedbugs lay eggs. Females can lay hundreds of eggs throughout their life. These eggs are extremely hard to spot as each egg is about the size of a speck of dust.