When I think of vampires my first thoughts run to Sesame Street and the harmless Count Dracula.
I’m not much of a horror film fan but in 2016 we do have vampires living among us. They are in our beds!
These vampires have six legs each, a broad oval shaped body, they are wingless (and cape less), and have a three-segmented beak on the underside of their head that they use to pierce the host’s skin to suck their blood.
It’s not quite the glamorous scene as depicted on the big screen with the pearly white fangs piercing the softly tanned neck of an attractive actress, right?
These vampires of course are bed bugs. The adults are various shades of brown depending on when they ate their last meal. The nymphs are white when they crawl out of their white eggs and turn a crimson red when they have their first blood meal.
Bed bugs are not invisible and can be seen by the naked eye in all five nymphal stages. However, the just hatched instar on a white sheet or mattress can be very difficult to spot. All nymphs (baby bed bugs) are just smaller versions of the adults.
The good news is that bed bugs do not turn into bats so they cannot fly. They can’t even jump! They crawl and they climb.
Bed bugs can move surprisingly fast: the babies (nymphs) up to 11 inches per minute and adults over four feet per minute.
With a name like bed bug where do you think the creature likes to live?
Pretty obvious. However, any place where you sit a lot or fall asleep is likely where bed bugs will be found. That favorite recliner or the couch that is so comfortable is a likely spot for the little blood thieves to reside.
They are mainly nocturnal but will adjust their life schedule around the host. That means you third shifters can be food, too.
Unlike vampires, bed bugs do have a reflection and if you are bitten by a bed bug you will not turn into one. A bed bug bite on most people will itch and become red and welt like. Some people have no reaction to a bed-bug bite and the process of being bitten is painless.
So, once discovered how do we get these little vampires out of our beds and homes? Tiny wooden stakes, garlic and lots of sunlight is not the answer.
Here is a quick list of what you should and shouldn’t do:
1. Mechanical removal. Use your vacuum and be sure to throw away the bag immediately. Place bag into a trash bag, tie it tight and place outside in dumpster.
2. Eliminate clutter. Clutter gives bed bugs more places to hide.
3. Do not store things under the bed.
4. Inspect and launder bed linens often.
5. Do not throw away infested items. The removal process scatters
6. Do not change where you sleep. They will find you and the problem
7. Call a professional pest control company.
