Table of Contents
- Bedbug facts
- What are bedbugs? What do bedbugs look like?
- Where are bedbugs found?
- What about bedbugs in hotels?
- How are bedbugs spread?
- What are the symptoms and signs of bedbug bites?
- What is the treatment for bedbug bites?
- How do I detect a bedbug infestation in my home or in a hotel?
- How do I get rid of bedbugs in the home?
- What about prevention of bedbug bites?
- Bedbugs are small, oval insects that feed by sucking blood from humans or animals. Bedbugs do not fly.
- Bedbugs can live anywhere in the home. They can live in cracks in furniture or in any type of textile, including upholstered furniture. They are most common in beds, including the mattress, box springs, and bed frames.
- Bedbugs are most active at night. They may bite any exposed areas of skin while an individual is sleeping. Common locations for bedbug bites are the face, neck, hands, and arms.
- A bedbug bite is painless and is generally not noticed. The bites may be mistaken for a rash of another cause. Small, flat, or raised bumps on the skin are the most common sign. Symptoms include redness, swelling, and itching.
- Typically, no treatment is required for bedbug bites. If itching is severe, steroid creams or oral antihistamines may be used for symptom relief.
- Fecal stains, egg cases, and shed skins (exuviae) of bedbugs in crevices and cracks on or near beds are suggestive that bedbugs may be present, but only observing the bugs themselves can confirm an active infestation. A professional pest-control company may be required to help identify and remove bedbugs from the home.
1/10Reviewed on 1/30/2015