![bed bug on palm](https://www.bedbugbarrier.com.au/wp-content/uploads/bed-bug-on-palm.jpg)
What are Bed Bugs?
Adult bed bugs are small, flat, oval-shaped, dark brown insects with 6 legs and two antennae that feed at night. When their eggs hatch, they are see-through, but they turn dark brown after they feed for the first time.
Before they feed, they are flat, but afterwards, they become tubular and redder as they fill with blood. They don’t have wings, so they can’t fly or jump. They can only crawl and sometimes drop from high places.
They like to hide in tiny spaces on your bed, especially in the mattress, but they can also live in other places like carpets and walls. They prefer to bite people at night but can also bite pets.
Bedbugs can live for over a year without blood meals. They need blood to grow to the next stage of their life cycle. Their eggs are tiny and white, about the size of a grain of sand, and baby bedbugs, called nymphs, grow into adults about the size of an apple seed.
Even though they don’t spread disease, having bedbugs around is annoying and can be hard to get rid of.
Picture Gallery
Our picture gallery has images of them from the top, underneath, side, while feeding, squashed, the bed bug life cycle and more.
Click on the image to enlarge.
6 Signs and Symptoms
- Bites: Bites are generally in a straight line, clusters, or a zig-zag pattern. They are red, itchy spots that can be anywhere on your body but they are usually found on arms, legs and shoulders. The bites may be mild or trigger an allergic reaction; if scratched, they can become infected.
- Live or Dead: You may notice them on your sheets, mattress, in cracks or crevices on the bed frame, or other areas around your bed, such as curtains and side tables.
- Blood Spots: On your sheets. This happens when you roll on a fed one in your sleep.
- Fecal Stains: You might find small black ink spots on your skin or bed sheets. This is faecal matter, which is excreted straight after feeding.
- Castings (shells) and Eggs: You may see their shed skins and eggs if you find their nest. To become adults, they shed their exoskeleton five times.
- Smell: There can be a musty, sweet smell. This is caused by a large infestation.
Only 30% of people react to the bites..
![bed bug bites](https://www.bedbugbarrier.com.au/wp-content/uploads/bed-bug-bites-on-leg-large.jpg)
Bedbug Bites in Zig Zag Pattern
How to Treat Bites
3 Home Remedies for Bedbug Bites
- Cold Compresses: You can put a cold cloth on the itchy spots to help them feel better. It can reduce the swelling and stop the itching for a little while.
- Baking Soda Paste: Mix baking soda with water to make a thick paste. Apply it to the bites for about 10 minutes, then wash it off with cool water. It can help the itching go away.
- Essential Oils: Oils like tea tree oil and lavender oil can help stop the itching and prevent the bites from becoming infected. Mix a few drops with water and gently apply them to the bites.
3 Over-the-Counter Remedies
- Antihistamines: These are medicines you can get at the store that help stop itching and swelling.
- Corticosteroid Creams: These creams can make the itchy spots feel better quickly. You can find them at most stores.
- Calamine Lotion: This lotion is great for making itchy skin feel calm. Put it on the bites to help stop the itching and make you feel more comfortable.
3 Prescription Treatments
- Stronger Antihistamines: If the bites make you really itchy and swollen, a doctor might give you a stronger medicine to help.
- Topical Steroids: If regular creams don’t help enough, a doctor might give you a stronger cream to make the swelling go down fast.
- Antibiotics: If you scratch the bites too much and they get infected, you might need medicine from the doctor to make the infection go away. Always ask a doctor before taking these.
How to Treat A Bed Frame
If you think you have bedbugs, don’t panic. Follow these 3 easy steps to get rid of them fast and forever.
DIY Treatment For A Bed Frame
Step 1: Secure the Mattress
Cover your sleeping mattress with a mattress cover. This will trap and kill by starving them.
Step 2: Treat the bed frame
Use a Steamer to steam the entire bed frame to kill them instantly.
Dust the entire bed frame with Diatomaceous Earth (Killer powder) using a powder duster to kill bed bugs.
Step 3: Set Up Barriers or Tape
To protect yourself from bed bugs in the room, use our barriers:
Floor Barriers:
Place bed legs in the Floor Barrier, dusting powder inside the tray and barrier.
Barrier Tape:
For bed legs larger than 65mm, use our barrier tape and dust the powder around the bed leg and floor.
Keep your bed at least 30cm away from walls and other furniture.
How To Treat An Ensemble
Step 1: Secure the Mattress
Cover your sleeping mattress with a mattress cover. This will trap and kill by starving them.
Step 2: Treat the Ensemble Base
Stand the base on its end, remove the wheels, and cover it with an ensemble base cover. Screw the wheels back into the base.
Step 3: Set Up Barriers
To protect yourself from bed bugs in the room, use barriers:
Screw-in Barriers: Attach the Screw in Barriers to the legs of the ensemble beds. Apply bed bug powder inside and outside the barriers and on the wheels.
Floor Barriers: Place bed legs in the Floor Barrier, dusting bed bug powder inside the tray and barrier.
Keep your bed at least 30cm away from walls and other furniture.
Following these steps will ensure they are effectively eliminated from your bed and room, allowing you to sleep peacefully, knowing you’re protected.
How to Prevent Bed Bugs
Here are 7 important tips to keep bedbugs away:
- Check Hotel Mattresses When Travelling: When you stay in a hotel, always look at the mattress and bedding carefully. Look for small blood spots, dark poop stains, and live bugs.
- After Travelling: When you come back home, wash all your clothes in hot water and clean your luggage. If you have things that can’t be washed, put them in a sealed plastic bag and freeze them for four days to kill any bedbugs.
- Avoid Second-Hand Furniture or Mattresses: Don’t bring used furniture or mattresses into your home because they might have bedbugs.
- Diatomaceous Earth (DE): Use DE powder around power points and electrical outlets to stop bedbugs from coming into your home from other places. Always use a pest control company that uses DE.
- Apply Diatomaceous Earth to Your Bed Frame: Sprinkle DE on your bed frame. This is a good way to keep bedbugs away because DE keeps working to kill them unless it gets wiped off.
- Traveling Guests: If you have guests who have recently traveled, they might bring bedbugs with them. Wash their clothes in hot water and clean their luggage.
- New Housemates from Backpacker Hostels: If you have new housemates who stayed in backpacker hostels, they might have bedbugs. Wash their clothes in hot water and use a vacuum cleaner on their luggage to make sure no bedbugs come into your home.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Are they harmful to humans?
Bedbugs are generally considered a nuisance pest rather than a health hazard. While their bites can result in itching and discomfort, they are not known to transmit diseases - How do I identify an infestation?
They are small, reddish-brown insects that are about the size of an apple seed. They can be found in various hiding spots such as mattresses, furniture, and cracks in walls. Look for dark spots (faecal stains) or shed skin as signs of infestation. - What are the common signs of bedbug bites?
Bites often appear as red, itchy welts on the skin. They are typically arranged in a line or cluster and may persist for several days. However, it’s important to note that some individuals may not show any visible reaction to the bites. - How can I prevent an infestation?
To prevent bedbug infestations, it is advisable to regularly inspect your bed. Avoid bringing used furniture or items of unknown origin into your home. When travelling, inspect hotel rooms for signs and keep your luggage elevated off the floor. -
How do I know if I have bedbugs in Australia?To know if you have bedbugs in Australia, look for red, itchy bites, often in a line or cluster, tiny blood stains on sheets and mattresses, and small, light brown exoskeletons. Additionally, you might see live ones, especially in mattress seams, bed frames, or furniture crevices.
Sources:
Department of Health WA (Bedbugs), Oxford Academic (Perspectives on Biology and Management of Bedbugs ), National Library of Medicine (Bedbugs: Clinical Relevance and Control Options )
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