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Bed Bugs Bite Back

Understanding the resurgence of Bed Bugs: Biology, Control Strategies, and Future Outlook  

Britain is seeing a sharp increase in bed bugs in both domestic and commercial premises, with Rentokil reporting a 65% rise in infestations year on year. So now, more than ever, it is essential to take action by understanding the causes of infestations, how to recognise the first signs that the blood-sucking pests are present, and the actions that need to be taken once bed bugs have moved in.

What are Bed Bugs?

Bed bugs- Cimex lectularius (Common Bed Bug) and Cimex hemipterus (Tropical Bed Bug) – are small, flat oval insects around 5mm in length (about the size of an apple pip). They feed exclusively on the blood of humans and other warm-blooded animals and birds and have been around for thousands of years.

Bed bugs are resilient pests. They are nocturnal, hide in tiny crevices and can go for up to a year without feeding. Both male and female bed bugs will feed on humans, but females need to feed far more frequently as blood is needed to develop their eggs. Bed bugs are prolific breeders, with a single female laying between 200-500 eggs over a two-month period. Eggs can hatch in as little as a week, with nymphs developing into fully mature adults within 3-12 months depending on conditions.

As enthusiastic travellers, bed bugs have been shown to explore over 100 feet in a night, but will usually choose to live within 8-10 feet of their food source in beds, bedding, mattresses, furniture, cracks in skirting boards, behind wall paper and even in electrical appliances where they are attracted by the warmth.

As bed bugs are attracted to any warm-blooded host, household pets and birds can also serve as useful vehicles helping bed bugs travel to new locations.

 

Bed Bugs on the Increase

The frequency of bed bugs is now so great that many experts agree that the problem has reached epidemic proportions. While they have been around for millennia, bed bugs were almost eradicated post war following the use of now-prohibited pesticides. Today, it is thought that the cost-of-living crisis, the resurgence of international travel, climate change and even the Covid pandemic itself, have all contributed to the rapid increase in problematic infestations.

Throughout Covid bed bug spread became linked to public transport. With bugs living in the seats of trains and buses, commuters were picking them up and carrying them to their homes and their places of work. It is also thought that resilient bed bugs survived dormant for months in locked-down hotels during the pandemic.

As international travel increased post pandemic, unsuspecting holiday makers brought bed bugs home on their clothes and in luggage, quickly spreading infestations from holiday accommodation to domestic premises and vice versa.

With the cost-of-living crisis straining household spending power, the trend to buy and sell second hand furniture has increased. This is great news for bed bugs who will happily hitch-hike to new locations in the tiniest cracks and crevices of furniture purchased from infested homes.

As with many other insect pests, global warming provides even more favourable living conditions for bed bugs. With warmer temperatures increasing reproduction rates and speeding up the life cycle of bed bugs – the problem of bed bugs may be here to stay.

 

Where Are Bed Bugs Found?

Bed bugs are typically found where people spend most time resting – beds, sofas, seating, wheelchairs – especially in areas that are less frequently disrupted like mattress seams, creases under sofa cushions and screw holes in furniture. In addition to our homes, bed bugs are also problem pests in public and commercial spaces and have become huge and expensive problems for the hospitality sector, public transport and community buildings.

Three things help bed bugs zoom in on their next meal:  Carbon Dioxide which we exhale while we sleep; body odour, the chemicals emitted from human skin; and body heat, which attracts bed bugs closer to the host.

Signs of bed bugs include faecal spotting near their preferred hiding spots which can look like black dots made with a fine pen; fine spots of blood on sheets indicating that bed bugs have fed there; or finding bugs themselves, especially if a thorough inspection of the whole room and all potential harbourage sites is carried out using a torch.

 

Are Bed Bugs Harmful to Humans?

Bed bugs typically bite at night when the host is still. While the biting action is painless the resulting red, swollen lumps that remain can be itchy and painful. Bites often occur in rows and clusters on exposed skin surfaces like the upper torso, arms and neck.

Bed bug bites are usually harmless and can be treated like any other insect bite. The NHS says in rare cases bed bug bites can be the source of a severe allergic reaction. While the bites themselves aren’t thought to transmit harmful disease, they cause emotional distress with hosts often losing sleep, which leads to issues like lack of concentration, irritability and anxiety over time.

In addition to treating the bites, hosts must take prompt action to control bed bugs at the first sign of their presence. The NHS says it is difficult to get rid of bed bugs as they are hard to find and have developed resistance to some insecticides; they recommend contacting the local council or professional pest control service.

 

Getting Rid of Bed Bugs

It is unlikely that hygiene and cleaning will be sufficient to get rid of bed bugs and action will be needed from a pest control professional to ensure eradication.

The British Pest Control Association (BPCA) says ‘the standard treatment for any infested premises is the application of a residual insecticide,’ with an insect growth regulator (IGR) often used alongside to prevent completion of the bed bug lifecycle at every stage from egg to adult.

In all cases prompt action is crucial and attempts should be made to determine the source of the infestation and whether it is established or a new infestation that remains localised.

Ongoing monitoring will help gauge the effectiveness of treatment. Monitoring devices will show if the population of bed bugs is decreasing until the population is eliminated. In addition to visual inspection methods, some professionals are now using specially trained dogs to sniff out bed bugs.

Envu provides detailed information and advice on controlling bed bugs and effective products to treat infestations available to the pest control sector, including K-Othrine® Partix™ and AquaPy.

 

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