Even the word bedbug is enough to make you itch, and the thought of having them in your home is almost too much to bear. The small, brown and red insects that live on bedding and furniture have a nasty bite, which can become quite itchy.
According to Adam Juson, co-founder of commercial pest control company Merlin Environmental, the pesky insects can also hide behind pictures and wallpaper - and horrifyingly even live on clothing.
Luckily, they aren't dangerous, but they do bite and can cause quite a lot of stress to anyone who finds them living in their home - and they are also notoriously tricky to get rid of. Adam warned: "Night after night they will come out of hiding to bite and drink the blood of their human victims."
Speaking to The Mirror, the pest control expert shared the most common sign of bedbug bites that you can look for, which is important so you know when you have a problem and can take measures to fix it. Adam said: "The most common sign of bedbugs is bites on your skin, especially after sleeping but you may also recognise blood speckles on your bedding from the bites. Bedbug poop can also appear on bedding and furniture and looks like small brown spots."
Because they can live for a year without a food source, it makes them "very hard to starve to death," Adam explained. He continued: "These creatures typically stay out of the way during daylight hours, and only come out to feed when people are asleep. Bedbugs detect carbon dioxide from our breathing, which tells them we are resting nearby."
If you have spotted signs that you might have bedbugs, you will need to get rid of them. According to Adam, the "most effective way" is with heat. He explained: "Temperatures more than 50 degrees Celsius for about 90 minutes will get rid of any bedbug problem. If you think you have bedbugs, you can wash your bedding and clothing on a hot wash and then tumble dry on a very hot setting.
"However, since the bedbug may not be on your bedding, but could be hiding anywhere in the room, it's best to heat the whole room up and make it too toasty for comfort."
He continued: "Bedbugs can be difficult to get rid of as they are hard to find and can be resistant to certain insecticides. That's why enlisting the help of a professional pest control company is the most reliable solution for bedbugs. Here at Merlin Environmental we have a bedbug hunting sniffer dogs that can pinpoint exactly where the bedbugs are, so we can treat them with heat. This is a much faster, more reliable way of finding bedbugs than relying on human sight."
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