Small Nasty Criters... With a Powerful Bite

Bedbugs are small, wingless insects with highly developed mouth parts that can pierce skin. 

Their bite is painless but the bites can become itchy and swell into reddened weals. 

Although bedbugs can harbour diseases in their bodies, transmission to humans is highly unlikely. They are not dangerous, unless a person is allergic to them. However, their presence can be distressing and their bites can be highly irritating.

Characteristics of the Bedbug

These wingless insects are half a centimetre long with a flat, oval-shaped body, six legs and large antennae.

Bedbugs live exclusively on blood. They prefer human blood, but will feed on other mammals if necessary. 

Bedbugs are attracted to body heat and the carbon dioxide in expired air, which is how they find their host. 

Bedbugs commonly live in mattresses, particularly along the seams, in bedding such as sheets and blankets and in the cracks of wooden floors, carpet, furniture, particularly in seams and cracks.

Bedbugs are most often found in dwellings with a high rate of occupant turnover such as hotels, motels and apartment complexes. 

Any household can be invaded by bedbugs, but a high standard of hygiene will discourage them from spreading room to room.

The first indication of a bedbug infestation may be red bites on family members, or blood on the sheets. 

Need Bed Bug Eradication? Call Critical Call Pest Management for a thorough inspection of your premises, especially the common hiding spots.

Recommeded treatment of bedbug bites includes:

Resist the urge to scratch.

Use calamine lotion or anaesthetic creams to treat the itching.

Wash the bites with antiseptic soap to reduce the risk of infection.

Apply an icepack frequently to help relieve swelling.

Take pain-relieving medication if symptoms are severe.

See your doctor if the bite develops an infection.