Now that we know what do bed bugs look like and how to get rid of them, we might want to know a little bit more about how these ‘bad bugs’ behave. The common bed bug we have in our houses (well if we do that is), is Cimex Lectularius which is very good at adapting with human environment. Just like a man’s best friend – the dog – bed bugs of this type is the best creature that could turn your home sweet home into theirs. They love all the things you love most like your ark to dreamland – the bed – and your cosy ‘throne’ where you controlled hundreds of digital channels – the sofa.

Unlike humans, bed bugs work hard during the night, therefore they prefer to avoid the light and lay low during the day. So having them over at home won’t be a pleasant experience as you might have to adjust your body clock to entertain them! Well, they are not really friendly creatures though, not even social insects to be honest. Though they do move about and settle in congregations, they could as well be found independently; on their own and alone. And as these creatures are human blood suckers, body heat and carbon dioxide are the key attractions to them. Not dirt or filth as people has usually thought about other pests. This means that good housekeeping might help reduce bed bugs’ risks and avoid severe infestation but it is not what it takes to keep them away, for they feed on you, not your mess or waste. Spring cleaning is the first step to get rid of them but you need more than that to free your dwellings of them.

Their usual feeding time would be at dawn but that doesn’t mean they won’t bite at other times so always, always beware! Bed bugs only seek blood for feed every five to ten days and could remarkably survive for 12-18 months without feeding. Looks like these nasty little creatures are far tougher than they seemed to be. Though they usually remain close to the hosts, bed bugs travel easily from one spot to another so it won’t be so surprising if you actually brought them home from hotels, motels or other stay-overs infested by them. Especially if you brought home any bedding materials or furnitures with you. That’s why once these bad guys are detected or felt (through bed bugs bites) you might need to check out other possible areas they could be crawling to, to clear any infestation and close your doors to them for good!
How many eggs could a female bed bug produce? That’s up to 5 a day and up to 500 eggs in her lifetime! The eggs hatch after one to two weeks and the hatchlings might take up to 5 weeks later to reach maturity where they will become reproductive. But do not underestimate these young creatures for they need to feed immediately after hatching.