How to identify and eliminate bedbugs in your home

Bedbugs are insects that are difficult to see with the naked eye. Several factors, such as the condition of the mattress or an unpleasant, distinctive smell in the room indicate their presence in an apartment.

Bedbugs are small insects that feed on human blood. They can be encountered in hotels, hostels, or public transportation such as trams or buses. It only takes a moment for the insect to latch onto a coat or bag and thus enter your home.

They reproduce at an alarming rate. A female can lay 200 to 250 eggs, which reach maturity after about a month. How can you recognize that bedbugs have taken up residence in your apartment? Pay attention to several things. One of them is a strange smell in the room. It's a musty aroma, tinged with a slight sweetness.

Bedbugs belong to the family Cimicidae and reach about 0.16 to 0.24 inches (4-6 mm) in length. They feed on the blood of warm-blooded animals, including humans. Bedbugs are nocturnal. During the day, they hide in cracks and crevices of furniture, walls, floors, or curtains. They emerge only in the evening in search of food. They attack us while we sleep, biting into the skin and leaving small, red, painful marks that can cause persistent itching.

How can you check if there are bedbugs in your home? Pay attention to the mattress. If numerous black spots appear on its surface, it's a sign that blood-sucking insects may be inside. Another indication of insects' presence is the unpleasant smell in the room. It resembles the stench of rotten raspberries or an intense, sweetish aroma of coriander. Depending on the number of bedbugs, it can be faint or strongly noticeable.

Though bedbugs do not transmit diseases, no one wants them in their home. Being bitten by these insects is painful and, in extreme cases, may cause an allergic reaction. If you suspect they have settled in your bedroom, you need to act as quickly as possible. They are very difficult to exterminate. No insecticides are effective against them, so contact a professional extermination company. After the treatment, remember to boil the bed linens, curtains, and draperies.