Domestic bed bugs cause a lot of inconvenience to humans. Many people have encountered characteristic bites and did not attach any importance to this factor. The incident ends happily if you do not have an allergic reaction. Otherwise, you will have to take antihistamines for a long time and regularly visit the doctor.
If you notice that bedbug bites always appear in different numbers on the body of different people, then you clearly want to understand this phenomenon. It is already known that parasites attack some individuals much more often. So who do the little pests absolutely not want to leave at night? The selectivity of the bug in food is quite simple and is explained by the special structure of the piercing mouthparts. It is much easier to bite through thin epithelium, so people with such skin are much more likely to become a source of food for insects. Different blood types and body odor characteristics are completely irrelevant. If you have sensitive skin, it will be easy to notice the following features of bedbug bites on your body:
- A path of microscopic redness;
- Severe itching and pain in the affected area;
- Red marks close to each other;
- Swelling of the skin at the site of the bite.
If a person has thin and sensitive skin, then it will be much easier for the bug to reach the blood vessels. Mostly, small children and girls have this epithelium. In principle, anyone can become a resource for feeding a pest, but it is the above-mentioned groups that are subject to more frequent attacks.
Who do bloodsuckers prefer?
Many people are interested in why bedbugs bite some people and not others. These insects feed only on blood. To get it, they attack sleeping people. Why don't bedbugs bite everyone? This is due to the fact that pests have their own preferences. Most often they attack people who do not recognize pajama suits. Those sleeping without blankets are also victims. In these cases, insects do not need to look for open areas of the body. Sleepers are attacked so that they can drink blood.
The explanation why bedbugs do not bite everyone is also associated with age. Children are often victims. Moreover, the younger the age, the greater the risk. Children's skin is thin and delicate, which makes it easier for them to find insect food. Why bedbugs do not bite everyone depends on gender. Insects often attack women. Their skin is much thinner than that of men. Pests smell blood well. Men are bitten less frequently by bedbugs. But blood type does not affect this.
Danger
When considering the topic of why bedbugs do not bite all people, you should familiarize yourself with the signs of damage. This is not difficult to determine. There will be a trail of red spots on the skin. The affected area is itchy. But you should not scratch it, so as not to cause an infection, which leads to more pain and causes inflammation.
To eliminate the consequences of bites, use water and soap. After washing the skin, treat the painful area with natural oil or soothing ointment. Alcohol-containing formulations are suitable. Antihistamines can help reduce inflammation:
- "Diazolin." "Diphenhydramine." "Suprastin".
But before taking these medications, it is advisable to consult a doctor. When choosing a room to sleep in, you should inspect the space and the bed. This should be done especially in inexpensive hotels.
After sleep, some people notice chains of swelling on themselves. This is bed bug damage. They lead to pain and itching. If you don't touch them, they will disappear. The reason bed bugs don't bite some people has to do with timing. These bloodsuckers are active at 3-5 am. At other times they hide.
When might bed bugs bite some people more than others?
For example, in an apartment, bedbugs can live mainly in one particular bed or sofa and will, accordingly, bite the person who sleeps in that particular sleeping place. Only over time will they multiply, spread throughout the entire room and all the sleeping places and begin to bite everyone who sleeps here. If the house is large, bedbugs may first settle in one room, but in others they may not be present for some time. Accordingly, the parasites will first attack those who sleep in the “occupied” room, and not those who are in neighboring rooms. Over time, the number of parasites may increase, and then they quickly spread throughout the house, beginning to regularly bite all its inhabitants.
Harm
The article shows all the reasons why bed bugs do not bite all people. These blood-sucking parasites are considered carriers of various diseases. But there is no evidence of this fact. This is due to the fact that the proboscis of insects is divided into 2 jaws; blood cannot be infected, since it passes through only 1 tubule. But you still shouldn’t take risks.
Due to night attacks, people cannot get enough sleep and rest because the wounds itch and hurt. Therefore, bedbugs are one of the unpleasant insects. It should be destroyed as quickly as possible. If you delay this process, the house will turn into a bug infestation, and it will be very difficult to sleep at night.
Lifestyle
The bedbugs in the Bed Guests house hide in their nests during the day because they cannot tolerate sunlight.
They intensify their activities after dark, when everyone is asleep and cannot see what is happening around them. Bedbugs bite only at night, or closer to the morning. They come out to bite between 3 a.m. and 8 a.m. At the initial stage of infestation of a room, there are bedbugs, but they do not bite. Food reserves last an adult for a maximum of 10 days. Once at a new place of residence, the female develops the territory, chooses a place for the nest, and lays eggs. And only after some time it crawls onto the human body. The first evidence of the presence of parasitic fauna appears, but several bites on the body do not always attract the proper attention of humans.
Causes of odor
Why don't some people get bitten by bedbugs? This may be due to the presence of rough skin. Through it, insects cannot sense blood. Therefore, men are rarely bitten by bedbugs. These pests also bring a characteristic smell into the room: cloying and tart, similar to almonds or rotten raspberries.
The smell can intensify in areas where parasites are concentrated. Usually these are sleeping places, storage of old linen, book racks, paintings and boxes. Pests can also lay their eggs in electronic devices.
These insects have glands, which is why they produce a smell. The glands secrete a component whose purpose has not been fully identified. It is assumed that this smell is required for the reproduction of parasites and protection from enemies.
When do the bites go away?
Why aren't some people bitten by bedbugs? The reason may be that the person sleeps in pajamas and under a blanket. In other cases, people become victims of these pests. Therefore, you should familiarize yourself with them in more detail.
The size of bedbugs is 3-8 mm, this depends on their saturation with blood. By the color of the pest you can determine when it last ate. If it is scarlet, then the blood was obtained recently. Black indicates hunger and the need for night hunting.
Feeding method: bites people and warm-blooded animals. To do this, the pest uses a proboscis that pierces the body and sucks out blood. The bug senses blood circulation and human warmth. There are a pair of channels inside the proboscis.
The first is used to inject saliva, which provides pain relief. The second channel is used for blood absorption. The pest pierces the body and finds a blood vessel with its proboscis. Due to the anesthesia, the bite is not felt, so it is difficult to catch the parasite.
Consequences
The duration of healing of a bite depends on the characteristics of the organism. Also important is the strength of the immune system, the tendency to allergies, as well as the characteristics of the skin. Some people experience a severe allergic reaction that goes away within 5-7 days. And a person with not very sensitive skin feels discomfort only for a day.
If long chains do not go away for weeks, you should consult a dermatologist or use folk remedies. It is preferable to use antihistamines. An unpleasant consequence is infection of the scratches.
There is an assumption that bed bugs carry tuberculosis, smallpox, hepatitis B and other dangerous diseases. But this has not been confirmed for sure. It has been proven that waste products contain rickettsia - microscopic intracellular pests from bacteria.
Selection of a potential victim. Who do bed parasites prey on?
Nature has defined several rules that form the basis for the life activity of insects. Thanks to this, bedbugs remain alive after biting the owner and can leave him without hindrance.
Definition of a victim
The insect makes a choice taking into account factors:
- thin outer coverings of the human body: insects smell because they have a highly developed sense of smell;
- low hairiness of the skin or absence of hair, which facilitates the process of puncturing the skin, and at the same time makes it safe for the parasite to leave the human body;
- a person sleeps without clothes or blankets: the bloodsucker attacks those who have the habit of sleeping without unnecessary things.
Bedbugs are mainly active at night
Features of vital activity and lifestyle of parasites
Bed parasites emerge from hiding at night. During the daytime, such pests rest. In fact, sleep for them means being at peace. At this time they do not feed and do not crawl out of their shelters. Bedbugs feel safe when they are in a nest. In addition, they have some degree of photophobia. They do not tolerate not only solar radiation, but also artificial light. But this is not a strict condition for the existence of insects.
Animal bites
Bed bugs feed 98% on human blood. Can they bite pets? They rarely do this, which is due to several reasons.
Many animals have thick fur, which makes their path to the skin difficult, and sometimes even impossible. Even if the bug gets on the wool, it will be quite difficult to get to the food source. Animal skin is thick and dense with many sebaceous glands, which is difficult to bite through.
Many pets are nocturnal. They have developed sensory organs, 10 times better than those of humans. Therefore, they notice and destroy bedbugs.
Animals have a strong individual smell that is different from humans. Bedbugs are able to perceive odors. Probably, this smell does not cause appetite in the bug, provided that human blood is supplied in sufficient quantities.
There is also another danger. Stray cats or dogs that a person brings home can bring these insects. Therefore, pets should be washed with antiparasitic shampoo and the ears should be thoroughly treated.
Folk remedies
In addition to traditional medications, there are other means that help reduce the negative effects of insects, which are bed bugs. Bites... How to get rid of them using traditional medicine? Everything is very simple. For these purposes you need to use:
- Garlic: rub it and apply it to the wound.
- Pink lotion: It dries out the bites.
- Potato. It is also crushed and evenly distributed over the affected area of the skin.
- Aloe juice, chamomile and St. John's wort decoction. Cotton is soaked with these liquids and a compress is applied.
Plantain leaves and a solution of baking soda also help against bedbug bites. They are also applied to the stains left by bloodsuckers. In addition, be sure to apply a piece of ice to the wound - it will relieve swelling and swelling. Treat it with alcohol, it will dry the bite and promote its rapid healing. All of the above methods of traditional medicine will relieve symptoms of itching and scabies within one, maximum two days.
What to do?
To protect yourself from bedbugs, you should take precautions. Parasites hide under the mattress, in the upholstery of the sofa, in the pillows. To protect against parasites, the following measures are taken:
- It is necessary to block their entry routes. They enter apartment buildings through sockets, ventilation, cracks, gaps in walls, ceilings, floors, as well as windows and doors. They must be sealed with cement, nets, and rubber seals. Household appliances and furniture should be inspected. It will be possible to completely eliminate pests when the nursery is identified. Fresh bunches of wormwood should be placed in the corners of the apartment. Parasites cannot tolerate this smell because it hides a person's scent and makes it difficult to find a victim. Tansy, rosemary, chamomile and calamus inflorescences have the same effect. When washing bedding, add a few drops of tea tree oil. Before going to bed, it is advisable to use a shower gel that has a lavender scent. You can simply rub essential oil into your skin. Parasites don't bite then. Also, this method has a positive effect on a person: the product calms, relieves irritability and headaches.
Chemical agents can also be used when growing a family. Plants and oils are used only as repellents to repel adult insects, but they do not affect eggs.
Fighting methods
Over the entire period of the fight against these parasites, several effective methods have been developed that contribute to the complete removal of bedbugs:
- Application of insecticides. The most common and reliable. The result is visible after the first treatment. Modern poison is absolutely safe for humans and their pets.
- Fever. It is based on the use of a steam generator directly on the habitats of individuals. In rare cases, a burner is used. In addition, you can heat the apartment to sixty degrees and then the pests will die in a couple of hours.
- Reduced temperature. Freezing is suitable in the winter season. In this case, upholstered furniture, mattresses and bedding are placed in the cold for several hours.
- Physical impact. Insects are destroyed using improvised means.
It should be remembered that since bedbugs constantly move from one room to another, you can completely get rid of them only by poisoning all neighboring apartments at the same time.
How to completely eliminate bedbugs?
It is difficult to completely eliminate insects. Traditional methods are suitable for minor bedbug infestations. But in other cases, this helps only for a while, and then the pests appear again.
If the infestation is severe, it is advisable to contact the SES or a commercial pest control company. Only in this case will it be possible to carry out successful work on eliminating pests.
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