What Color are Bed Bug Eggs
Female bed bugs must have a blood meal to lay eggs. A female bed bug lays up to 600 eggs in its lifetime. What colour are bed bug egg shells to identify them easily? Let us find out.
What Bed Bug Eggs Look Like
Bed bug eggs have a white to pearl-white colour. They are barrel-shaped and coated with a sticky substance that adheres to nearly any surface the bed bug places them on. Five-day old eggs have a visible dark mark that looks like an eye. Adult bed bugs, on the other hand, are oval-shaped and reddish-brown. They may be flat or look like a small brown balloon, depending on whether they have fed recently or not.
Where Can You Find Bed Bug Eggs?
Eggs are laid in secure areas, as near as possible to a food source. Bed bugs are attracted to the carbon dioxide, moisture and warmth produced by warm-blooded animals. Since bed bugs feed on blood, they are usually found near or on the bed. Check the bed frame, box spring, joints, and mattress seams.
If you see black or red specks in these areas, it is a sign of a bed bug infestation. These are feces from the bugs that contain partially digested blood. A strong, sweetish odour is also a sign of an infestation. It means that there is a large concentration of bed bugs in the area. The odour comes from their scent glands’ secretions.
You do not want to have a bed bug infestation at home. Call a pest control company to help you get rid of these critters. There is no need to identify or find a bed bug on your own. Pest managers know how to find these pests and get rid of them.
If your budget is still not fit to hire professionals, you can always opt to do the identification on your own. There are various bed bug detectors and monitors that will keep you updated on the current situation of the infestation in your home.
You just have to make sure that you learn how to identify bed bugs and at the same time know where these critters are hiding.
How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs and Eggs
If you do not get rid of the eggs, they will hatch, and the bed bugs nymphs will start an infestation. They will reproduce upon reaching maturity. Here are the best ways to kill bed bugs and eggs.
Heat Treatment
Heat treatment can be done in various ways. You can use a heavy-duty dry steamer to reach all holes, crevices, and cracks where bed bugs have laid eggs. Steam cleaners usually come with a hose that you can use to treat hard-to-reach areas.
You can also use a portable fan and heater. This equipment gradually increases the temperature in a room to 120°F – 130°F. It can be used to treat areas like the living room, bedroom, and furnishings. This method does not damage any surface and a household item. If the temperature is maintained at 48°C, the treatment takes only half an hour. It will take 15 hours if the temperature is 45°C.
All heat-sensitive items such as medications and indoor plants should be removed from the area before proceeding with the treatment. The best thing about heat treatments is that it takes place in one go instead of days or weeks. It kills bed bugs and eggs within one day. Insecticides can be applied to kill remaining bed bugs.
Cold Treatment
Bed bug eggs cannot survive in extremely low temperatures. Bedding and clothes that are infested with bed bugs can be washed in extremely cold water (-32°F). Non-washable items can be placed in the freezer for around 30 days to kill the bed bug egg.
Carbon dioxide snow can kill bed bugs as well. This technique is expensive and less common, but effective. Carbon dioxide is converted into dry snow then sprayed over the infested area to freeze the bed bugs and eggs to death.
This method eliminates heat from their body, killing them in the process. It does not leave any residue, stain, or mess. This freezing technique does not damage any surface or furniture. It is non-toxic, so it is safe to use in any environment. Pair this method with insecticide sprays for the best results.
Using cold takes more time along with insecticides as using cold alone is not enough to kill the critters immediately. The waiting time is longer when the cold temperature is used, and the results are not guaranteed to be successful. Thus, the need for insecticides to kill the remaining bugs in your home.
Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous Earth works by drying the bugs exposed to it. The powder targets the nervous system and kills the bugs slowly. You can sprinkle DE in the infested areas.
It will continue to work if you do not remove it. Experts advise that replacing the powder occasionally will guarantee that the bugs remaining in the house will die. Diatomaceous Earth is effective and inexpensive.
Conclusion
Taking precautions is the best way to protect your home from bed bug infestations. If your neighbour complained about having bed bugs in their homes, you should begin taking precautions in advance to avoid the same problem. Pest management professionals can eliminate identified bed bugs and keep your home free from these critters.
BedBugSOS.ca Recommendations
For a serious level of infestations, we highly recommend the use of heat treatment as it guarantees a quick solution in killing not only the live adult bugs but also the eggs that are hidden in the different parts of your home.
When it comes to heat treatment, it does not necessarily mean that you should get the same equipment as those that are used by experts. There are portable options that you can use. Also, an alternative is the use of steam cleaners as they work not only in killing bed bugs but also in keeping your home clean.
Some of the heaters that we recommend for home use are:
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For remaining bugs, you can always depend on the use of pest powders like the DE. Also, an alternative is the use of insecticides that contains active ingredients that bed bugs are not resistant to. Products that we recommend are the following:
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Dealing with bed bugs requires the use of various products and the right combination. You should use products that both kill the bugs and at the same time keep the remaining bugs away. If you want to know more about the products that you can use to monitor, trap, and deter these pesky critters, feel free to browse more of our products at bedbugsos.ca.
