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Bed bugs go ''chomp'' in the night

Originally Published: January 11, 2002

 

Alice,

For the past few nights, I've been getting bug bites while I'm asleep in my bed. The bites are small, circular, and slightly raised. Also extremely itchy. I live in an apartment by myself, with no pets, although there is a dog that lives in the building, two floors above me. I live in a studio on the bottom floor of this house. My compact kitchen is located very near to my bed. I'm wondering about the cause of these bites. Bed bugs? Fleas? I'm also looking for ways to stop this. Insecticides? Changing my diet to make me less yummy?

 

Dear Reader,

It is impossible for anyone to say with absolute certainty what goes on late at night in other people's beds, but based on the clues you've provided, here are a few possibilities. It is unlikely that your upstairs neighbor's pet or the pooch's fleas are to blame. Fleas do occasionally nibble on humans (usually on the ankles and lower legs) when they are brought into the home by infested pets, but they don't typically seek out humans for food.

Bed bugs, which might seem like the stuff of childhood nightmares, are in fact nocturnal parasites that love to dine on sleeping humans. These tiny pests (adults are about 1/4 of an inch long) hide in nooks and crannies in their unsuspecting host's bedroom and come out late at night to gorge themselves on a tasty meal of human blood. The saliva from the bugs' bites can be irritating to the skin and produce raised, red, itchy welts and bumps. Although the bites are irksome and in large numbers can produce rashes and significant discomfort, bed bugs are not known to transmit any diseases to people. Bed bugs are considered more of a nuisance than a serious health threat.

Signs that your boudoir is infested with bed bugs include:

• a characteristic sweet-ish, foul odor that the insects secrete from their bodies
• tiny spots of blood or feces on sheets or bedding
• brownish stains (from feces) around hiding places, including the bed frame, mattress cover, or cracks in doors, window frames, or walls around the bed

If you are having difficulty positively identifying the culprit, you may want to call an exterminator for a professional opinion and help in getting rid of the little buggers. If you decide to try the do-it-yourself approach, start by washing all of your bedding, blankets included. Mattresses and pillows need to be steam cleaned. Next, use an insecticide that is labeled for bed bugs to spray the bed frame, slats, and any furniture, walls, doors, windows, and molding around the bedroom. Once the spray has had a chance to dry (and you've aired out the room), remake the bed with freshly cleaned linens. Giving all of the furniture a second spraying two weeks later will help keep the critters from coming back.

If you are treating the bed of a small child or someone with breathing or other health problems, consult your health care professional before using an insecticide indoors.

After a thorough washing and a good spraying, you'll be ready for a restful night. Sleep tight, and... well, you know the rest.

Alice

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