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2023 / 12 / 25
Bed bugs are also called “stink bugs” and some other interesting nicknames in Taiwan. They are one kind of small wingless insects belonging to the family Cimicidae of the order Hemiptera. Among them, the common bed bug (Cimex lectularius) and the tropical bed bug (C. hemipterus) have the greatest impact on humans. The former is widely distributed worldwide, while the other species is only distributed in tropical and subtropical regions. Bed bugs are insects with incomplete metamorphosis. Their life cycle is divided into eggs, nymphs and adults. Nymphs need to suck blood before they can molt and enter the next instar, and adults must also suck blood before they can lay eggs, so they can cause harm from immature to mature stages.
Bed bugs are photophobic and usually hide in the crevices of beds and sofas, especially in the folded edges of mattresses and internal springs, the seams of bed frames, headboards, wall sockets, etc. They wait until night to crawl out and wait for an opportunity to suck human blood. The victim does not feel anything while under attack, and extremely itchy blisters often appear the next day. Fortunately, no research so far has found that bed bugs are not vector of pathogens, but it should not be ignored.
Bed bugs are photophobic and usually hide in the crevices of beds and sofas, especially in the folded edges of mattresses and internal springs, the seams of bed frames, headboards, wall sockets, etc. They wait until night to crawl out and wait for an opportunity to suck human blood. The victim does not feel anything while under attack, and extremely itchy blisters often appear the next day. Fortunately, no research so far has found that bed bugs are not vector of pathogens, but it should not be ignored.
Where do bed bugs come from?
Bed bugs are relatively common in areas with poor sanitary conditions, but they have also caused serious disasters in some European and American countries that are considered to have high sanitary standards, and they are quite troublesome because it’s not easy to prevent and control bed bugs. Although bed bugs do not have wings and cannot move long distances on their own, they are good at hiding in suitcases and furniture, then they can be passively migrated by travelers or movers and spread to far distant areas. Some case studies have also found that bed bugs can spread laterally and vertically through crevices between electrical wires, sockets, and walls between adjacent rooms.
Because of their small size, agility, and ability to hide, and because most people in Taiwan have never seen them, they don't recognize them. Often, they seek help from pest control companies after the biting, and finally realize these are bed bugs. The probability of infestation is higher in certain places, such as migrant worker dormitories, care centers, hotels, fishing boats, etc. It also occurs in some homes that employ foreign caregivers. The Cases of bed bugs are rare in Taiwan, but maybe it is worse than we think in reality.
Signs of bed bugs in your home
Bed bug bites often appear as three blisters arranged in a straight line or forming a triangle, because they usually need to suck blood three times to be full. If there are bed bugs, the mattress, quilt, and bed frame may have black bed bug feces and blood stains. In some deeper crevices, you may also see empty insect egg shells, shed skins, dead bed bugs, or even living bed bugs. When bed bugs are disturbed, they will release smelly liquid from their scent glands, leaving an unpleasant smell wherever they crawl. When there is a confined and heavy infested space, there will even be an uncomfortable sweet and sour smell in the air.
Bed bugs are relatively common in areas with poor sanitary conditions, but they have also caused serious disasters in some European and American countries that are considered to have high sanitary standards, and they are quite troublesome because it’s not easy to prevent and control bed bugs. Although bed bugs do not have wings and cannot move long distances on their own, they are good at hiding in suitcases and furniture, then they can be passively migrated by travelers or movers and spread to far distant areas. Some case studies have also found that bed bugs can spread laterally and vertically through crevices between electrical wires, sockets, and walls between adjacent rooms.
Because of their small size, agility, and ability to hide, and because most people in Taiwan have never seen them, they don't recognize them. Often, they seek help from pest control companies after the biting, and finally realize these are bed bugs. The probability of infestation is higher in certain places, such as migrant worker dormitories, care centers, hotels, fishing boats, etc. It also occurs in some homes that employ foreign caregivers. The Cases of bed bugs are rare in Taiwan, but maybe it is worse than we think in reality.
Signs of bed bugs in your home
Bed bug bites often appear as three blisters arranged in a straight line or forming a triangle, because they usually need to suck blood three times to be full. If there are bed bugs, the mattress, quilt, and bed frame may have black bed bug feces and blood stains. In some deeper crevices, you may also see empty insect egg shells, shed skins, dead bed bugs, or even living bed bugs. When bed bugs are disturbed, they will release smelly liquid from their scent glands, leaving an unpleasant smell wherever they crawl. When there is a confined and heavy infested space, there will even be an uncomfortable sweet and sour smell in the air.
Chung Hsi Chemical has obtained official authorization from Dr. Stephen L. Doggett, to translate and publish the "Do You Have Bed Bugs?" in Traditional Chinese, which contains many excellent photos to help people understand the ecology of bed bugs.
How to control bed bugs
It is very difficult to control bed bugs by ordinary citizens themselves. It is recommended to request a professional pest control company to use the pesticides approved by the Ministry of Environment (Taiwan) for bed bug control. In addition, because bed bug eggs are difficult to eliminate with pesticides, a new generation of bed bugs will hatch after about 7 days, so it is common and necessary for pest control technicians to carry out the jobs more than twice.
In addition to applying pesticides, bed bugs cannot withstand high temperatures at all stages of their life cycle. For example, clothes and bed sheets can be washed with hot water and dried at high temperatures. Mattresses can be treated with high-pressure steam at close range. Exposing them to strong sunlight for 4 hours and turning them over several times regularly can also cause bed bugs to dehydrate and die or escape. If there is serious infestation, it is recommended that the contaminated clothes, suitcases, mattresses, etc. be packed and sealed and discard instead of recycling.
In a room where there are signs of bed bug activity, use a powerful vacuum cleaner with a dust bag and a crevice tip to clean. This can remove a large number of eggs, molting skins and insect bodies, and also good for spraying of insecticides for prevention and control. Remove the vacuum dust bag immediately after use, seal it and discard or incinerate it. If possible, try to reduce the crevices that bed bugs can hide. For example, the crevices created by the embossed wallpaper and the seams between the skirting boards and the wall are enough for many bed bugs to hide, so it is best to remove the wallpaper and seal the skirting board seams with glues.
It is very difficult to control bed bugs by ordinary citizens themselves. It is recommended to request a professional pest control company to use the pesticides approved by the Ministry of Environment (Taiwan) for bed bug control. In addition, because bed bug eggs are difficult to eliminate with pesticides, a new generation of bed bugs will hatch after about 7 days, so it is common and necessary for pest control technicians to carry out the jobs more than twice.
In addition to applying pesticides, bed bugs cannot withstand high temperatures at all stages of their life cycle. For example, clothes and bed sheets can be washed with hot water and dried at high temperatures. Mattresses can be treated with high-pressure steam at close range. Exposing them to strong sunlight for 4 hours and turning them over several times regularly can also cause bed bugs to dehydrate and die or escape. If there is serious infestation, it is recommended that the contaminated clothes, suitcases, mattresses, etc. be packed and sealed and discard instead of recycling.
In a room where there are signs of bed bug activity, use a powerful vacuum cleaner with a dust bag and a crevice tip to clean. This can remove a large number of eggs, molting skins and insect bodies, and also good for spraying of insecticides for prevention and control. Remove the vacuum dust bag immediately after use, seal it and discard or incinerate it. If possible, try to reduce the crevices that bed bugs can hide. For example, the crevices created by the embossed wallpaper and the seams between the skirting boards and the wall are enough for many bed bugs to hide, so it is best to remove the wallpaper and seal the skirting board seams with glues.