Oh no! Those children were right. A gruesome monster is lurking under our bed. The creature may not be the size of a giant monster, but yes, it wants to feed on us and suck our blood.
And it has a name. It is none other than Cimex lectularius, famous as bed bugs.
Bed bugs are some of the most resilient household pests that can breed and survive in the most hostile conditions, making them notoriously difficult to eliminate. These blood-sucking creatures have tormented humans for thousands of years. From ancient Egyptians to modern people, everyone has tried every spell and weapon to fight the insect hordes. But to no avail. We’re still struggling to fend off these pesky and annoying critters.
But why are bed bugs so difficult to get rid of?
Let’s find out the top 5 reasons that make bed bugs so hard to kill.
- Resilient: Bed bugs can survive any situation. Since they are exceptionally tiny, hard, and flat, bed bugs can squeeze into any holes, cracks, and crevices, making it impossible to detect them until their colony has skyrocketed in size. Bed bugs can also sneak and hide along baseboards, under floorboards, behind wallpaper, and even inside electrical outlets.
- Survival Without Food: Although bed bug loves a feast on a good blood meal, without any host to feed on, bed bugs are believed to survive for 2 to 3 months, provided the conditions are ideal. Bed bug consumes a great deal of blood from warm-blooded animals which fuel their tiny bodies and keep them satisfied for an extended period. It is also said that in one meal, a bed bug can consume up to 200% of its body weight.
- Exoskeleton Adaptation: Bed bugs have evolved and are very different from the ones that existed 20 years ago. The exoskeleton of bed bugs has become 15 percent stronger in recent years. According to some scientists, their skin has become thicker to repel pesticides better.
- Living Fossils: Bed bugs are living fossils. Their existence dates back to the time when dinosaurs were alive. Despite their ancient history, bed bugs can adapt to changing environments, as a result, they continue to survive, and dinosaurs don’t. Their magical skill to genetically modify and evolve along with time makes them so hard to kill.
- Prolific Breeder: A female bed bug is the carrier of an infestation. They spend their entire life pregnant. If your luggage or clothing picks up a female bed bug, be sure that she is pregnant and may soon produce hundreds of baby bugs. While each female bed bug can lay around 500 during her lifetime, after hatching, the baby bed bugs will soon mature and start to breed. A few bed bugs can grow their population in thousands, and several generations can occur in one year.
Wrapping Up
By now, it is clear that bed bugs are so hard to kill. Does that mean we can never get rid of them? The best way to effectively destroy and get rid of bed bugs from your home once and for all is by hiring pest control professionals who are trained in tackling these critters. Bed bugs are resistant to several pesticides, but the pest control team is trained and knows what chemicals kill them most effectively. Therefore, do not try any DIY remedies and call a pest control professional today.
