Bedbug invasion: How to spot, handle, and remove them

Bedbugs are small insects that feed on human blood. They can be encountered in hotels, hostels, or public transportation such as trams or buses. It only takes a moment for the insect to latch onto a coat or bag and thereby enter your home.

They reproduce at an alarming rate. A female can lay 200 to 250 eggs, which reach maturity after about a month. How can you recognise that bedbugs have taken up residence in your flat? Pay attention to several things. One of them is a strange smell in the room. It's a musty aroma, tinged with a slight sweetness.

Bedbugs belong to the family Cimicidae. They reach about 4 to 6 millimetres in length. They feed on the blood of warm-blooded animals, including humans. They are nocturnal. During the day, they hide in cracks and crevices of furniture, walls, floors, or curtains. They emerge only in the evening in search of food. They attack us while we sleep, biting into the skin and leaving small, red, painful marks that can cause persistent itching.

How can you check if there are bedbugs in your home? Pay attention to the mattress. If numerous black spots appear on its surface, it's a sign that blood-sucking insects may be inside. Another indication of the insects' presence is the unpleasant smell in the room. It resembles the stench of rotten raspberries or an intense, sweetish aroma of coriander. Depending on the number of bedbugs, it can be faint or strongly noticeable.

Though bedbugs do not transmit any diseases, no one wants them in their home. Being bitten by these insects is painful and, in extreme cases, may cause an allergic reaction. If you suspect they have settled in your bedroom, you need to act as quickly as possible. They are challenging to exterminate. No insecticides are effective against them, so you should contact a professional extermination company. After the treatment, remember to boil the bed linens, curtains, and draperies.