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Why Bed Bugs Bite: How To Stop Attacks Of Bed Bugs

By Brian McNeill | Update Date: Apr 27, 2016 04:20 AM EDT

One of the most dreaded pests that most people have to avoid these days are bed bugs. Bed bugs can strike at home or at motels/hotels and feed exclusively on blood. They are most active during night and do their damage without hosts noticing it.

People who end up suffering from bed bug bites will eventually show adverse effects such as skin rashes, allergic symptoms and some psychological in nature. For those who haven’t seen one, they are usually oval-shaped and light to reddish brown colored.

How does a home get infested with bed bugs? Normally this happens when they are unknowingly brought into homes. That could be through the transport of luggage, clothing, used beds or couches and other stuff where they may eventually find solace.

Bed bugs sneak their way in on common bed-related parts such as the mattress, box springs, bed frames and even headboards. Hence and unless one is able to pin them down, chances are that people will find themselves in for an uncomfortable night.

But what really draws bed bugs into one’s home? What entices them to sneak in and do their damage?

A recent study from the Journal of Medical Etymology reveals that a certain color may be behind their presence. Scientists were able to prove this theory when they used tiny tents out of folded cardstock using eight different colors. A bed bug was placed in the middle and it turned out that the color ‘red’ was the one that lured them in.

Black was the second color that attracted them with green and yellow ending up as the most avoided ones. Chances are that the reason behind the avoidance of green and yellow is because the colors typify usual outdoor colors or brightly lit environments.

With red (and black) standing out as the colors to be wary off, such could lead many to consider shunning them in the event that a new mattress or sheet looms to be bought over the horizon.

Other than that, best practices to prevent bed bugs from doing their evil handy work can be done in simple other ways. That includes (via Pestworld) :

  1.  Cleaning or vacuuming your suitcases when they are brought in from the outdoors
  2. Regular checking or your bed sheets for possible blood spots
  3. Proper cleaning of second hand furniture first into new homes to eliminate their presence.
  4. A routine check on where pets sleep to see if bed bugs exist.
  5. Seek professional services to avoid possible infestation.

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