Bed bug infestations are popping up all over Lexington. These blood-eating pests, that were driven to near extinction in the 1950s, are back with a vengeance. And, with all of the home and apartment infestations we're having, it is more important than ever to teach your kids about bed bugs. While schools aren't a common zone of infestation, it is the perfect hub for bed bugs to transfer from one student to the next. Here are some ways your children can recognize the threat, and a few things they should know about bed bugs.
Identification
- When a bed bug first hatches, it is about the size of the tip on a pen, and its skin is mostly transparent. This makes it extremely hard to see--unless it has had a blood meal. If your child sees a very tiny red bug clinging to his or her skin, make sure they know to examine it closely. If it is a bed bug, it will have two antennae and six legs. Have them capture the bug and report it to the school office. Your school should have a bed bug action plan in place to prevent the spread of bed bugs.
- A more noticeable sign of bed bugs are the bites they leave. Of the common insect bites that a child may get, bed bugs are unique. Since bed bugs feed multiple times, their bites appear in a line or a cluster on the body, and most people have an allergic reaction to the anticoagulant in the saliva of bed bugs. This will cause a rash to appear around the bites. Your kids should be on the lookout for anyone who has several bites that look like mosquito bites but are surrounded by a rash.
Bed Bugs Facts Your Kids Should Know
- Bed bugs are attached to a stigma which says that only dirty people get bed bugs. This is not true. No child should be ashamed that they have bed bugs. These pests will live with anyone. They are attracted to blood, not filth.
- Your kids should know that bed bugs are not in every nook and cranny at school. Nor are they on every kid walking by in the hallway. Your children do not need to be constantly looking for them. It is just important to know the signs when they see them. It could save you from a nightmare at home.
- Bed bugs are not poisonous and they are not known to carry diseases. These aren't cooties. They are just insects that need blood to survive.
If a bed bug infestation does happen to appear in your Lexington home, it is time to take action and call Action. At Action Pest Control, we have an advanced bed bug control program to stop these bugs safely and effectively.