A concerning development:
It is reported that the “stink bugs” (bed bugs)， which were once nearly eradicated， have made a comeback.
Recently， many netizens have shared their experiences of being bitten by a series of red， swollen， and itchy bumps while traveling by train or staying in hotels. Some individuals have even discovered small， reddish-brown insects in the seams of their mattresses， which were later identified as bed bugs.
This news has understandably raised concerns: can we still sleep soundly on hotel beds when traveling for business or pleasure? Can we safely sit on chairs in public places? And if we are unfortunately bitten by bed bugs， what should we do?
Before you worry too much， let’s take a detailed look at these insects to help you identify， prevent， and deal with them.
What are Bed Bugs?
Bed bugs， also known as Cimex lectularius， are wingless insects belonging to the order Hemiptera， family Cimicidae. They are small， reddish-brown， and adults are about the size of an apple seed， measuring 5 to 7 millimeters.
Their primary food source is fresh blood， with the most common species that feed on humans being the common bed bug and the tropical bed bug. In their natural state， their bodies are flattened and ovate. However， after feeding， they become more reddish-brown， plump， and slightly elongated.
Bed bugs are remarkably resilient and can survive for several months， or even up to a year， without feeding. However， to continue mating and laying eggs， both male and female bed bugs must feed on blood at least once every 14 days.
Furthermore， bed bugs cannot fly or jump， but they can crawl rapidly. They are recognized as sanitary pests. While they do not transmit diseases like dengue fever or Zika virus in the same way mosquitoes do， they can cause skin reactions. After biting exposed skin， they typically leave a cluster of red， itchy welts， often with a small spot or blister in the center. Common areas for bites include the face， neck， arms， and waist.
The photograph below shows a typical bed bug bite.
Bed bug bites. Image source:
In the 1940s and 1950s， bed bugs were a major public health pest. With the advent of chemical insecticides， increased public awareness of hygiene， and a growing focus on bed bug control， bed bugs gradually disappeared worldwide. Unfortunately， according to scientific experts， over the past two decades， bed bugs have seen a resurgence due to factors such as increased international travel and trade， the frequent exchange of second-hand goods， and exacerbated pesticide resistance resulting from improper control methods.
Interestingly， to combat bed bug infestations， over 60 international experts participated in the compilation of a 460-page “Book of Bed Bugs” in 2018 – the “Advances in the Biology and Management of Modern Bed Bugs.” This book holds considerable academic value and practical guidance.
Let’s continue to discuss how to deal with bed bugs.
How to Eliminate Bed Bugs
To effectively eliminate bed bugs， it’s crucial to first understand their habits.
Due to their physiological limitations， bed bugs have a short dispersal range， typically only a few meters to tens of meters. However， they are adept at hitchhiking – they easily attach themselves to furniture， bedding， luggage， boxes， clothing， and other items， enabling long-distance travel to new locations.
Surveys by Chinese scholars have revealed a diversification in the types of environments affected by bed bugs in recent years. This includes a notable increase in reports from factory dormitories， construction sites， hotels， older residential communities， school dormitories， and passenger trains. Many of these locations are characterized by high foot traffic， transient populations， or suboptimal sanitary conditions.
In essence， wherever people are， especially in crowded environments， bed bugs can potentially exist. They are masters of concealment and thrive in any environment， clean or otherwise， as long as there is a warm host and ample hiding places available.
Additionally， to determine if bed bugs are present， one can look for signs of a rusty or tar-like staining. This is because approximately 20% of adult bed bugs and larger nymphs excrete residual matter during feeding， similar to what is depicted in the first image.
Currently， various methods are available for bed bug eradication， including physical control， biological control， and chemical control. Chemical control remains a significant strategy for managing bed bugs. However， in practical application， an integrated approach yields the best results.
1. Deep Cleaning
Thoroughly vacuuming mattresses， bed frames， furniture， flooring， and any cracks and crevices where bed bugs might hide are critical steps. After each vacuuming session， immediately seal the vacuum bag and dispose of it in an outdoor trash receptacle. If certain items， such as mattresses or sofas， are severely infested and cannot be completely decontaminated， they should be disposed of properly.
You can also use silicone caulk to seal cracks and crevices in walls and furniture， which eliminates hiding places for bed bugs and forces them to become exposed.
In addition， wash all bedding， linens， curtains， and clothing in hot water and dry them on a high heat setting (as bed bugs can survive and remain active at temperatures as low as 7°C but die when temperatures reach 45°C).
More extreme measures include: placing items that cannot be immediately treated， such as books and electronics， in sealed plastic bags or storage containers and keeping them sealed for up to a year to ensure the death of all live bed bugs.
2. Insecticide Application
Research conducted by Chinese scholars on the resistance of common bed bugs to insecticides has found that pyrethroids (such as synthetic pyrethrins)， carbamates， and organochlorines are less effective against bed bugs. Therefore， it is recommended to prioritize neonicotinoids and phenylpyrazoles for chemical control of bed bugs. The primary mechanism of these insecticides is to kill bed bugs through neurotoxic effects， inhibiting their reproduction and blood-feeding behavior.
Consequently， it is advisable to opt for products containing neonicotinoids and phenylpyrazoles. Pyrethroids can also be used， but there is a risk of developing resistance.
However， if the bed bug infestation is severe， eradicating them can be a complex and time-consuming process， potentially taking weeks or even months. If you find yourself unable to manage the situation， seeking professional pest control services is recommended.
If you are renting and discover bed bugs， it is advisable to notify your landlord immediately， as neighboring units may also require inspection and treatment.
Furthermore， if you decide to undertake pest control yourself， it is crucial to avoid using unproven remedies， such as flammable and hazardous substances like alcohol or gasoline (which are dangerous)， or ineffective methods such as sticky traps， fumigation， mosquito coils， or repellent sprays (which are ineffective against bed bugs).
Finally， after completing initial cleaning and control measures， it is best to meticulously inspect for any signs of bed bugs every few days. If further infestations are detected， it may be necessary to repeat the extermination process or try alternative methods.
How to Prevent and Treat Bed Bug Bites
Prevention is the best protection. Here’s what you can do in your daily life:
Covering Skin: Bed bugs are less likely to burrow under clothing， so wearing pajamas that cover most of your skin may offer some assistance.
Scrutinize Second-Hand Items: Before bringing second-hand bedding， mattresses， or upholstered furniture into your home， be sure to inspect them thoroughly.
Reduce Clutter: The less clutter you have at home， the fewer hiding places bed bugs will find.
Use Mattress and Box Spring Protectors: Encase your mattress and box spring completely in bed bug-proof encasements. This eliminates many hiding spots and traps any bed bugs within， leading to their demise. On a side note， lighter-colored encasements make it easier to spot bed bugs.
Regular Vacuuming: Vacuum regularly， especially in cracks and crevices， to remove any hitchhiking bed bugs. After vacuuming， immediately seal the vacuum bag and discard it in an outdoor trash can.
Hot Water Washing and Drying: Wash bedding， curtains， and clothing in hot water (around 50°C or 122°F) and tumble dry on high heat for at least 20 minutes to kill bed bugs and their eggs.
If you are bitten by bed bugs， in most cases， minor bites do not require special treatment and typically resolve on their own within 1 to 2 weeks. However， if the redness， swelling， and itching are severe， it is recommended to take the following measures to alleviate the symptoms:
Wash the bite area with soap and water;
Apply a cold compress momentarily or use ice wrapped in a towel to reduce itching and inflammation;
Apply a topical corticosteroid cream， such as mometasone furoate cream， until redness， bumps， and itching subside;
In cases of significant swelling， hardening， or blistering， oral antihistamines such as cetirizine or loratadine may be used in conjunction. If you encounter a situation that you cannot manage， it is essential to consult a dermatologist promptly.
Precautions for Traveling
If you frequently travel for leisure， business， or return to your hometown， the risk of encountering bed bugs in hotels， apartment buildings， dormitories， trains， and public buses is relatively high. If you have experienced multiple bed bug bites， consider the following precautions for future travel:
1. Immediate Inspection Upon Arrival: Upon checking into a hotel room， do not unpack your luggage immediately. Carefully inspect the seams of the mattress， headboard， and luggage rack for signs of bed bug excrement (black spots)， blood stains， shed skins， and eggs. A flashlight can be very helpful.
2. Luggage Placement: Place your luggage on a table or in the closet， rather than on the floor or bed. Keep your luggage as far away from the bed as possible.
3. Post-Trip Handling: Upon returning home， immediately place all travel clothing directly into the washing machine for cleaning and thoroughly inspect your suitcase.
4. High-Heat Drying: If possible， use high heat to dry your clothes， as this can kill bed bugs.
5. Luggage Storage: Store your suitcase in a location away from your bedroom.
The above covers all aspects of bed bug prevention and control. We hope this information helps you in eliminating these pests!
