Did you know you have bugs living in your house, in your bed and on your face? Here is the scientific low down on three parasitic house guests: bed bugs, demodex and dust mites. See if you have them and learn how to kick these freeloaders out.
Bed Bugs Suck
Bed bugs are one of the original vampires, with a natural aversion to sunlight that prompts them to come out at night and feast on the warm blood of a host. During the day they live in mattresses and cushioned seating, awaiting their next meal.
What Does a Bed Bug Look Like?
There are several different genera of bedbug, all belonging to the taxonomic family Cimicidae. Although most are visible without magnification, their habit of hiding during the day means it’s difficult to catch a glimpse of one of these critters. Adults bedbugs are actually quite large, growing to a length of 4–5 mm; having the size and appearance of an apple seed.
Bed Bug Bites
Like mosquitoes, bedbugs are attracted by heat and the presence of carbon dioxide (the gas that humans breathe out when exhaling). Their bites even resemble mosquito bites; an itchy raised welt that appears hours or days after a person is bitten.
Why Are Bed Bugs Suddenly a Big Problem?
Bedbugs virtually disappeared in the 1940’s and 50’s, when spray insecticides were commonly used in homes. These sprays had a residual effect, lasting a long time. Today, gel-based pesticides are more often used, which contain toxins that do not reach or effect bed bug populations.
How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs
This is one pest that I have battled on two occasions, in a fancy San Diego hotel (I lost that battle and retreated) and in my own home. Bed bugs are great hitchhikers, and, especially in heavily infected locations, they can get into a personal luggage or clothes and come home with a traveler or houseguest.
With the infestation in my home, I did not want to spray my bed with pesticides, so I purchased a plastic cover that went all the way around my mattress, and zipped up to seal it closed. I left this cover on for several months. Under adverse conditions, bedbugs can go dormant and live for a year or eighteen months without feeding, so a mattress cover may need to be left on for more than a year to eliminate an infestation. If there are several areas of the home that seem to be infested, have a professional pest control company evaluate your home.
Demodex Mites May Be Having a Party on Your Face
Demodex is the genus name for a group of very tiny parasitic mites that can live in and around the hair follicles of mammals, particularly on the face. Demodex folliculorum and Demodex brevis, also known as eyelash or follicle mites, are the species that parasitize humans. Demodex canis is the species that can infest the domestic dog, and, in some cases, result in canine mage.
Symptoms of Demodex on Humans
It is common for humans to host Demodex mites, and infestation is increasingly likely as we age. Although it may seem more than a little gross, the idea that these stumpy-legged little creatures are crawling around on your face, and laying eggs in your hair follicles, their presence does not usually result any symptoms.
Demodex are not the same type of mite that causes scabies (Sarcoptes scabiei). Typically only those who have a weakened immune system are at risk of displaying symptoms from a Demodex infestation.
How Do You Kill Demodex Mites
Since these mites do not cause problems for most people, it is not necessary to eradicate your mites, and that’s a good thing, since these little buggers are not easy to kill. See the Rosacea Support Group article for tips on how to kill demodex.
House Dust Mites: A Microscopic Cleaning Crew
The European house dust mite (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus) and the American house dust mite (Dermatophagoides farinae) are two of the world’s most common houseguests. These arachnids feast on dead flakes of skin and other microscopic organic matter that is abundant in all homes.
Problems Associated with Dust Mite Infestation
House dust mites can cause allergies and aggravate symptoms of asthma. Allergic reaction is due to a human sensitivity to digestive enzymes that the mites produce in their gut, and that persist in the microscopic fecal matter that they leave in their wake.
What Does a Dust Mite Look Like?
Dust mites are just barely visible to the naked eye. The body is about ½ millimeter long, rectangular and bluish in color.
How to Reduce the Number of Dust Mites in Your Home
The population of dust mites in a home environment can be reduced by using a combination of boron powder and frequent vacuuming.
Sources
- Codina, R.; RF Lockley, R Diwadkar, LL Mobly, S Godfrey (2003). "Disodium octaborate tetrahydrate (DOT) application and vacuum cleaning, a combined strategy to control house dust mites". Allergy, Vol. 58.
- USA Today (2004) "Mites might cause mighty problems. Skin Disorders - Demodex mites linked to human skin diseases."
- Do Your Own Pest Control: Bed Bugs.
