When inexplicable traces of feces appear in the bedroom, the concern is great. Many harmless insects can be responsible for the legacies. Closer examination of the feces and the locations where it was found provide clues.

Ink-like stains on the mattress are not a good sign

Table of Contents

Show all
  1. the essentials in brief
  2. Identify bed bug feces
  3. locate bed bugs
  4. Prevent bed bug infestation
  5. frequently asked Questions

    6. the essentials in brief

    • Bed bug droppings look different depending on the surface. Ink-like stains appear on sheets while the excretions form dots on non-absorbent surfaces.
    • In order to distinguish bed bug droppings from the droppings of other insects, the overall picture in the room should be considered. Bed bugs hide in cracks and crevices. The typical scent of their signaling substances helps to unmask them.
    • Bed bugs are attracted to the carbon dioxide in the air we breathe. They prefer dry environments and often come into the home through used furniture or suitcases.
    • To combat it, thermal treatments or laying out savory are recommended.

    What does bed bug poop look like?

    Bed bugs are nocturnal bloodsuckers that pierce human skin with their piercing tools. The proboscis is also used for food intake and thus takes on a sucking function. Within ten minutes they gorge themselves, eating seven times their own body weight.

    Typical fecal stains in bed

    Bed bug poop stains resemble ink

    Immediately after the meal, they produce watery excretions that dry out over time. Their appearance differs due to the composition of uric acid and absorbed blood and depends on the absorbency and type of substrate:

    • Bedsheet: Black spots reminiscent of ink
    • wooden frame: irregular dark mass that hardens and is slightly raised
    • wallpapers: Flat patches of faeces often occur

    Distinguish feces from bed bugs and other insects

    The legacies of the blood-sucking pests resemble fly or spider droppings. The place where it was found often gives a clear indication of who caused it, because every insect prefers a different location. While flies are mostly on ceiling lights or walls, spiders can be found in niches and corners. Bed bugs like dry hiding places behind ledges and closets during the day. The overall impression of the traces of feces in the room is decisive for an assessment.

    color location size consistency
    be crazy off-white on panes and walls extensive stripes runny
    To fly light to dark always in bright places, often on hanging objects similar to bed bug droppings fixed
    Scrape black-brown often run in a track on walls a few millimeters in size crumbly
    bed bugs deep black to brownish mainly textiles and beds comparable to a particle of coffee powder initially liquid, later drying

    locate bed bugs

    Bed bug droppings often go undetected as they usually only accumulate in hiding places. Itchy stings on the body are a first indication of a pest infestation, whereby several causes can come into question. Small details to look out for provide further clues.

    youtube

    Where bed bugs live

    During the day, the insects stay in crevice-shaped hiding places that ensure a dry environment. If you have discovered suspicious traces of droppings, you should check all possible retreats. The unwanted guests can often be found under mattresses or floor coverings and behind baseboards. Occasionally sufferers come across stains behind the wallpaper on the wall.

    digression

    The bed bug as a survivor

    The insect, which is between three and five millimeters in size, can grow up to nine millimeters long after it has been sucked full. In this state, the body appears dark red or jet black. At around 13 degrees, bed bugs can survive a maximum of twelve months without sucking blood again. Their chances of survival decrease as temperatures rise. Without feeding, the pests will die after two to three months when exposed to normal room temperatures.

    Watch out for scents

    The tiny traces of droppings are often overlooked because they can often only be found in the typical hiding places. A sweet scent in the room only occurs when there is a heavy bedbug infestation. Nevertheless, an aroma reminiscent of coriander is occasionally noticeable. It is the smell of messenger substances that the bugs secrete when disturbed. In this way, the insects communicate with each other and cause a flight-like dispersal of a bug cluster.

    How to prevent infestation and spread

    After a trip, laundry should be washed as hot as possible

    The pests are often brought in from outside, with different sources coming into question. Once the insects are in the apartment, fighting them requires a lot of patience. Therefore, preventive measures after vacation trips or visits to flea markets are urgently recommended.

    tips

    A female bed bug lays up to 300 eggs in her lifetime, which develop into sexually mature insects within six weeks. Acting quickly when there is a suspicion is extremely important.

    What Attracts Bed Bugs

    Although scientific evidence is lacking, bed bugs are thought to be attracted to carbon dioxide. Higher concentrations in human breath and other excreted substances, the so-called kairomone, are said to lure the pests out of their hiding places at night. Bed bugs seem to prefer clothes that have already been worn to freshly washed clothes.

    How to protect yourself:

    • Do not place suitcases on the floor or next to the bed
    • Wash clothes at at least 60 degrees after the trip
    • Thoroughly inspect used items from flea markets for traces

    Heat and cold treatment

    If only individual items of clothing are infested or suspected, they can be packed in bags and put in the freezer

    Infested furniture or clothing can be treated with heat or cold. Pack CDs, wooden frames or books in a plastic bag and freeze them at -18 degrees for at least three days. Adult insects, larvae and eggs also die at temperatures of 50 to 60 degrees. In summer it is advisable to place packed items directly in the sun. The contents heat up so much that the pests have no chance of surviving.

    tips

    If the sub-zero temperatures in winter allow it, you can leave your textiles and mattresses on the balcony or terrace for a few days.

    Bean plant as a trap

    The leaves of the bean plant have microscopic hairs that snag on bed bug legs. If an insect crawls over the leaf, the so-called trichomes wrap themselves around the extremities like Velcro. With further movements, the sharp tips of the hook-shaped hairs bore into the legs, so that the bugs can no longer free themselves.

    Bean leaves have been used as a means of catching bed bugs in the Balkans for centuries. In the morning, the leaves are burned along with the insects.

    frequently asked Questions

    What are typical signs of a bed bug infestation?

    Those affected often show stitches on uncovered parts of the body such as legs and arms, which are red and about the size of the nail of the little finger. These bites are itchy and appear flat. Drop-like spots on the skin caused by bed bug droppings are typical. The insects secrete watery excretions while eating. These can also be seen on pajamas or wallpaper. Clothing is usually spared, as the crawling animals find it difficult to move on the fabric.

    What does a bed bug bite look like?

    Bed bug bites leave many red pustules

    The insects prefer to look for exposed areas of skin. They often sting several times in a row and suck blood. However, it is a myth that puncture marks are arranged in a line. The pustules can appear distributed over a large area on the skin. Depending on the person, the appearance varies from punctate blisters to large areas. Mosquito bites occasionally look similar if the insects have bitten multiple times. Therefore, the appearance and arrangement of the puncture wounds are not clear indications of a confirmed bed bug infestation.

    Are bed bug bites dangerous?

    The pests do not play a major role as disease vectors. Experiments showed that the insects carry almost 30 different pathogens. Researchers also found hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HI viruses among them. Since the pathogens do not multiply in the bugs, they are not infectious. Infections occur randomly:

    • Pathogens enter the body by crushing the bugs via injuries
    • Contact between skin wounds and infectious exudates
    • if the suction process is interrupted, half-digested material with viruses can get into the wound

    How can I fight bed bugs?

    Due to the health risks of chemical control agents, physical methods are becoming increasingly important. Diatomaceous earth is widely spread in typical insect hiding places. The sharp-edged particles destroy the wax layer of the chitin shell, causing the bugs to die from dehydration. Thermal treatment helps against eggs and adult pests. At least 46 degrees, the insects die after seven minutes. Rooms are usually heated to 55 degrees for 24 hours so that the critical temperature is also reached in the corners and gaps.

    • Laundry should be washed at 45 degrees
    • at 40 degrees about a quarter of all eggs die
    • in the tumble dryer, the best possible results are achieved with a running time of 30 minutes

    In addition to heat treatment, exposure to cold can help. Bed linen and textiles can be placed in the freezer at a temperature of -17 degrees for at least 120 minutes. The more clothes you treat in this way, the longer you should freeze the laundry. Three days is recommended to kill all eggs and bugs.

    How can I protect myself from bed bugs?

    The pests often get into your own four walls through flea market items. To determine whether pieces of furniture are infested, you should place them with your feet in raised containers. Smooth walls or water prevent the animals from crawling out of the containers. There are special collection coasters that resemble an ashtray and have an additional recessed ring around a central trough. The indentation acts as a trap for the insects. If the walls are dusted with talcum powder, the trap effect is intensified.

Category:

Animals in the garden