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Prevent Bedbugs With These Simple Tips

By Augustina Okpechi
09 October 2018   |   4:00 pm
For the past few months, hostels of universities across Nigeria were plagued with the raid of bedbugs. As a result, students had to leave their hostels to seek temporary accommodation. While those who were lucky enough to have friends who lived off campus had options, others who weren’t so lucky had to wait it out…

For the past few months, hostels of universities across Nigeria were plagued with the raid of bedbugs. As a result, students had to leave their hostels to seek temporary accommodation. While those who were lucky enough to have friends who lived off campus had options, others who weren’t so lucky had to wait it out and this involved having bed bugs as roommates.

And to each one, there was a conspiracy theory on why there was an infestation: while some blamed it on the dirty state of the hostel, some roommates bickered amongst themselves on who needed to pay more attention to personal hygiene.

Bedbug bite. Photo: Bedbug treatment

These theories only show us that there is a lot about beg bugs we should know. Here are some of them:

Dirty environment

Living in a dirty environment is not a prerogative for them to dwell with you. Neither does being wealthy or poor. Although it does count for control measures, what matters is that there is blood feed in the area.

More people, more bedbugs

Bedbugs are more common in places where there is congestion of people. A hostel is a place where many people that live within, so are the people that come around. It could be anybody.

There are female and male bedbugs

Following the fact that bedbugs increase rapidly, people are of the notion that there are just female bugs are asexual. Contrary to that thought, the female bedbugs need the male bedbugs and are capable of laying one to twelve eggs per day which takes approximately six to seventeen days to hatch.

Bedbugs are hard to get rid of. Although the best way to control it is is to bring in a pest control professional, here are a few things you can do:

  • Avoid clustering of furniture to give them a little hiding place
  • Be careful when you travel; bedbugs are good hitchhikers. Check your luggage on arrival

While bedbugs have not been known to transmit any diseases, health issues that could arise from bedbugs range from infection to allergies and insomnia.

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