Bed bugs: How to prevent an infestation in your home
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Bed bugs can leave painful bites on your skin, and you may not even know that you have an infestation. Just a small number of bed bugs can suddenly lead to a huge number of insects living in your bedroom, which is why it’s crucial to be aware of the key signs – including their smell.
Bed bugs are tiny parasitic insects that tend to live in bedding or around the bed frame.
Despite their name, they don’t necessarily just leave on the bed, and they can actually be found in all rooms of the house.
They usually hide away during the day, and then come out at night to feed.
They slowly crawl onto any exposed areas of skin, and then suck on blood for food.
One of the most common warning signs of a bed bugs infestation is the smell.
There are several different types of smell that could signal an infestation, but none of them are pleasant.
The scent gland of bed bugs tend to produce a smell that is similar to coriander seeds, according to exterminator Arrow.
Coriander seeds emit a musty, sweet smell that’s been likened to a severe build-up of bed bugs.
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Some people have also described bed bugs as smell like spoiled raspberries, it said.
It could even be easily confused for marzipan or almonds, but it’s almost always musky.
A very heavy infestation may produce a minty smell – but that’s only if it’s been around for a long time.
Either way, if you notice any strange smells coming from around the home, you should consider checking your house for any other signs of bed bugs.
“If you have an infestation of bed bugs you may begin to notice your home smells like mouldy shoes or wet mouldy clothes,” said Arrow. “The smell is not pleasant.
“Although not all people smell the bed bugs similarly, coriander or cilantro seems to be a common description.
“However, not everyone describes a smell when encountering bed bug infestations. It isn’t always the same experience for everyone.
“Although it is not likely that a few bed bugs living in an area will be smelled, it is pretty common that a large infestation may be noticed by the smell it emanates.”
Often the first signs of a bed bug infestation are spotting their distinctive bites on the skin.
The bites tend to be red and very itchy, and they’re usually found in a line across the skin.
If you think that you have bed bugs, you should contact your local pest control service.
If you don’t eradicate all of the bed bugs from your home, they may come back again in the future.
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