ARIZONA, USA — It's disturbing and it's close to home. Thousands of bed bugs were recently found in two infestations that happened right here in Arizona. One of these "massive" infestations was in Sun City while the other was in Scottsdale.
Burns Pest Eliminations was the company called in to deal with the situation. A representative for the company shared pictures of what the infestations looked like with 12News.
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Pictures of the infestations
These images of the parasitic insects will haunt your dreams.
In one picture, you can see hundreds of bed bugs found under a mattress. In another, the pests are piled an inch deep in the floor. Another shows them all over a wall.
Sun City infestation
In Sun City the pests were found living under a king-sized bed.
The representative didn't provide the specific location where the infestation happened but said the population was so extensive that it was under almost the entire bed.
Scottsdale infestation
The Scottsdale infestation, also at an undisclosed location, was even worse, the representative said.
There, bed bugs were an inch deep on the floor. It was estimated that there were around 10,000 of the pests.
But what are bed bugs exactly?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, bed bugs, or Cimex lectularius, are small, flat, parasitic insects that feed solely on the blood of people and animals while they sleep.
The Environmental Protection Agency said it is best to find a bed bug infestation early before it becomes established or spreads.
Bed bugs can be persistent and if you move they can come with you.
The EPA even described them as hitchhikers because of their ability to relocate.
"They can move from an infested site to a new home by traveling on furniture, bedding, luggage, boxes and clothing," the agency said on its website.
The bites
One telling sign of bed bugs is bite marks they leave on the face, neck, arms, hands or any other body parts.
The bites will likely happen while a person is sleeping, the CDC said.
You might not even know it if a bed bug bites you.
"When bed bugs bite, they inject an anesthetic and an anticoagulant that prevents a person from realizing they are being bitten," the CDC said on its website.
For treatment of bites, the CDC said to avoid scratching the area, apply antiseptic creams and take an antihistamine.
Finding them and getting rid of them
Bed bugs might be hard to spot if they are in your home.
The CDC said to check these places for an infestation:
- In the seams of chairs and couches, between cushions, in the folds of curtains.
- In drawer joints.
- In electrical receptacles and appliances.
- Under loose wallpaper and wall hangings.
- At the junction where the wall and the ceiling meet.
- Even in the head of a screw.
A sweet musty odor can also accompany a bed bug infestation, the CDC said.
They can also be hard to get rid of.
You likely won't be able to wait for them to starve to death if they are in your house, the EPA said.
"They are capable of surviving several months to a year without feeding," according to the EPA.
The CDC said the best way to prevent bed bugs is regular inspection for the signs of an infestation.
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