I woke up one day and saw a lot of microscopic white grains on my bed. I didn’t panic at first. I just thought, “Oh great, my husband must have spilled some rice while eating in bed again.”
I was going to brush them away without thinking twice… But I couldn’t do it.
I leaned closer to see better. These “grains” were glossy, tiny, and oval in shape. The longer I looked, the more concerned I got. Then it happened: one of them moved. 🐜
My stomach dropped. When I grabbed up my phone and typed in every word that came to mind, I started to shake. A few scary minutes later, the truth was right in front of me on the television.
They weren’t rice. They were bedbug eggs. 🪳
What I learned about bedbug eggs
They are really little, at about 1 millimeter long.
They
Female bedbugs lay their eggs in locations that are hard to find, like the seams of mattresses, behind baseboards, in cracks in wooden furniture, and even in screw holes.
These eggs hatch into baby bedbugs (nymphs) in 6 to 10 days, and they start consuming blood right away. 🩸
Bedbugs don’t spread serious diseases, but their bites might make you feel:
Swelling and itching
Allergy reactions 🤧
Skin irritation
It makes you anxious and keeps you up at night to know they’re in your bed.
How They Get Inside:
They could ride in your luggage if you stay in a motel or use public transportation.
Things that have been used: Problems can happen if you don’t thoroughly look over old furniture, clothes, or bedding before taking them home. Pests can get into apartments or buildings with shared spaces through holes in the walls, outlets, or ventilation systems.
🧼 How to Get Rid of Them (Before They Take Over)
Pay special attention to the cracks, seams, and joints in the furniture and walls while you clean your home.
Put the bag outside right soon after you vacuum it properly.
Use hot water (at least 60°C / 140°F) to wash all of your clothes, blankets, and other items. After that, dry them on high heat.
Use steam to clean your baseboards, beds, couches, and rugs.
Call a pest control firm to get rid of bedbugs because they are hard to do on your own.
Now I know that I was just a few days away from a full-blown infestation. If I hadn’t paid notice to those “grains” that morning, my house may have been full with them in less than two weeks. 🕷️
Don’t think that something that looks like rice in your bed is nourishment. Look more closely. Your future self will thank you.
