Life Cycle of Bed Bugs: One female bed bug may produce up to 500 offspring during its lifetime,

and three generations can live per year. Egg The female bed bug lays her eggs, usually in clusters of less than 50. She uses a sticky substance to glue her eggs to rough surfaces. The eggs hatch in 1-2 weeks. Nymph The nymph must consume a substantial amount of blood before it can moult. It moults 5 times to reach adulthood. In warmer temperatures, the nymph stage may last for 3 weeks; in cooler temperatures, nymphs may take many months to mature. Adult Adult bed bugs live about 10 months, though some may live substantially longer.

How It Is Spread Bed bugs depend on humans, pets, or other animals for their food. Therefore, a suitable host must be available for regular meal of blood, which is why they are found in homes. Bed bugs locate their warm-blooded hosts by detecting exhaled carbon dioxide. They can also sense warmth and moisture from the bodies of potential victims. Bed bugs usually target the neck, arms, hands and chest area when they feed. The bites are almost harmless but are very itchy and irritating. The bite marks quickly become red and spot like, similar to a rash, and disappear on their own within one to two weeks. Bed bugs hide in the folds, crevices, and seams of upholstered furniture and mattresses. They also reside in other bedroom items such as windows, pictures, mouldings, nearby furniture, loose wallpaper, etc.

Treatment of Bed Bugs: The removal of the rash/bite marks can be sped up by using: A skin cream containing hydrocortisone. An oral antihistamine, such as Benadryl. Avoid scratching as this can cause infection. If the rash originates from constant scratching, a doctor might prescribe an oral antibiotic.

Prevention of Bed Bugs:

Remove all clutter from your home, which will make finding bed bugs easier. Wash and dry your bed linens often using the hottest temperature allowed for the fabric. Closely inspect any second-hand furniture for bed bugs before you bring it into your residence. Inspect your residence regularly after a move-in, a trip, a service worker comes in, or guests stay overnight. Vacuum crevices, beds, sofas, etc. Seal cracks and crevices with caulking even if bed bugs arent present in your home, this will prevent them from entering.

Reference:
http://www.orkin.com/other/bed-bugs/ http://bedbugsinfo.ca/ http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/158065.php http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/bedbugs/ds00663/dsection=treatments-and-drugs http://insects.about.com/od/truebugs/p/Clectularius.htm