07.20.08
Exhausted after being Bitten, Food for Thought!
I am a CPO and Bed Bug Researcher in Florida, I have been researching and raising colonies of BBs for quite a long time after my first encounter with them seven years ago.
I have a Bed Bug Dog and as part of the upkeep of the training I feed vials of BBs for the dog to search. The reason that I let these bugs feed on me is because my Dog is trained to find Bed Bugs that feed on humans. Some companies keep live BBs and feed them on a rabbit or rat or any other animal but there is little research that is done to find out if this changes the smell of the insect or their feces. The research that I have done myself points to the fact that it does not, because my dog will alert to insects that have been fed on animals or humans. However, when I offer a service to the public I want to be sure that my dog is searching for BBS that are feeding on humans, and that there is little variable or room for error. This brings me to my research observation. After feeding a vial of Bed Bugs containing about 30 insects the normal reactions start in about 3 hours and become very itchy and red over the next day and continue for about a week. Starting on the First day after feeding, I am almost overwhelmed with a feeling of exhaustion that last for and average of 3 to 4 days. I have performed many tests on the exhaustion theory and end up with the same results each time. I have even refrained from feeding the BBs for a 3 week period and as soon as I feed again, here comes the exhaustion. It is so very noticeable that I find myself yawning all day, Have no energy, and find myself taking naps in the middle of the day. After the 3 to 4 days the effect wears off and I am back to normal. My age has little to do with it for I am 35 years old and always on the go. In all my Bed Bug treatments and Detections, the usual response that I get from the homeowner or renter that are dealing with Bed Bugs, aside from the obvious itchy bites, is that they are Tired! I know that this could be from many psycho somatic factors such as not sleeping because something is eating them as well as all of the other symptoms that go along with not sleeping. But as for me, my bites are controlled. There is not loss of sleep associated with the bites because the insects are not in my bed, there is no feeling of helplessness or lack of knowledge do to relying on a Pest Control Company to get rid of them. My bites are completely controlled, and the same results are present “Exhaustion”. I have ruled out anemia on my part for the amount of blood given to the insects is not great in amount. I am very interested in your reader’s opinions as to this phenomenon. My personal opinion that along with the anti-coagulant and anesthetic there is a chemical or reaction of the two chemicals that when injected as the bite occurs it is designed to make the host want to sleep more. It only stands to reason, that if the host is exhausted and wants to sleep more, than there is more time for the insects to feed. I would also be interested in knowing if some of these animals that are subject to Bed Bug bites sleep more after being bitten. I have not ruled out that this is only my reaction to the bites, but the majority of Bed Bug Victims that I have personally surveyed; tell me a story of complete exhaustion after multiple bites. Literally Food For Thought!
Sincerely,
bedbugfinders.com
