Bathroom Talk

Scabies

Can be extremely itchy. The word “scabies” is actually used to refer to both the disease-an intense itching skin rash-and the cause, a tiny mite invisible to the naked eye. It is known by the scientific name of Sarcoptes scabei. These mites burrow tunnels into the surface of the host’s skin to deposit their eggs. The eggs hatch into larvae that live and burrow under the skin, eventually maturing into adult mites that stay in your skin for about a month. The mites can be found in carpets and sheets, as well as recently worn clothes and towels from an infected person.

Bedbugs

The common bedbug is a parasite that feeds off the blood of humans. These bugs are big enough to be seen without a microscope-they grow to a length of about 4-5 millimeters. They’re generally active just before dawn, although they’ve been observed feeding at all times of day. Their bite causes a raised, white welt that can be intensely itchy and painful. They typically try to feed every five to eighteen days, although they can live for up to a year without feeding if they enter a dormant stage. Bedbugs often live in bedsheets and mattresses, where they come in frequent contact with human skin. Many people inadvertently bring bedbugs back to their houses after staying in infested hotels and motels.

Fleas

There are many different types of fleas. Some thrive on pets, some on humans, and some can pass easily between both hosts. They feed off the blood of their hosts, leaving swollen, itchy red bites on the skin. Fleas are very difficult to eradicate; for every one flea you find on your body or that of your pet, there are hundreds more living in your carpet, clothes, furniture, and bedding. Eradicating a flea infestation often requires homeowners to wash all clothes and bedding in the house, treat all pets with anti-flea medication, and bomb the house with flea-killing pesticides. This process may have to be repeated several times before the fleas are all killed

House dust mites

These mites feed on shed human skin, and they are visible under a magnifying glass. They can survive in almost any climate, and they live for about twenty to thirty days. Dust mites produce fecal matter containing enzymes that are harmful to humans. They are a frequent cause of asthma; other signs your house has dust mites include watery or itchy eyes, eczema, runny noses, hay fever, sneezing and clogged lungs

Mold mites

Like house dust mites, the fecal matter of these mites can be mildly to moderately poisonous to humans. These mites typically feed on mold, and they can be found on cheeses, in furniture, in cereal boxes, and in other stored dry foods. They thrive in areas of high humidity, and the longer you keep foods infested with mold mites, the more difficult they will be to eradicate.

Skin beetles

Also known as carpet beetles, these bugs are attracted to other dead bugs-they’re a food source. They are likely to be attracted to homes where organic materials-meat, skin detritus, dead bugs, natural fibers, and other plant and animal matter-are available. While they are typically not harmful to humans, they can cause serious damage to anything made of wood, cloth, or other natural materials. They sometimes enter homes from birds’ nests built into the houses’ eaves or nearby trees.

Odorous house ants

These ants are often called “coconut ants” because, when crushed, their bodies emit a rotten-coconut scent. They are often found trailing in long lines across counters, tables and floors, foraging for food. They eat living and dead insects and household foods, especially foods that contain sugar. They can contaminate stored foods and are very difficult to get rid of once they are found foraging inside a house in large numbers.

House flies

Just about everybody gets them. And if you’re located in an area where it gets cold in the winter, you probably see them much more frequently in the cold months-that’s because in cold environments, these flies can live only in heated homes. Yes, they’re common pests-but did you know they’re also dangerous disease-carriers? Household flies have been known to carry hundreds of different germs and diseases, including typhoid, cholera, anthrax, dysentery, and tuberculosis.

Tags: bathroom, bugs, dirty, insects, itch, wash

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 28th, 2009 at 11:51 am and is filed under Bizzare, Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.