Can A Black Light See Bed Bugs?: The Power Of A Black Light

Reading this article, you will come to discover that the human eye has certain weaknesses in that it has certain natural disabilities.

Black light in a dark room will show dark purple to the human eye, but the truth is it actually emits other ultraviolet lights that remain invisible to the eye.

Will this light, however, be effective in spotting bed bugs? Can a black light see bed bugs? Let us now find out below!

 

Can a Black Light See Bed Bugs?

Can a black light see bed bugs? Yes, a black light can see bed bugs if used in the proper way and purchased from a trusted source such as Amazon.

It should, however, be noted that relying solely on the black light to see bed bugs cannot always be certain, as not all bed bugs may be seen under the black light. This means that this method may not be effective in getting rid of these pests.

Besides using a black light to see bed bugs, there are other straightforward methods that can be used to eliminate these pests. These include:

• Vacuuming
• Steaming
• Treatment

You’ll find these methods explained in detail in our previous article.

 

How Can a Black Light See Bed Bugs?

Black light is no different from any other light source unless its location on the light spectrum which is quite different from normal light.

Black light radiation lies between visible light and X-rays along the electromagnetic spectrum. Its wavelength is between about 10 and 400 nanometers.

You may purchase this device from Amazon and begin to wonder why you’re not seeing any light projecting from it. Well, you should note that the naked human eye cannot see black light as it has a higher wavelength compared to visible light.

There is, however, a slight possibility of seeing the emitted light from a black light, but this light will appear to be dark purple or blue, as this is the only possible wavelength (color) your eye can see.

Knowing how the black light works will help you know how to use it to find bed bugs and how to use it to your advantage against them.

The black light may not kill bed bugs, but it will definitely help you detect an early infestation and trigger you to prevent it immediately.

In our previous article, we mentioned that these bugs are nocturnal insects, meaning that they are most active during the day. This is because their hosts will be at rest by this time.

They are also uncomfortable in light, as this will clearly expose them, so they basically go into hiding during the day.

How then can a black light see bed bugs? This is easy; the black light may not spot the bed bug directly, but it will identify the trails that will lead to the hiding spot of this bug.

This device is a necessity, as it helps detect these pests before and after an infestation.

 

Read also: Can Bed Bugs Live In The Bathroom?: Good/Bad Harboring Space

 

How To Use Black Light To Find Bed Bugs

Bed bugs, as seen in our articles about them, are nasty pests that pose a great health risk to many homeowners who have encountered them.

After inspecting your home and discovering that you are under an infestation attack of bed bugs, it is important that you find their hiding spots in order to get rid of them completely.

Below are steps to use the black light effectively to find bed bugs (or their trails):

1. Remove your bedding to ensure proper inspection.
2. Switch on your black light.
3. Run the black light through the corner seams of your mattress.
4. Follow the trails, and it will lead you to the culprit bed bug.

Bed bugs sometimes leave trails that do not require the black light. These trails include:

• Feces that look like blood stains (your blood, of course).
• Shed skin.

Following these simple steps should help you identify the possible hiding spots of bed bugs and help you eliminate them.

 

Read also: Can Fumigation Kill Bed Bugs?: The Necessity Of This Process

 

Conclusion

The black light may be used to detect bed bugs and their hiding spots, but it should be noted that it is not really an effective method of detecting these pests. Below are a few defects that should be noted about this device:

• The black light cannot kill bed bugs
• Bed bugs are nocturnal light-haters, meaning that they will avoid any rays of light, including black light.

This method of inspecting bed bugs will, however, place them in conditions that will make them visible for elimination by displaying their trails and leading to their hiding spots.

What do you think of the black light? Do you think the black light is effective in identifying bed bugs? Have you used it before? Let us know your experience in the comments section below!

About The Author