Seeing a bed bug is the surest and usually last noticed sign of a pest problem. However, bed bugs’ appearance varies in different stages of their development which makes them easily mistaken for other insects.
If you’ve found an insect on your bed, don’t panic just yet.
Continue reading this post to learn how to recognise those blood-sucking creatures.
So, what do bed bugs appear like to the human eye?
To the naked human eye, bed bugs will appear as follows:
ADULTS
The common adult bed bug looks like a baby cockroach, it’s the size of an apple seed - up to 5mm in size. It is light to reddish-brown in colour and has an oval, flat body when not fed. Bed bugs are wingless insects, they have 2 antennae and 6 legs that are not longer than their bodies. Each leg is around 1/2 of the total body length.
Both adults and nymphs’ bodies bulge, just like mosquitoes’ do when they’ve had a blood meal. Their size can increase 1-2 times, depending on the bug. Bed bugs need blood to survive and moult which is why they settle near people in the first place. You can easily spot adult bugs around the mattress, the box spring and the headboard.
NYMPHS
The tiny baby bed bugs, also known as nymphs, are translucent tan in colour but turn opaque with maturity, after each moult. They moult a total of five times before reaching adulthood. Nymphs are no larger than a sesame seed. When fed, nymphs turn bright red due to all of the digested blood, this makes them easy to identify when noticed. However, their tiny size is the most likely reason why an infestation remains unrecognized for several weeks, allowing the bugs to grow and multiply.
BED BUG EGGS
Bed bug eggs are whitish, the size of a poppy seed and have the form of an elongated capsule. In theory, you can see eggs with a naked eye but because of their miniature size, it’s quite difficult to recognise them if you’re not a professional. If you are inspecting a room, make sure to use a flashlight and a magnifying glass.
Bed bug eggs stick to the surface they were laid on, so removal techniques such as vacuuming are not an option if you were to remove them from a surface. Instead, try some of the other methods that do work.
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Call usAre bed bugs visible in all stages of their development?
Technically speaking, yes, however, they do a pretty good job at hiding. This makes it difficult to spot the insects, especially during the day when they aren’t that active. Why aren't they active, you ask? Because bed bugs attempt to stay out of sight in order not to be squashed by you.
Instead of looking for a specimen, focus your efforts on pinpointing the different tell-tale signs of an infestation.
Finding any of these is a sure sign of an advanced bed bug problem.
Check also: Bugs that Look Like Bed Bugs
What do bed bugs look like on a mattress?
- Rusty or reddish spots caused by crushed bed bugs;
- Little dark spots the size of a pen mark which may bleed to the fabric, just like inc does. Those are bed bugs excrements;
You can also inspect the crevices and fabric folds of the mattress for:
- Eggs, eggshells, and cast skins which nymphs leave behind when moulting;
- Adult bed bugs and nymphs.
Read more: How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs
Why bed bug bites aren’t a sure sign of infestation?
Although bites are one sign of bed bug presence, they sure aren’t a conclusive one. This is due to a number of reasons:
Baby bed bugs are known as nymphs. Bed bugs undergo three stages of development. They begin as eggs, hatch into nymphs, and then molt five times to become adults.
These pests lay their sticky eggs on the secluded parts of objects like mattresses, behind headboards, couches and other objects close to sleeping quarters. The eggs hatch into tiny sesame sized whitish baby bed bugs in about six to ten days.
They molt five times before becoming adults and a blood meal is required for each of the molts. Nymphs can survive without blood for up to three to six months.
What Do Baby Bed Bugs Look Like?
Fully-grown bed bugs are about the size of an apple seed and dark brown or red in colour. A baby bed bug looks like a smaller version of the adult. Though tiny, they are usually visible to the naked eye, becoming bigger each time they molt.
Where Do Baby Bed Bugs Live?
Baby bed bugs live in the same harbourage sites as adults. In a typical home, there are many different harbourage sites where they can hide.
Because of their flat shape, the pests can easily hide in tight areas, making them difficult to spot. Homeowners may commonly find nymphs and eggs in the following places:
- Inside furniture, mattress crevices or box springs
- Behind picture frames, headboards, or baseboards
- Under peeling wallpaper
- Inside electrical outlets or cracks in flooring
The pests are typically active at night and favour areas close to where people sleep. They are attracted to body heat, odour and the carbon dioxide emitted by their hosts.
Do Baby Bed Bugs Bite?
As soon as a nymph hatches, it must feed on blood to stay alive, develop and molt to the next stage. For this reason, a baby bed bug will bite people.
As the insects develop, they can go several weeks without feeding. Baby bed bugs feed more frequently and for shorter durations than adult bed bugs.
Prevention
To keep bed bugs out of the house, inspect all second-hand clothing and furniture before bringing these items inside. The pests may also be introduced into a home via personal belongings or luggage after a stay in an infested hotel.
Homeowners who spot eggs, adults, or baby bed bugs can contact the specialists at Orkin Canada for safe and efficient removal.