Bed Bug Facts

• Bed bugs have 5 immature stages. Each stage must consume a blood meal to develop into the next stage. Adult bed bugs must have regular blood meals in order to keep producing eggs.
• Adult bed bugs are flat and reddish brown in color. They are the size and color of an apple seed.
• Nymphs, or immature bed bugs, are yellowish in color and semi-transparent. Immature bed bugs range from the size of this comma (,) to the size of this zero (0).
• Eggs are very tiny, pearl white in color and about the size of this comma (,). You can see their red eyes developing at the age of 5 days.
• When bed bugs are not feeding (typically during the daylight hours) they gather together in groups.
• Bed bugs feed only on blood. They may probe your skin several times with their mouth parts before settling in to feed.
• Female bed bugs will begin laying eggs within a day or two of feeding and mating. Eggs will hatch in 6 to 9 days and, with access to regular blood meals, nymphs will continue to develop.
• Adult bed bugs will mate very soon after feeding.
• Seeing and identifying live bed bugs is the most obvious indicator of a bed bug problem.
• Immature bed bugs have to shed their skin in order to grow. Sometimes the shed skins are the only bed bug evidence you will find, (not the bugs themselves).
• Each person reacts differently to bed bug bites. Skin reactions are not the best way to identify bed bugs.
• Bed bugs feed on blood and then excrete it as feces. This feces is a common indicator of a bed bug presence.
• Storing furniture or bringing home used furniture is a common way to get bed bugs.
• Friends and family coming to visit may also have hitchhiking bed bugs on their belongings.
• Bed bugs can get from your neighbor's home to your home by climbing thru wall voids.

Bottom line…. bed bug infestations are a serious problem for any home owner or business.  If you think you have bed bugs contact your local pest control professional.  

Click here to learn more about bed bug control.