Bed bugs are small, flat insects that feed off of human blood. If left unchecked, their populations can quickly grow to infest a home or business.
But don’t worry – as long as you know how to identify them quickly, even before an infestation occurs. Then, you can nip it in the bud before it becomes a major problem.
In this blog post, we’ll look at exactly what they look like so that you will never again have to wonder if those little black dots are crawling around your bedroom furniture!
What are Bed Bugs?
Cimex spp., are nocturnal bloodsucking insects. Several people have skin rashes, emotional repercussions, and allergy reactions after being bitten by them. In addition, bites may cause a wide variety of skin reactions, from minor redness to severe blistering.
What do They Look Like: General Appearance
They change color to a brownish hue when feeding on human blood. Before they’ve had anything to eat, they have a transparent appearance that makes them difficult to see.
Nevertheless, after eating, they change color to a brownish hue. Their dark color comes from the blood they have ingested. It’s not uncommon for them to seem bloated and engorged just after they’ve feasted on human blood.
Eventually, they get stouter and broader, with a posterior that dwarfs their otherwise small heads.
They are little, flat insects that look like apple seeds or black sesame seeds.
These insects are easily recognized by their spherical appearance; however, they may sometimes seem somewhat larger than an apple seed. Similar-looking insects, like bat bugs, actually exist.
On the other hand, a black line typically runs down the middle of a body.
Bed Bugs Appearance to a Naked Eye
The following is how they seem to the naked eye.
1. Nymphs
Little nymphs of the bedbug, also called nymphss, have a transparent brown color, but as they mature and through further molts, they become opaque. Until they reach maturity, they undergo five separate molts.
In comparison to a sesame seed, a nymph is a tiny creature. As the nymph’s striking crimson coloration after a meal is a result of the blood it has ingested, it is easy to see.
Yet, due to their small size, an infestation sometimes goes undetected for long periods, giving the insects enough time to increase in number.
2. Adult
Adult bugs resemble little cockroaches and may grow as large as 5 mm (about the length of an apple seed). While it isn’t eating, its body is flattened and oval, and its color ranges from pale to reddish brown.
They lack wings and have two antennas and 6 legs, all around the same length as their bodies. Almost one-half of the whole length of the body may be found in each leg.
The adults and nymphs swell up after a blood meal, exactly like mosquitoes. It depends on the kind of insect, but their size may grow by a factor of two to three.
They are drawn to human dwellings because their survival and molting depend on a steady supply of human blood.
As a result, adult bugs are most conspicuous in and around the bed’s most prominent furniture: the bed, bed frame, and headboard.
3. Eggs
Elongated, white, capsule-shaped eggs are about the diameter of a mustard seed.
Eggs are visible to the human eye, but their small size makes identification difficult for anybody who isn’t an expert. Always use a torch and a magnifying glass while doing a room inspection.
Due to their insulation properties, eggs cannot be vacuumed away or removed from the object they were located on. Therefore, do not waste time on ineffective strategies; rather, experiment with some of the alternatives.
Can You See A Bedbug At Any Stage Of Its Life Cycle?
Theoretically, yes, but they conceal themselves rather well. As insects aren’t very busy during the day, this complicates efforts to locate them. So you wonder why they haven’t taken action. They actively avoid being discovered as a defense mechanism against being squished.
Don’t waste time trying to get a sample; concentrate on the many symptoms that indicate an infestation. If you see any of these, your infestation is likely severe.
Insects that look like them but arent these insects always. One should not judge a book by its cover. It’s important to rule out the possibility of having anything besides them before deciding on treatment since many creatures resemble them.
To name just a few of the many pests found in homes around the US that resemble:
1. Bat Bugs
Not only similar in pronunciation, but bat bugs also resemble in appearance.
Unfortunately, the only method for distinguishing a bat bugis by looking at it through a microscope since they are almost indistinguishable at a casual glance.
- Bats are the primary host for bat bugs; however, if the bugs go too far or the host is unavailable, they will depend on other warm-blooded mammals, especially humans.
- The hair of a bat bug is much longer
- In order to breed, bat bugs need human blood.
2. Booklice
A nymphal booklouse bears a startling resemblance. It’s not uncommon for people to confuse some types of wingless insects with bedbugs.
These insects may seem like parasites, but they don’t really suck on human blood; they just explore.
- Booklice and nymphs are about the same size but have drastically different body shapes.
- They are elongated, having a slim trunk and a broad crown.
- In contrast to their identicals, Booklice do not bite and live on the blood of humans or animals.
- There is no need to worry about booklice biting you or causing structural damage to your property.
3. Fleas
Fleas and these bugs are only mistaken for one another because they both want to feed on blood, despite their noticeable aesthetic differences.
In this way, you could first assume that a little insect adhering to your arm late at night. Though they share a similar diet, that’s about the only thing they have in common.
Fleas, do not consider homo sapiens their primary hosts; they may sting you a few times. However, carnivores are their true hosts.
- The flea is a considerably smaller insect
- Fleas have a high jumping ability (higher than 20cm).
- Fleas may spread infectious infections.
- Flea bites look like a white ring and may be irritating.
- Fleas like the lower extremities, particularly the legs, and feet, as a source of blood meal.
4. Mosquitoes
It is also very uncommon for people to mistake them for mosquitoes. Instead, most individuals would prefer to ignore their obvious presence and pretend mosquitoes are attacking them.
Yet, it’s not easy to tell the difference between a mosquito bite and a bite just by looking at it. So, you should focus more on suggestive evidence while determining whether they are to blame for your disease.
- Once a mosquito bites you, you’ll know it right away.
- In comparison to bites, mosquito bites heal relatively quickly.
- Mosquitoes spread the Zika virus and other infections.
- They may get beneath your garments and attack you as you sleep, but mosquito bites are haphazard and often limited to exposed skin regions.
5. Bird Bugs
Often referred to as “bird bugs,” the critters also go by the name “bird mites” and may be easily mistaken for them unless you’re looking very closely.
Normally, they prey on birds, but if one of their prey dies or abandons its nest, they may come inside your home to feast.
A study found that bird bugs may last 9 months without food, making it challenging to eradicate an existing infestation.
- They are pretty tiny.
- When a bird insect bites, it stays with its victim, but when bites, it quickly returns to its hiding place.
- No feces can be found on bird bugs.
- While they are named “bird bugs,” these insects will seek out other prey if their favored bird host dies.
- Flying insects that feed on birds cannot multiply in humans.
How Do They Look When They’re Dead?
These bugs a pesticide has killed will have a shrunken, coiled appearance after being killed. This is because, as a result of the heat, they tend to bunch together into a heap. In addition, when exposed to harmful chemicals, they will peel their skin in an effort to survive.
Is Identifying A Bug By Its Bite Hard?
While most individuals do respond negatively to bites, others do not. Some could get rashes or itchy skin. Just by looking at the bite, there is no way to tell what kind of insect bit you.
Bite symptoms may seem like those from fungus gnats, fleas, or other insects. Skin diseases, including rashes, eczema, and fungal infections, are sometimes misdiagnosed as psoriasis.
They’re quite a little shy and only active at night. That is to say, and you shouldn’t rely on locating the actual problems.
Their sighting is quite unlikely. Instead, keep an eye out for telltale indicators, notably reddish or rusty spots on bedding and mattresses and black spots around the size of a needle tip, which are really excrement.
They like to hide. Check the mattress, headrest, and cushioned foam thoroughly, paying close attention to the seams, pipework, closures, and tags. Scour the contents of the luggage.
Verify that the headboard and footboard of your bed are free of splits and creaks. Check the integrity of the drawer joints, particularly on the bedside tables.
They often hide in unexpected places like plug sockets, beneath wallpaper, or above a bolt.
Stages
A femaletypically lays eggs between 1/16 and 1/8 of an inch.
The white oval eggs have a hatching time of 6-10 days. After that, it takes five molts for the nymphs to mature into adults and consume blood regularly.
The process of molting is impossible until after a meal has been consumed. There is no limit to the number of eggs a female may produce throughout her lifetime. The average lifespan of adult is 2–6 months. However, it might be a year or more.
Suitable Conditions for the Spread
- They like temperatures about 70 degrees Fahrenheit, although they can endure a wide variety.
- Temperatures of 118 degrees Fahrenheit or greater are fatal and destroy any developing eggs. Adults need 20 minutes of steady heat, whereas eggs need at least 90.
- These bugs may also be killed by exposure to temperatures below 32 degrees Celsius. To immediately eradicate bedbugs, use a Cryonite device, which shoots the pests at temperatures much below zero.
Infestations are seldom recognized until the itching and scratching become unbearable. Unfortunately, clutter provides ideal conditions for these pests because of its abundance of hiding places.
They may find a safe haven in any home, no matter how meticulous its cleanliness routines are. Removal is difficult, and typical strategies, such as buying new mattresses, are seldom effective.
Feeding Habitss
Nighttime critters like these may conceal themselves in various daytime hiding places, including mattresses, carpets, upholstered furniture, wooden boxes, and paper waste.
The most biting occurs shortly before sunrise when we humans are most vulnerable to becoming their breakfast. After obtaining their food within just three minutes, they abandon the host and head to a secret location to digest.
Bedbugs have a 10-month life cycle and may survive for many weeks without a blood meal.
Are Bedbugs Harmful?
In contrast to mosquitoes, They do not spread infections. They just cause annoyance and discomfort without really posing any health risks.
When you sleep, they will bite you repeatedly in immediate contact. They won’t hurt when they bite, but their welts are unsightly and red. The affected region will resemble a mosquito bite but be bigger and much itchier.
They’ll bite you, then run back to their den.
Bottom Line
Now that you have seen this, you should be able to visualize and know what to look for if you ever find one inside your own house.
After seeing these photos, if you are concerned that you may have a infestation, you should get quotations from at least three and preferably five different exterminators. The extermination of bed bugs is a sensitive operation that must be handled by a professional.
