Not everyone knows what bed bugs look like. They aren’t a pest that you’ll see actively invading your home like ants or spiders. If you’re one of the lucky few, you’ve never come into contact with bed bugs before. If you’re not so lucky, you may have had bed bug bites but not seen the bugs themselves. Many people also know a friend or family member that has dealt with bed bugs before. If you find a bug in your home, or worse- your bed, and need to know if it’s a bed bug, you’re in the right place.
It is crucial to know what pest you are dealing with if you are experiencing any type of infestation. Not all treatments are the same so the specific pest must be identified. Often times, people find a bug and use the internet to search for what it could possibly be. There are so many variations and slight differences in the insect kingdom that this can be difficult for the untrained eye. This article will help you identify basic bed bug features and the physical signs they leave behind.
What Bed Bugs Look Like
- Bed Bugs have a flat, oval shaped body (similar in looks to an apple seed or tick)
- They are NOT microscopic, meaning they can bee seen by the plain eye.
- They do not have wings
- Adults can be around 6.5 mm in length
- Eggs are milky white, about 1 mm in size
- They are usually flat but become elongated and slightly rounded when engorged with blood
- They are generally reddish brown in color depending on frequency of feeding and their stage in the life cycle
- Engorged bed bugs are a darker crimson or reddish brown
- Unfed juveniles can be light brown to yellow
Signs You Have Bed Bugs
- Egg casings on furniture and beds
- Black fecal spotting
- Shed skins
- Blood spots from crushed bed bugs
- The bugs themselves
- Bites on your body
Compare the bugs you are seeing with the information in this guide after you’ve learned what bed bugs look like. If you have further questions or need more information, you can visit our bed bugs page or contact us to speak with one of our certified technicians! Give Patton Termite & Pest Control a call if you need any help with these tricky pests at 316-773-3825.