Bed bugs are tiny, flat, oval-shaped insects ranging in colour from cream to dark brown, with a reddish tint depending on their life stage. These pests measure about 4 to 5 millimetres when fully grown. Bed bugs are parasitic insects that feed on the blood of humans and other warm-blooded animals, drawn by body warmth and the carbon dioxide we exhale. They’re commonly found in bedding, bed frames, mattresses, furniture, and other small spaces near their hosts. Bed bugs hide during the day and emerge at night to feed.
Identifying bed bugs is crucial to avoid unnecessary treatment on the wrong pests. Bed bug treatments are very expensive and at least seventy percent of enquires end up not been bed bug related. Many bugs resemble bed bugs, so knowing what to look for is important. The appearance of such bugs can vary depending on where you live.
Adult Bed Bugs:
Size of an apple seed (5-7 mm or 3/16 – 1/4 inch long).
Brown and flat, with an oval shape if not fed recently.
Reddish-brown and elongated after feeding.
Features include a segmented beak and antennae with four parts.
Have short, golden hairs and produce a musty-sweet odour.
Young Bed Bugs (Nymphs):
Smaller and translucent or whitish-yellow.
Nearly invisible when unfed due to their size and colour.
Bed Bug Eggs:
Tiny, like a pinhead.
Pearl-white colour.
An eye spot is visible if they are more than five days old.
