Do Bed Bugs Change Colors?
WouterIf you’ve noticed an infestation in your home, you may have wondered if bed bugs change colors. Bed bugs are quite small when they’re born, and they’re straw-colored. Once they feed on blood, they change color and become redder. Then, as they mature, they’ll be about 1/4 of an inch long. It can take up to six weeks for a bed bug to reach its adult stage.
Bedbugs’ colors are determined by a variety of factors, including age, habitat, and feeding habits. While red and black are obvious choices, some researchers suggest that bedbugs prefer different colors. For example, bed bugs that are fully grown and infested will prefer black harborages. Some scientists think this is due to the bugs’ compound eyes. Unlike humans, bed bugs have hundreds of lenses instead of one, making it easier for them to see things.
Bedbugs change color when they feed on blood. When they are in their nymph stage, their skin is white or light brown. During feeding, bedbugs will have a reddish tone, which is the result of the blood they ingest. These insects are also transparent during their entire development process, but it is more visible in the first instar stage.
It is not clear why bedbugs change colors, but they do seem to prefer darker colors. These bugs prefer darker environments for hiding, laying eggs, and feeding. While babies do not show any color preference, pregnant female bedbugs tend to live in darker habitats.
