How Bed Bugs Look and What to Do When You See Them
WouterKnowing how bedbugs look and what to do when you see them is the first step to effectively eliminating them. These bugs can often be mistaken for other insects, so it’s important to know what to look for. Knowing how bedbugs feed will help you identify them more effectively. If you think you may have them, contact a professional exterminator.
Bedbugs have an exoskeleton, which they shed as they grow. Their eggs are made of a glue-like material and are often found in crevices. Their shell casings, also known as husks or shed skins, are also often found on a bed or other surface. The presence of abandoned shell casings is a reliable early sign of bedbug infestation.
Adult bedbugs are brown or reddish, and lack wings. Their bodies are oval in shape and are the size of an apple seed. Adult bedbugs will settle near human hosts and can be easily spotted in the headboard, mattress, or box spring. Bedbugs are also visible as nymphs, which are smaller than adults. They are about 7mm long, or about a quarter of an inch.
Baby bedbugs and cockroaches are similar in appearance, but they don’t feed on human blood. Cockroaches, meanwhile, feed on leftover food and mold and don’t bite humans. While they are not as large as bedbugs, they can cause allergic reactions and skin rashes.
