How Big Are Bed Bugs in the UK?
WouterBed bugs are a common pest in the UK. They are oval-shaped insects that live in cracks and crevices. The adults are reddish brown and are three to five millimetres long. The females lay up to 200 pearly white eggs a day. These eggs are not infectious, but they can cause itching and irritation. The eggs need a temperature of at least 10 degrees Celsius to hatch.
Unlike fleas, bedbugs cannot fly or jump. They live for months without food and can hide in seams and folds of clothing. They can also live behind wallpaper and inside soft furnishings. As these insects are able to hide easily, establishing good hygiene is vital. In the early stages of infestation, a bedbug can be detected by looking for bites on the skin.
The bites of these insects are itchy and can be red and swollen. In some cases, you can see three or four bites in a row. The bites are typically located on the upper parts of the body. The bites can cause an allergic reaction if the skin is infected.
The size of a bed bug varies depending on its life cycle. Younger bedbugs are much smaller than the adults. They go through five stages of growth. During each stage, they shed their skin. Adult bedbugs live for between 5 and six months. They reproduce quickly and lay one to five eggs per day.
