What Do Bed Bugs Look Like?
Bed bugs range in color from red to brown. They have flat, oval-like bodies that are similar in size to an apple seed. Their bodies are segmented in three, with six legs and two antennae.
These are the main characteristics of bed bugs:
- Reddish-brown colors
- Flat bodies that become engorged as they feed
- 5 mm long as adults
- White, oblong, 1 mm long eggs
How Big Can Bed Bugs Be?
Fully grown bed bugs reach about 5 mm in length, about the size of an apple seed. Their sizes as adults don’t vary much from this point. However, when they feed, their bodies become engorged with blood and they appear more cylindrical and red. Adult bed bugs can be seen by the naken human eye, but it can be hard to spot them because they often hide out of view.
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Bed Bug Stages of Life
The life cycle of bed bugs starts as eggs and progresses through five larval (or nymph) stages. Bed bugs lay their eggs in hidden places like mattresses, furniture, floorboards, baseboards, and cracks in the wall. Their eggs are white, oblong, and tiny, only about 1 mm in length. Bed bug nymphs look like tiny, brighter-colored versions of their adult counterparts. They will shed their exoskeletons several times before they mature into an adult bed bug, each time coming after a blood meal.
Bed Bug Identification in Iowa Homes
Bed bugs are easy to mistake for other kinds of bugs, to it’s important to be able to identify them. Due to their being so small, it can be helpful to use a magnifying glass when trying to identify them. Otherwise, you can always count on the help of your local bed bug control company. Learning what bed bugs look like will help you differentiate them from other pests in your home and act quickly when they’re there.
What Do Bed Bugs Look Like?
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