What Do Bed Bugs Look Like?

July 13, 2016

In: Bed Bugs

• Bed bugs are hitchhiking bugs. If you see one, it should be the warning sign that keeps you from bringing an infestation back to your home.

• A bed bug infestation can start from a single female bug or a batch of eggs. If you get one bug inside your clothing or that bug lays eggs, it could be the beginning of a home infestation.

• Bed bugs have been found infesting all forms of public transportation and many public venues such as libraries, office buildings, clothing stores, movie theaters, and more.

• Bed bugs are insects. That means they will have six legs, two antennae, and three body parts. The first two traits will help you recognize these bugs, but that last one probably won't. The head and the thorax of a bed bug can look like one body segment.

• Bed bugs have stripes. The abdomen of a bed bug has darkened horizontal stripes that can look like creases.

• Bed bugs have black coloring inside. If you're looking at a bed bug that is large enough, you may see dark black areas inside the abdomen of this insect.

• Bed bugs are rust-colored. Depending on the lighting, they can also appear blood-colored--which is helpful to recognize them as blood eaters.

• Bed bugs are generally oval in shape; but if the bug you are looking at has had a recent blood meal, it will look more pill-shaped. Female bed bugs are also pill-shaped.

• Bed bugs are tiny. The size of the bug depends on what stage of development it is in. It can be as small as the tip of a pen or as large as a pea.