Understanding Bed Bugs

June 6, 2016

In: Bed Bugs

What do bed bugs look like? These blood-eating pests can look different depending on whether or not they have recently had a blood meal. A bed bug that has not yet eaten will be oval and flat, with a rust-colored skin. If that bug has had a blood meal recently, it will be pill-shaped, and its color will have more of a black coloring.

Bed bugs also look different depending on how old they are. These bugs go through 5 stages of development, called instars. In the first instar, they can be as tiny as the head of a pin, and their coloring will be tanner. As bed bugs grow, they become more reddish-black, and horizontal lines on their large abdomen become more noticeable.

No matter what stage of development or whether they have recently fed or not, all bed bugs share the characteristics of an insect: two antennae, six legs, and three body parts. The most notable of these three is the number of legs. Bed bugs are often mistaken for mites. So it is important to understand that mites are in the arachnid family, which have 8 legs. That way you'll be able to tell the difference.

If you see a bed bug in your home, you should know that an individual female bed bug can produce an egg every day, those eggs hatch in under 12 days, and 5 to 6 weeks later you'll have another bed bug that can mate and lay eggs. This can turn a small infestation into a large infestation relatively quickly. That is why it is common to find a mass of bed bugs when bed bugs are discovered.

At American Pest Solutions, we believe in stopping bed bugs before a few bugs turn into hundreds. We employ bed bug sniffing dogs to locate and eradicate these pests early in the development of infestations--sometimes even before these pests can hatch from their egg sacks. Dogs have a powerful sense of smell that works a lot like x-ray vision. They can find bugs inside mattresses, furniture, and even walls. And, when bugs are found, our team of specialists have the tools to deal with these bugs discreetly, safely, and effectively.

If you're dealing with bed bugs in Massachusetts or Connecticut, call American Pest Solutions. We are leaders in bed bug control and prevention. Whether you need protection from these blood-eating pests or relief from an infestation that has already taken root, you can trust the team here at American Pest Solutions to take care of the problem. We've been protecting homes and businesses since 1913, and it shows.