What Do Bed Bugs Look Like to the Naked Human Eye?Seeing a bed bug is the surest and usually last noticed sign of a pest problem. However, bed bugs’ appearance varies in different stages of their development which makes them easily mistaken for other insects. Show
If you’ve found an insect on your bed, don’t panic just yet. So, what do bed bugs appear like to the human eye?To the naked human eye, bed bugs will appear as follows: ADULTS The common adult bed bug looks like a baby cockroach, it’s the size of an apple seed - up to 5mm in size. It is light to reddish-brown in colour and has an oval, flat body when not fed. Bed bugs are wingless insects, they have 2 antennae and 6 legs that are not longer than their bodies. Each leg is around 1/2 of the total body length. Both adults and nymphs’ bodies bulge, just like mosquitoes’ do when they’ve had a blood meal. Their size can increase 1-2 times, depending on the bug. Bed bugs need blood to survive and moult which is why they settle near people in the first place. You can easily spot adult bugs around the mattress, the box spring and the headboard. NYMPHS The tiny baby bed bugs, also known as nymphs, are translucent tan in colour but turn opaque with maturity, after each moult. They moult a total of five times before reaching adulthood. Nymphs are no larger than a sesame seed. When fed, nymphs turn bright red due to all of the digested blood, this makes them easy to identify when noticed. However, their tiny size is the most likely reason why an infestation remains unrecognized for several weeks, allowing the bugs to grow and multiply. BED BUG EGGS Bed bug eggs are whitish, the size of a poppy seed and have the form of an elongated capsule. In theory, you can see eggs with a naked eye but because of their miniature size, it’s quite difficult to recognise them if you’re not a professional. If you are inspecting a room, make sure to use a flashlight and a magnifying glass. Bed bug eggs stick to the surface they were laid on, so removal techniques such as vacuuming are not an option if you were to remove them from a surface. Instead, try some of the other methods that do work. Having a pest infestation in your property?Rely on local specialist for effective bed bug treatment Call us Are bed bugs visible in all stages of their development?Technically speaking, yes, however, they do a pretty good job at hiding. This makes it difficult to spot the insects, especially during the day when they aren’t that active. Why aren't they active, you ask? Because bed bugs attempt to stay out of sight in order not to be squashed by you. Instead of looking for a specimen, focus your efforts on pinpointing the different tell-tale signs of an infestation. Finding any of these is a sure sign of an advanced bed bug problem. Check also: Bugs that Look Like Bed Bugs What do bed bugs look like on a mattress?
You can also inspect the crevices and fabric folds of the mattress for:
Read more: How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs Why bed bug bites aren’t a sure sign of infestation?Although bites are one sign of bed bug presence, they sure aren’t a conclusive one. This is due to a number of reasons: Some people do not experience any reaction to the bites, thus, you may decide that you don’t have bed bugs if you see no sign of bites. Other insects cause itchy red bumps quite similar to the ones left by bed bugs. A variety of skin conditions may also look like you’ve been bitten. A good strategy to rule for a bug infestation would be:
You can start panicking if you've ticked "yes" on all three. Insects that look like bed bugsLooks can be deceiving. A number of insects appear similar to the bed bugs, so make sure to check for lookalikes before considering a treatment. Some of the common UK household bugs that look like bed bugs include:
Image by: S. Rae
Image by: Gilles San Martin If you’re still unsure whether you’ve spotted a bed bug, trap the insect and show it to an experienced bed bug exterminator to get a professional opinion. Disclaimer Keep in mind that we only aim to provide some useful information about how to recognise bed bugs with bare eye and how do they look like. We cannot guarantee that the bugs you're dealing with corresponds to the same description and are exactly bed bugs. Read more What does a bed bug bite look like on humans?small red bumps or welts in a zigzag pattern or a line. small red bumps surrounded by blisters or hives. papular eruptions or areas of skin with raised or flat patches that may be inflamed. small spots of blood from bites often dried or stained onto sheets or bed clothing.
What do bed bugs start out looking like?Adult bed bugs are reddish brown in color, wingless, and are about the size of an apple seed. Immature bed bugs (there are 5 immature or nymphal instar stages) can also be seen with the naked eye but they are smaller than adults, and translucent whitish-yellow in color.
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