Bed Bugs

Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) are found throughout the world and are becoming more common in the UK They hide in cracks and crevices during the day and come out at night to feed. The Bed Bug is wingless and therefore it is likely to be found near to where the host sleeps; in the mattress or bed frame, behind wallpaper and in furniture, because they can ingest up to seven times their body weight in blood in one feed, they can survive long periods without feeding. After mating takes place, Bed Bugs will lay up to 200 eggs. The nymphs that hatch out are miniature versions of the adult. There is no larval stage. The nymphs will molt several times over a period of 6-18 months before becoming an adult.

Often the only evidence of a bed bug infestation, other than people with itchy and iritated bite marks, is blood spots on bed linen. When the bed bug inserts its mouth parts through the skin of its host to suck a meal of blood it injects an anaesthetic so that the unfortunate victim is not aware of the bugs presence. After filling up with blood the bed bug removes its proboscis and because the insect is fulll of blood under pressure a small drip is often extruded onto the bed linen. This will appear as a small dark red cross once dried on a cotton sheet.

Appearance

• 4 to 5mm long.
• Oval and flattened from back to underside, well developed legs, but wings absent.
• Mouthparts adapted to piercing and sucking.
• Red to brown in colour.

Lifecycle

• 200 – 500 eggs laid over a 2 month period in batches of 10 to 50.

Habits

•  Feed on human blood.
•  Found in cracks and crevices, headboards, behind peeling wallpaper, broken plaster, light switches, under carpets and skirting boards etc.
•  Bed bugs are nocturnal.