Seasonal Pest

Bed Bug

Cimex lectularius

Bed bugs are “blood-suckers” – by which we mean arthropods which feed on the blood of humans or other vertebrate animals, by using their mouthparts to pierce the skin of the host and extract blood. Note that "arthropods" are animals with jointed legs and an exoskeleton: they include insects, ticks and mites. One characteristic which many (but not all) of them possess is a long, fine proboscis with which to pierce the skin of their host.

Appearance

Bed bug adults are about 6mm long, mahogany brown in colour, oval in back view, and dorso-ventrally flattened (flattened from top to bottom). After feeding, the body swells and becomes red or deep purple. The young stages, nymphs, are very similar in shape to the adults, but are paler in colour.

Life Cycle & Biology

Bed bugs undergo incomplete metamorphosis. They live and breed in cracks and crevices in rooms, beds and furniture, and behind peeling wallpaper. The eggs are laid in crevices, and hatch into almost colourless nymphs. When recently fed the nymphs appear dark red. Small black faecal spots around the harbourages may betray the presence of Bed bugs, which emerge to feed only at night.

The flattening of the body enables them to harbour in cracks and crevices in the structure and furnishings of a room, and to crawl amongst bedding to reach the sleeping host. The body increases significantly in thickness when the gut fills with a blood meal. The pointed mouthparts are tucked back under the head when not in use.

Damage

Bed bugs are a pest due to their habit of biting for a blood meal. The only hosts are humans and chickens. One meal lasts each insect about a week. When feeding, some saliva is injected into the wound, causing the red swelling and irritation that indicates the position of the bite. Strangely, some people remain unaffected and may be bitten repeatedly without discomfort

Bed Bugs may spread between premises in travellers' luggage or in second-hand furniture. They are starvation-resistant, and can survive without feeding for many months. Bed Bugs have not been implicated in disease transmission, but heavy infestations can cause significant blood loss in the host.

Control of bed bugs requires that all harbourages be located, and then treated thoroughly with an appropriate insecticide.

Although sensitive to sounds of a frequency that humans can hear (up to 20 kHz), mice are also able to hear sounds of a much higher frequency (up to 90 kHz). Mice make many ultrasonic vocalisations, as a form of communication between individuals.

Think you have a problem with Bed Bugs?

Click here to learn more about our solutions for Bed Bugs;

Click here to arrange a free survey of your premises;

Or call us on 0800 917 1989

Download this information as a PDF