Bedbugs have very small, flat, oval-shaped bodies. Bedbugs are wingless and covered in small hairs that make their bodies appear to be striped.

Adults are brown in color, though their bodies redden after feeding. Full-grown bedbugs move very slowly and measure between 1/8 and 3/16-inch, making them visible to humans.

Nymphs are approximately the size of the head of a pin and are gold or white until they feed. Their pale coloration acts to camouflage them against mattresses and the light carpets. Nymphs are approximately the size of a single lentil or an apple seed.

Detecting bedbugs can be very difficult, as they are both nocturnal and small in size. However, proof of a bedbug infestation may be found in bedding and on mattresses. People sometimes roll onto the bedbugs while they sleep, resulting in bloodstains upon the sheets. Live bedbugs are leave clusters of dark brown or black spots of dried excrement on infested surfaces. Bedbugs also exude a subtle, musty odor, sweet.

Bedbugs have flattened wingless, reddish-brown or brown bodies. They can be found in bed sheets, box springs, clothing, walls and luggage. They prefer dark locations and tight crevices where they can remain hidden and protected. Mattresses and other furniture can also host these parasitic insects. Bedbugs are very easily transported into previously non-infested dwellings and studies have linked outbreaks to tourism.

If you have detected a bedbug infestation in your home, contact a pest control professional to discuss extermination options.

Although the bedbug has an irritating, itchy bite, it does not commonly cause health concerns. Bedbugs can carry diseases, but these do not spread to humans. While some sources claim that bedbugs are to blame for the spread of leprosy, oriental sores, Q-fever and brucellosis, these cases are rare and poorly documented.

The maximum risk posed by bedbugs is the irritation of bites. Bedbug bites do not typically become visible until a day or more after the insect’s feeding, at which point big wheals can appear. These wheals gradually decrease in size, becoming small, red marks. Bedbugs can cause itching and may also result in swelling or blister-like skin inflammations.

There may be health concerns about spotting on mattresses infested with the bed bugs. If bed bug infestation has been confirmed, these spots are often bed bug excrement. While it is difficult to directly link diseases to spotted mattresses, it is very highly recommended that spotted mattresses be replaced, even after bed bugs have been eradicated.

Although their bite can cause irritation and even infection, bedbugs do not carry or transmit the diseases. Bedbug bites can become itchy and may leave the red bumps and marks. Bedbug bites may appear similar to many other insect bites.

However, unlike those of other insects, bedbug bites appear in tight lines of manifold, small, red marks. Bedbugs are not social insects, so groups of bites are most likely the result of a specimen continuing to feed upon its victim. Some bites leave large wheals, although these marks are not classically an indication of a serious problem and will fade to small, red marks within a few days.

Bedbug bites can cause the itchiness. Firstly, a victim may detect a slight burning sensation. The burning area then develops red bumps, known as wheals or papules. In the extreme cases, bites may swell dramatically or turn into blister-like skin inflammations. However, many bites leave no mark and go totally unnoticed.

The ordinary or household bedbug, or Cimex lectularius, is found worldwide. These insects adapt well to human environments and classically live in temperate climates. A number of additional pests resemble bedbugs in habits and appearance.

The tropical bedbug, or Cimex hemipterus, was only recently discovered by the Medical Entomology Department, ICPMR (Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research). Found in the tropical regions such as Florida, this species infests poultry and bats.

Leptocimex boueti, or bat bugs, has also been observed in tropical regions. This species feeds primarily on bats, although they do sometimes choose human hosts. Bat bugs and bedbugs are very similar in appearance and one can only distinguish between them through microscopic examination. Additional species, such as Cimex pilosellus and C. pipistrella, also target bats.

Located primarily in North America, the Mexican chicken bug, or Haematosiphon inodora, also closely resembles the common bedbug. However, these insects are classically found on poultry farms and choose bird species and domestic fowl as hosts.

Barn swallow bugs look like bedbugs as well. Though barn swallow bugs feed primarily on cliff swallows and live in swallow nests, they have been known to enter human dwellings when bird migration occurs.

It is very important to accurately identify bedbugs before beginning treatment of an infestation: incorrect control methods will prove ineffective and it may be harmful to small children, pets and furnishings.