Overview
Baby bed bugs or nymphs are insects that are passing through the first 5 stages of development (stage 6 is adulthood). They are about the size of the head of a pin and are light brown/straw colored. After they feed the body turns red as shown below.
Babies to Nymph: Under 1/10", about the size of an apple seed
Mature: 1/8" - 1/4" Long
Bed bugs can have two over shapes. Unfed are flat and swollen after feeding. They have an exoskeleton on the outside of their body.
Bed Bug Nymph Picture. Nymphs or immature pests are almost completely transparent when unfed. They are light red after feeding.Photo Credit: U of Minnesota
life cycle
Bed Bug Life Cycle Metamorphosis ChartA bed bug will seek to feed on a human (or bat, bird as an alternative) as soon as they are born. The process they follow is to feed in order to pass from stage to stage. If a feeding opportunity is available they can feed more than one time between stages. A nymph or baby bed bug can live from 3 to 4 months without feeding.
Bed Bug Adult, Nymph and EggAs bed bugs develop they molt (shed their skin) between stages. You can often find remnants of the bed bug on the mattress, a sure sign that there is or was some type of bed bug problem.
It takes four to five weeks for a bed bug to move from egg to adult (1 week per stage), depending on the temperature. The ideal temperature for development is 50 degrees F (10C).
Baby Bed Bug = Nymph After Blood MealBaby Bed Bug Video
Video showing bed bug infestation at all life stages. See actual size bed bugs in action.
feeding
Picture of Bed Bug Across Several Life StagesA bed bug (babies, bed bug nymphs, adults) has a hollow tube or stylet which moves out from the head and into the host skin surface. The stylet impales the skin and then searches for a location where blood can be withdrawn. In effect bed bugs do not bite, they puncture. It takes up to 10 minutes for a bed bug to finish a blood meal.
When done, they move back to a tight narrow hiding
place, which is often as close to the host as possible. This is why bedbugs are found in mattress seams.
bed bug eggs
Picture Bed Bug HatchingBed bug eggs are approximately 1mm in width. They are white-yellow in color and tend to be laid in small groupings. They are attached to each surface with a cement like substance.
A female will lay about 500 eggs during her lifetime. It takes 2 weeks for a bedbug egg to hatch. They will lay about 1 to 2 eggs per day.
Picture of Bed Bug Eggs on Surfaceadult bed bugs
An adult bed bug will seek to feed every 3 to 5 days. They live for approximately 6 to 12 months.
Bed Bug Picture - Adult. Note that bed bugs have six legs. The abdomen has 11 segments which expand after feeding. Shape differences indicates male or female. Females have
a rounded tip.
Bed Bugs After (left) and Before (right) FeedingVideo of Bed Bug Adults
National Geographic Bedbug Video
bed bug signs
Bed bugs can be seen with the naked eye. In addition to confirming the presence of bed bugs visually, other signs are mattress stains.
Bed Bug Mattress Stainsbed bug bites
Bed Bug Biting Skin Video
Bed Bug Bite Pictures
Visible skin reaction to bed bug bites such as bumps or red irritated skin is an allergic reaction. Since it is allergic, people that do not have an allergy to bed bugs do not show visible signs beyond a small nearly invisible puncture where the bite occurred. This is why if two people sleep in the same bed, one can have a reaction while the other person does not.
Orkin Inc. recently completed a study which showed that only 3.7% of people will show a visible reaction to a bed bug bite (approximately 4 out of 100 people). Another .8% had a bed bug bite reaction within 18 days. At these low levels, it is possible for a home to be suffering from bed bugs without actually seeing any skin reaction.
A recent study by the University of Kentucky School of Agriculture study also shows that the odds of getting a bed bug bite skin reaction is even lower in elderly populations.
Here are some pictures of bed bug bites:
Picture: Bed Bug Bitestreatment
Bed bugs are difficult to treat. If you live in a single family home, and if you believe the infestation is small, then you can try home treatment by following these instructions starting with purchase of a kit.
Since even professionals require 2 to 3 treatments, we suggest starting with a free quote from a reputable national network with Bed Bug extermination experience such as Home Advisor (877.233.1145) or search our database of local exterminators.
Brochures
Each of these free brochures have information on baby bed bugs, treatment and prevention.
questions and Answers
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What Other Visitors Have Said About Bed Bugs
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