Although it may seem as if you're sleeping alone, you could be snuggling with a nest of bed bugs. Bed bugs are tiny, wingless insects that feed solely upon the blood of warm-blooded animals, including humans. Bed bugs and their relatives have evolved as nest parasites. Certain kinds inhabit bird nests and bat roosts and await the return of their hosts; others have adapted well to living in the 'nests' (homes) of people.
Bed bugs and their relatives occur nearly worldwide. Bed bugs became relatively scarce during the latter part of the 20th century, but their populations have resurged in recent years, particularly throughout parts of North America, Europe, and Australia.
Hatchling bed bugs are about the size of a poppy seed, and adults grow to about 1/4 of an inch in length. From top to bottom they are oval in shape and they benefit from having a flattened body and six legs. Females live as long as one year, while males don't live quite as long. Females can lay up to five eggs per day and several hundred in a lifetime.
Just after molting, their color ranges from nearly white or a light tan to a deep brown or burnt orange. The host's blood may appear as a dark red or black mass within the bug's body. These bugs are sometimes mistaken for ticks or small cockroaches.
Bed bugs are most active in the middle of the night particularly around 3 or 4 am, but when hungry, they will venture out during the day to seek a host. Because they never develop wings, bed bugs cannot fly. When disturbed, bed bugs actively seek shelter in dark cracks and crevices. Their flattened bodies allow them to conceal themselves in areas such as curtains, corners inside dressers or other furniture, cracks in wallpaper, or in the spaces of wicker furniture, alarm clocks, and even telephones.
They are most abundant in rooms where people sleep, and they generally hide nearest the bed or other furniture used for sleeping. Favored hiding sites include the bed frame, mattress and box spring. Clutter around the room offers additional sites for these bugs to hide, and increases the difficulty in eliminating bed bugs once they have become established.
Cast skins of bed bugs are sometimes discovered in bed linens or around the bed frame. Although such a finding confirms that bed bugs had been present at one time, it does not confirm that any continue to infest the residence. Therefore, it is important to inspect carefully for live, crawling bed bugs. Because many other kinds of small brown bugs may be discovered, it is critical to ensure that the bugs are correctly identified.
While it is said bed bugs only live in unsanitary conditions, they can thrive in clean, sanitary areas too. Crowded living quarters also cater to bed bugs. Travelers can sometimes run into bed bugs during visits in hotels or other countries. While bed bugs feed every seven to 10 days, they can still survive for months without feeding, so abandoned homes or buildings can still be home to these parasites.
Leslie Leyland is author of this article on bed bug control .
Find more information about bed bug extermination here.
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