How do bedbugs look and where are they located? - briefly
Adult bedbugs are flat, oval, reddish‑brown insects about 4–5 mm long, lacking wings. They inhabit mattress seams, box‑spring crevices, headboards, and nearby cracks where people sleep.
How do bedbugs look and where are they located? - in detail
Bedbugs are small, oval‑shaped insects measuring 4–5 mm in length when unfed and expanding to about 7 mm after a blood meal. Their bodies are flat dorsally, allowing them to slip into narrow crevices, and become more rounded ventrally when engorged. The exoskeleton is a matte reddish‑brown hue that darkens to a deeper rust color after feeding. Six legs emerge from the thorax, each ending in a pair of tiny claws suited for gripping fabric fibers. Antennae are short, segmented, and equipped with sensory hairs that detect carbon dioxide and heat.
Typical habitats include any environment that offers close proximity to sleeping humans or other warm‑blooded hosts. Bedbugs preferentially occupy:
- seams, tufts, and tags of mattresses and box springs
- box spring frames, headboards, and footboards
- cracks and joints in bed frames, nightstands, and headboards
- upholstered furniture, especially cushions and seams
- baseboards, wall voids, and electrical outlet covers
- luggage, backpacks, and clothing items that have been in infested areas
- hotel rooms, dormitories, and shared housing units
Additional indicators of presence are tiny dark spots (fecal stains) on bedding, translucent exoskeletons shed after molting, and a sweet, musty odor produced by the insects’ secretions. The combination of their distinctive morphology and preferred concealment sites enables effective identification and targeted control.