How do construction bed bugs look? - briefly
Construction bed bugs are small, wingless insects about 4–5 mm long, reddish‑brown, with a flat, oval body and prominent dark eyes. They possess elongated, beaded antennae and lack the bright orange‑red abdomen typical of common bed bugs.
How do construction bed bugs look? - in detail
Construction‑site bed bugs are small, dorsoventrally flattened insects measuring 4–5 mm in length as adults. Their bodies are oval‑shaped and tapered toward the rear. The dorsal surface displays a uniform reddish‑brown hue that darkens after a blood meal; unfed specimens appear lighter, almost tan. The exoskeleton is covered with fine, microscopic hairs that give a slightly matte texture.
Key morphological features include:
- Head: short, concealed beneath the pronotum, bearing a pair of elongated, filamentous antennae with four visible segments.
- Eyes: simple ocelli, reddish and indistinct, positioned laterally on the head.
- Mouthparts: piercing‑sucking proboscis (labium) folded beneath the head, adapted for penetrating skin.
- Thorax: pronotum with a distinct, crescent‑shaped notch on each side, creating a “V‑shaped” indentation that is a reliable identification marker.
- Legs: six slender legs, each ending in a tiny claw; legs are attached to the thorax and allow rapid crawling across vertical surfaces.
- Wings: absent; the species is wingless, which contributes to its flattened body plan.
- Abdomen: segmented, with visible dorsal plates (tergites) that become expanded and balloon‑like after feeding, giving the insect a plump appearance.
Developmental stages differ in size and coloration:
- Eggs: oval, white, about 0.5 mm long, deposited in crevices or hidden cracks.
- Nymphs: five instars, each resembling the adult but smaller (1.5–3 mm) and lacking the deep red coloration; they appear pale or translucent until they ingest blood.
- Adult: fully pigmented, capable of reproduction, and exhibits the characteristic swollen abdomen after a meal.
These physical traits distinguish construction‑environment bed bugs from other arthropods commonly encountered on building sites, such as carpet beetles (harder, more rounded bodies) or wood‑boring insects (elongated, hard exoskeletons). Recognizing the specific color change, pronotal notch, and wingless form enables accurate identification in field inspections.