What do bedbugs look like and what are their sizes? - briefly
Bedbugs are small, flat, oval insects with a reddish‑brown hue, wingless bodies, and visible antennae. Adults measure roughly 4–5 mm (0.15–0.20 in) long, and nymphs grow from about 1 mm to adult size.
What do bedbugs look like and what are their sizes? - in detail
Bed bugs are small, wingless insects with a flat, oval body that tapers toward the rear. Their exoskeleton is smooth and light‑brown, turning reddish after a blood meal. The head is concealed beneath the thorax, and they possess short, needle‑like mouthparts designed for piercing skin. Six legs extend from the thorax, each ending in tiny claws that aid in clinging to fabric and mattress seams. Antennae are short, consisting of four segments.
Size varies through the life cycle:
- Egg: 0.5 mm long, pale white, oval.
- First‑instar nymph: 1.5 mm, translucent, lacking full pigmentation.
- Fifth‑instar nymph: 4.5 mm, dark brown, approaching adult coloration.
- Adult male: 4.5–5.0 mm in length, 1.5–2.0 mm wide, slender abdomen.
- Adult female: 5.0–5.5 mm long, 2.0–2.5 mm wide, broader abdomen to accommodate eggs.
Fully fed adults may expand to about 6 mm in length due to engorgement. In metric terms, the average adult measures roughly 4–5 mm long and 1.5–2 mm wide, comparable to the size of an apple seed. Their bodies are sufficiently flat to hide between mattress threads and inside furniture crevices, yet thick enough to survive several months without feeding.