What do body bedbugs look like? - briefly
Body bedbugs are tiny, oval insects about 4–5 mm long, flat and reddish‑brown when unfed, and they swell to a darker, engorged shape after a blood meal. Their bodies are covered with fine hairs and lack wings.
What do body bedbugs look like? - in detail
Body bedbugs are small, dorsoventrally flattened insects measuring approximately 4–5 mm in length as adults. Their bodies are oval and lack wings, giving them a smooth, shield‑like silhouette. The exoskeleton is matte to slightly glossy, ranging from reddish‑brown after a blood meal to a lighter tan when unfed. Segmentation is subtle; the abdomen consists of five visible dorsal plates (tergites) that are indistinctly bordered.
The head is concealed beneath the pronotum, rendering the eyes and antennae difficult to see without magnification. Antennae are four‑segmented, slender, and light‑colored. Mouthparts form a beak‑like proboscis adapted for piercing skin and sucking blood; the rostrum is concealed within a groove on the ventral side.
Legs are short, six in total, and end in tiny claws that enable rapid movement across fabric and walls. Each leg bears a pair of sensory setae for detecting heat and carbon dioxide. The tarsi are equipped with a single claw and a pad that assists in climbing.
Nymphal stages resemble adults but are smaller (approximately 1.5–4 mm) and paler, lacking the deep reddish hue acquired after feeding. Each molt adds a new abdominal segment and increases size. All stages retain the flattened body shape, facilitating concealment in cracks and seams.
Key identification points:
- Size: 4–5 mm (adult); 1.5–4 mm (nymphs).
- Shape: oval, dorsoventrally flattened, wingless.
- Color: light tan when unfed, turning reddish‑brown after blood ingestion.
- Antennae: four short segments, often hidden.
- Mouthparts: concealed beak‑like proboscis.
- Legs: six short legs with single claws per tarsus.
These characteristics differentiate body bedbugs from other household arthropods such as carpet beetles, which are more rounded and have visible hairs, and from fleas, which are laterally compressed and possess jumping legs.