What does a bed bug look like? - briefly
A bed bug is a tiny, oval insect roughly 4–5 mm long, reddish‑brown when unfed and becoming swollen, bright red, and balloon‑shaped after feeding.
What does a bed bug look like? - in detail
A bed bug is a small, flat, oval‑shaped insect. Adult specimens measure 4–5 mm in length (about the size of an apple seed) and 2–3 mm in width. Their bodies are dorsoventrally compressed, allowing them to hide easily in crevices.
Key visual traits include:
- Color: Reddish‑brown after feeding; otherwise pale, tan‑brown. The abdomen may appear slightly lighter.
- Exoskeleton: Hardened, glossy cuticle covering the entire body.
- Head: Small, concealed beneath the thorax; eyes are absent, but a pair of antennae (six segments) protrude forward.
- Mouthparts: Elongated, needle‑like proboscis used to pierce skin and draw blood.
- Legs: Six legs attached to the thorax; each leg ends in a claw for gripping fabric and seams.
- Wings: None; the insect is wingless.
- Eggs: Tiny, oval, white, about 1 mm long; often clustered in groups of 10–30.
Nymphal stages resemble adults but are lighter in color and smaller, growing about 1 mm per molt. After each blood meal, the insect’s abdomen expands, giving it a swollen appearance. When unfed, the body flattens again.
These characteristics enable rapid identification during inspections and guide effective control measures.