What does a bedbug look like in a house? - briefly
Bed bugs are tiny, oval‑shaped insects about 5‑7 mm long, reddish‑brown, and flatten when not feeding. They have a smooth, wingless body with a visible head and antennae, while their nymphs appear lighter in color.
What does a bedbug look like in a house? - in detail
Bedbugs are small, wingless insects measuring 4–5 mm in length when unfed. Their bodies are oval, dorsoventrally flattened, and covered with fine, hair‑like setae. The coloration is a uniform, matte reddish‑brown; after a blood meal the abdomen becomes engorged and appears darker and more swollen. In the post‑molting stage the exoskeleton is pale, almost ivory, making recent nymphs easier to spot.
Key visual identifiers include:
- Head: tiny, concealed beneath the pronotum, with a pair of short, translucent antennae consisting of five segments.
- Eyes: rudimentary, non‑functional ocelli, not readily visible.
- Pronotum: a narrow, shield‑shaped plate bordering the head, slightly lighter than the abdomen.
- Legs: six slender legs extending from the thorax, each ending in a small claw for gripping fabric fibers.
- Abdomen: segmented, with faint, raised ridges; after feeding, the abdomen expands dramatically, taking on a rounded silhouette.
In a domestic environment, bedbugs congregate in protected microhabitats: seams of mattresses, box‑spring folds, headboard crevices, behind baseboard trim, inside upholstered furniture, and within cracks of wall panels. Their movement is slow and deliberate; they tend to remain hidden during daylight and emerge at night to feed.
Evidence of their presence is visual as well as indirect:
- Dark, rust‑colored spots (fecal stains) on bedding or walls.
- Tiny, translucent exoskeletons left after molting, typically 2–3 mm long.
- Slightly raised, reddish welts on skin, often in linear or clustered patterns.
Recognizing these characteristics enables accurate identification and timely intervention.