What does a bedbug look like in color?

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What does a bedbug look like in color? - briefly
Adult bedbugs are reddish‑brown, roughly the size of an apple seed; after a blood meal they become swollen and appear darker, sometimes with a bluish hue. Nymphs are lighter, pale yellow‑brown until they mature.

What does a bedbug look like in color? - in detail
Bed bugs exhibit a uniform, flat, oval body that ranges from light brown to deep reddish‑brown. The exoskeleton is matte, lacking any shine, which helps them blend with fabrics and furniture.

Typical adult coloration:

Base hue: warm, coffee‑like brown.
After a blood meal: abdomen swells and turns a brighter, almost rust‑red shade due to digested hemoglobin.
Legs and antennae: slightly paler, almost tan, contrasting with the darker torso.

Nymph stages (instars 1‑5):

Color progresses from almost translucent, pale yellow in the first instar to progressively darker brown with each molt.
Each molt adds a thin, faintly visible waxy coating that slightly dulls the surface.

Eggs:

Small, white, oval, and semi‑transparent; they become faintly yellowish as they develop.

Variations:

Environmental factors such as humidity and exposure to sunlight may cause minor lightening or darkening.
Genetic differences among populations can produce subtle shifts toward a more orange or grayish tint, but the overall palette remains within the brown spectrum.

The combination of a flat, matte body and a color range from light brown to deep reddish‑brown, accentuated by a post‑feeding color change, characterizes the visual appearance of this pest.