What does a bedbug slab look like? - briefly
A «bedbug slab» is a thin, flat rectangle, commonly fabricated from plastic or cardboard, with a smooth top surface and slightly raised edges to keep insects contained. Its dimensions typically fall between 10 cm and 30 cm in length and 5 cm to 15 cm in width, facilitating placement in traps or laboratory setups.
What does a bedbug slab look like? - in detail
A bedbug slab is a flattened aggregation of insects, their cast skins, eggs and fecal material that forms on surfaces where the pests congregate. The formation appears as a thin, irregularly shaped layer, often no more than a few millimetres thick, covering fabrics, mattress seams or crevices.
Key visual attributes include:
- Colour ranging from reddish‑brown (live specimens) to dark brown or black (dead insects and exuviae).
- Glossy or matte texture depending on moisture content; freshly fed individuals impart a slightly shiny surface.
- Presence of translucent, pale‑white shells indicating successive molts.
- Specks of dark spotting corresponding to digested blood residues, frequently concentrated near edges of the slab.
When the slab contains live bedbugs, the insects are visible as tiny, oval bodies measuring approximately 4–5 mm in length. Their bodies are flattened dorsoventrally, facilitating movement within tight spaces. After feeding, the abdomen expands, giving a more rounded silhouette, while unfed individuals retain a flatter profile.
Dead or desiccated specimens lose elasticity, resulting in a crumpled appearance. Their exoskeletons become brittle, often breaking into small fragments that embed within the surrounding material. Egg clusters, if present, appear as minute, creamy‑white capsules clustered in groups of 5–10, usually embedded in the lower layers of the slab.
Typical locations for discovery:
- Mattress stitching, box‑spring seams and headboard crevices.
- Upholstered furniture seams, especially where cushions meet frames.
- Wall cracks and baseboard gaps near sleeping areas.
Identification relies on recognizing the combination of colour, texture, and the distinctive pattern of shed skins and fecal spots that together form the characteristic slab.