What does a bedbug's skin look like? - briefly
The «exoskeleton» is a flattened, oval body about 4–5 mm long, colored reddish‑brown to mahogany, with a smooth, hardened cuticle covering segmented plates. The surface appears matte, lacking distinct hairs or scales.
What does a bedbug's skin look like? - in detail
The cuticle of a common bed‑bug (Cimex lectularius) is a thin, chitinous exoskeleton that covers the entire body. Its surface is smooth to the naked eye, lacking obvious scales or hairs. Color ranges from light brown in newly‑molted individuals to deep reddish‑brown in fed adults, often described as “rust‑colored.” The hue may darken after a blood meal, producing a glossy, slightly translucent appearance.
The body is divided into three principal regions: head, thorax, and abdomen. The head bears a pair of elongated antennae and two compound eyes, each set into shallow depressions on the dorsal surface. The thorax consists of three fused segments, each bearing a pair of legs equipped with tiny claws for clinging to fabric. The abdomen is composed of seven visible dorsal plates (terga) that increase in size posteriorly; the most posterior plates are broader and may show faint, irregular markings.
Microscopic characteristics include:
- Cuticular layers: an outer epicuticle with a waxy coating that reduces water loss, and an underlying exocuticle rich in sclerotized proteins providing rigidity.
- Surface texture: minute pores and sensilla scattered across the dorsal plates, detectable only with magnification of 40× or greater.
- Coloration details: pigment granules embedded within the exocuticle, responsible for the gradual shift from tan to deep mahogany after digestion.
- Molting scars: faint lines where the old cuticle detached during ecdysis, visible as subtle, lighter‑colored seams along the terga.
When observed under a stereomicroscope, the exoskeleton appears semi‑transparent, allowing the underlying hemolymph to impart a faint reddish glow in fed specimens. The overall morphology provides a compact, flattened silhouette that enables the insect to navigate tight crevices in bedding and furniture.