What does a red bedbug look like? - briefly
A red bedbug is a small, oval insect about 4–5 mm long, with a reddish‑brown exoskeleton and six visible legs. Its body is flattened, and the wings are reduced to tiny, non‑functional pads.
What does a red bedbug look like? - in detail
The red variant of Cimex lectularius displays a distinct coloration that separates it from the more common brown‑red forms. The exoskeleton is uniformly scarlet to deep crimson, with a slight metallic sheen that becomes evident under direct light. The body length ranges from 4.5 mm to 6 mm when fully engorged, and from 3 mm to 4 mm in a starved state. The dorsal surface is smooth, lacking pronounced ridges, while the ventral side shows faint, pale‑yellow markings along the abdomen.
Key morphological features include:
- Oval, flattened shape facilitating movement within narrow crevices.
- Antennae composed of five slender segments, each segment exhibiting a faint reddish tint.
- Six legs, each ending in a single claw; the tibiae are lightly banded with a darker hue.
- Two elongated, curved mouthparts (proboscis) that appear darker than the surrounding cuticle, adapted for piercing skin and feeding on blood.
- Wings are reduced to small, non‑functional hemelytra, covered by the same crimson coloration as the rest of the body.
The eyes are positioned laterally and consist of simple ocelli, appearing as tiny dark specks against the red background. The scent glands, located near the abdomen’s posterior, emit a faint odor detectable only when the insect is disturbed. Overall, the red form maintains the same anatomical structure as typical bed bugs, differing primarily in its vivid pigmentation and the subtle gloss of its cuticle.