What does the bedbug insect look like? - briefly
The bed bug is a flat, oval insect roughly 4–5 mm long, reddish‑brown, wingless, with a smooth body, visible segmented antennae, and a head hidden beneath the pronotum. After feeding, its abdomen becomes noticeably distended.
What does the bedbug insect look like? - in detail
The bed bug is a small, oval‑shaped insect measuring 4–5 mm (about 0.2 inches) in length when unfed and expanding to 6–7 mm after a blood meal. Its body is dorsally flattened, enabling it to hide in tight crevices. The exoskeleton is a smooth, leathery cuticle that appears reddish‑brown when engorged; in a starved state the coloration shifts to a lighter, tan‑gray hue.
Key morphological features include:
- Head: Broad, with a pair of short, beaded antennae (four segments) and compound eyes that are reduced to small ocelli.
- Mouthparts: Piercing‑sucking rostrum extending forward, adapted for penetrating skin and extracting blood.
- Thorax: Three segments each bearing a pair of legs; legs end in tiny claws that aid in climbing fabrics and furniture.
- Wings: Absent; the insect is wingless, relying on crawling for locomotion.
- Abdomen: Segmented, with a dorsal surface covered by fine, hair‑like setae. The posterior end bears a pair of tiny, curved cerci used for sensory detection.
Coloration changes with feeding status: after ingesting blood the abdomen becomes engorged and takes on a deep, rust‑red appearance, while unfed individuals retain a pale, almost translucent look. Nymphal stages (five instars) resemble adults but are progressively smaller and lighter in color, lacking the pronounced reddish hue of fully fed adults.
These characteristics enable the bed bug to remain concealed in mattress seams, furniture joints, and wall cracks, where it can move quickly and feed unnoticed.