Identification Bed Bug Division
Detection
Adult Bedbugs are brown to reddish-brown, oval-shaped, flattened, and about 3/16 to 1/5 inch long. Their flat shape enables them to readily hide in cracks and crevices. The body becomes more elongate, swollen, and dark red after a blood meal. Bedbugs have a beaklike piercing-sucking mouthpart system. The adults have small, stubby, nonfunctional wing pads. Newly hatched nymphs are nearly colorless, becoming brownish as they mature. Nymphs have the general appearance of adults. Eggs are white and about 1/32 inch long.
Bedbugs superficially resemble a number of closely related insects (family Cimicidae), such as bat bugs (Cimex adjunctus), chimney swift bugs (Cimexopsis spp.), and swallow bugs (Oeciacus spp.). A microscope is needed to examine the insect for distinguishing characteristics, which often requires the skills of an entomologist. In Ohio, bat bugs are far more common than Bedbugs.
Other Information
- » Fox News, 15 January 2007: "Lawyer Sues London Hotel, Claims Bedbugs Attacked Him, Wife"
- » Pest Control Magazine, 1 January 2007: "Are Bedbug Dogs Up to Snuff?"
- » Bed Bugs and Blood-Sucking Conenose
- » University of Kentucky EntFacts Information Sheet on bedbugs
- » Shawn E. Brooks, University of Florida - Bed Bug Summary
