What Do Bed Bugs Look Like & Signs To Watch For
What Bed Bugs Look Like: Overview
Bed bugs are small, elusive pests that can wreak havoc in homes, businesses, and rental properties. These insects have the ability to hide in tiny cracks and crevices, which makes them challenging to detect, especially in the early stages of an infestation.
Understanding what bed bugs look like and recognizing the signs of an infestation is critical to taking action as soon as possible to eradicate them from your home.
What Do Bed Bugs Look Like?
If you think you may have a bed bug infestation, it helps to know what they look like. Adult bed bugs are small, flat, and oval-shaped insects. They resemble an apple seed in size and color.
Here are some key characteristics of the bed bug to watch for:
Size
Adult bed bugs are typically about 5–7 mm long, roughly the size of a pencil eraser or an apple seed. While they may seem tiny, their presence can quickly become noticeable, especially after feeding when their size slightly increases due to the engorgement of blood.
Shape
When unfed, bed bugs are flat and oval-shaped, allowing them to hide in extremely tight spaces, such as mattress seams or wall cracks. After feeding, their bodies swell and elongate, making them more cylindrical in shape and slightly more noticeable.
Color
The color of a bed bug varies depending on its feeding status. Unfed bed bugs are typically a reddish-brown hue, while recently fed bed bugs become a darker, rust-like color. Younger bed bugs (nymphs) are lighter in color, often pale yellow or translucent.
Wings & Movement
Although they have wing pads, bed bugs are flightless insects. They rely on their six legs to crawl rapidly across surfaces. Despite their inability to fly or jump, they can move quickly, spreading from one area to another in search of food or new hiding places.
Nymphs
Nymphs, or juvenile bed bugs, are much smaller than adults, usually between 1–4 millimeters long. They are almost translucent before feeding, making them harder to spot. As they mature, their color darkens, and they grow in size through five life stages.
Eggs
Bed bug eggs are tiny, about 1mm long, and pearl-white in color. They are often found in clusters of 10–50 eggs, adhered to surfaces with a sticky substance secreted by the female. These eggs are usually laid in hidden areas, making early detection challenging.
Related: What are the Dangers of Bed Bugs?
Signs of a Bed Bug Infestation
Recognizing the signs of bed bugs early can prevent a minor issue from becoming a full-blown infestation. Look for these indicators:
Bite Marks
Bed bug bites often appear as small, red, itchy welts, typically found on exposed areas of the skin like the arms, neck, and legs. These bites may occur in clusters or straight lines, as bed bugs tend to feed in a concentrated area.
However, not everyone reacts to bed bug bites, which can make infestations harder to detect. More here on everything you need to know about bed bug bites.
Blood Stains & Fecal Spots
After feeding, bed bugs may leave behind small blood stains on sheets, pillowcases, or clothing. These stains are usually tiny, pinpoint spots that occur when a bed bug is crushed during sleep.
Fecal spots are dark, ink-like stains caused by bed bug excrement. These spots are commonly found on mattresses, box springs, bed frames, or furniture. A cluster of these spots often indicates the presence of a harborage site nearby.
Shed Skins
Another sign to watch out for are shed skins. As bed bugs grow, they shed their outer exoskeleton during the molting process. These translucent, shell-like remnants can often be found near hiding spots, such as mattress seams, baseboards, or behind furniture.
Eggs & Eggshells
Clusters of tiny white eggs or eggshells are another telltale sign of a bed bug infestation. These eggs are usually found in hard-to-reach areas, such as crevices, cracks, and upholstery seams, making them challenging to detect without a thorough inspection.
Musty Odor
In severe infestations, bed bugs emit a musty odor caused by pheromones. This smell, often compared to the scent of coriander, can be particularly noticeable in enclosed areas like bedrooms or closets.
Related: 11 Ways to Prevent Bed Bugs from Invading Your Space
Common Hiding Spots for Bed Bugs
Now that you have a better idea of what bed bugs look like, let’s talk a little bit about common hiding spots. Bed bugs are expert hiders and are often found in:
Mattress seams and box springs
Bed frames and headboards
Behind baseboards and electrical outlets
In cracks and crevices of furniture
Upholstered furniture
Inside luggage, backpacks, or clothing
If you want to find out more about how bed bugs infest a living space in the first place, we detail more in our articles on how do bed bugs travel and also what attracts bed bugs here.
Why Bed Bug Preparation Services Are Essential
Bed bugs are notoriously difficult to eliminate, taking up to a week or more just to prepare for the extermination company to come in and handle the actual removal process. As such, following a proper bed bug preparation process is a critical first step to ensure the effectiveness of professional treatments.
Advanced Bed Bug Preparation specializes in helping residents, business owners, and landlords prepare their spaces for successful extermination. Our preparation services include removing clutter to minimize hiding spots, laundry treatment, and preparing furniture and belongings for treatment. While we do not perform the extermination itself, we can prepare your space and equip you with the right questions to ask your bed bug removal expert.
Related: Types of Bed Bug Treatments
Contact Us
By partnering with Advanced Bed Bug Preparation, you can rest assured that your space is set up for thorough and effective bed bug eradication. Don’t wait until the infestation worsens—contact us today to get started on the path to a bed-bug-free environment!
Our team serves the cities of Oshkosh, Fond Du Lac, Sheboygan, Appleton, Green Bay, and Northeast Wisconsin.
