Are bed bugs visible?

What do bed bugs look like?

Adult bed bugs are visible they are generally brown in colour and when they are filled with blood their colour can be from red to dark brown. The bed bug is in an oval shape and around about 4 to 7mm in length. A bed bug is an extremely slow insect that does not fly or jump. Usually, bed bugs live up to 5 -6 months, though they can live up to a year without feeding on blood when they are in an inactive condition. 

A bed bug egg is white in colour and the size of a nail or a screw. They gather up in groups and hide in small compact spaces and the eggs hatch around 10-14 days after they have been laid. 

Spotting the presence of bed bugs: 

Bed bugs are nocturnal, so they are the most active during the night, they mostly stay in bedrooms. Bed bugs try to stay away from light, looking for refuge in dark, slender, and inaccessible places. There are signs that can help identify the presence of bed bugs and these include: 

Traces on the skin 

• Bites that look like mosquito bites that cause to you to feel itchy
• Bites that appear on areas of the body that don’t be covered whilst you are sleeping. The first bite can be grouped or aligned on your skin if you are sleeping in a place that has a large swarm of bed bugs. If you continue to sleep in these conditions, then the bites will start to appear all over the body and not just in the areas that aren’t covered. 

Signs of bed bugs in your bed:

• Small dark spots found on the sheets, mattress, or bed springs. These spots are the bed bug’s poop.
• Existence of alive or dead bed bugs, shed skin or eggs where the person sleeps. These remnants can be in and near the bed.

Bed bugs are generally visible however as they are extremely small, they can hide in the smallest places and places where they can camouflage and not be seen, these places include:

• Bedsprings, seams and bottoms of mattresses, and hems of bedding
• Headboards, bedroom furniture and drawers
• Clothing, backpacks, handbags, and suitcases
• Chairs, wheelchairs, sofas and covers
• Carpets and curtains
• Mouldings and window or door frames
• Back of baseboard heaters and electrical outlets
• Peeled tapestry, frames, and posters
• Cracks in the plaster, wood, or floor
• Papers, books, telephones, radios, and clocks