Bed Bugs

Overview:

Bed bugs get their name because they are commonly found in beds but can also be found in other places where humans spend a lot of time: hotels, airplanes, and couches.

• Size: 1/4"
• Shape: Flat, broad oval
• Color: Mahogany to rusty brown
• Legs: 6
• Wings: No
• Antenna: Yes
• Common Name: Bed bug
• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Arthropoda
• Class: Insecta
• Order: Hemiptera
• Family: cimicidae
• Species: Cimex lectularius

Diet:

Bed bugs can feed on the blood of any warm-blooded animal. Their most common targets are humans because, unlike animals with fur, we have a lot of exposed skin for them to bite.

Habitat:

Bed Bugs are typically found in beds and small cracks and crevices.

Impact:

When Bed bugs feed, they inject the skin with their saliva (this keeps the blood from clotting) and an anesthetic (this keeps the host from feeling the bite and moving). Bed bugs do not spread disease, but their bites can become red, itchy welts.

Prevention:

• Vacuum suitcases after returning from a vacation.
• Check your bed sheets for blood spots.
• Keep your suitcases covered in plastic and off the floor when you travel.
• When you travel, take a small flashlight to help you look for bed bugs.
• Don’t take mattresses or padded furniture that has been left at the curb or on the street.
• Bed bugs are hard to see, so if you think you have bed bugs, call a pest management professional.