•Life Stages: Eggs hatch into nymphs. Newly hatched nymphs are tiny—about 1/16th of an inch. •Nymphs—which look like small adults—become adults in 5 weeks. They go through 5 molts to reach adult size—meaning they shed their old, smaller skin 5 times. They must feed before each molt. •Females can produce 5-7 eggs per week, laying [...]
Bed bugs feed on the blood of human beings (aka. "blood meal") but can suck blood from other animals as well. Birds and mice are the most common animals. Bed bugs most often feed at nighttime when people are asleep. When they feed, they inject a salivary secretion into the wound to prevent coagulation. The [...]
A bed bug has 6 legs. Its antennae point forward and are about half as long as the body—not longer. Its head is broadly attached to its body and it has no wings. Color: A “drop of blood with legs” is probably a recently fed bed bug. It will be red, plump, and oval. After [...]