Bed Bugs
Pest
Bed Bugs
Pest Category
Insect / Parasite
Do They Carry Disease?
Yes
Do They Cause Structural Damage?
No
Cost of Damage

Other Damage?
The damage this insect causes is to the people or pets it bites.
Signs to Look For
Bites on the body. Some people are very sensitive to the bed bug bite and some are not. The bites are recognized by the itching they produce and inflammation. These insects can leave blood spots from feeding on almost any surface (walls, linens etc…) and their fecal matter consists of digested blood, looking normally like a brown spot.
Where are they noticed?
Once in a home, bed bugs can be found in any crack or crevice. They are found in bed framing, along seams in mattresses, behind pictures and calendars, floor boards…you get the idea, almost anywhere.
If Untreated…
If left untreated the population will simply continue to grow…the larger the number of bed bugs, the more blood required for feeding.
Tips
Bed bugs prefer warmer temperatures, which makes today’s homes an ideal environment.
Habits
Measuring approximately 1/8 of an inch, bed bugs have a red-brown color and a flat, oval shaped body. Nymphs resemble their parents but are smaller and slightly lighter in color. Active mostly during the night, bed bugs are ground travelers and are very agile climbers, easily able to move up and over obstacles such as walls and other surfaces. While they don’t have nests, per se, bed bugs will congregate in dark places where they hide during daylight hours. Females can lay up to 500 eggs during their lifetime and seek out secluded places (in and around beds, in closets, under other furniture, etc.) for laying them. The nymphs, when they hatch, can live for months.
Photo of Damage
