Click Free Pest Control Quote
to fill in a form to obtain a free pest control quote today.
Overview
The following Bed Bugs pictures can help identify bugs in your home or apartment as well as any bites or symptoms on your body.
When looking for bed bugs in the home, first realize that they follow a lifecycle. The insects start as an egg, move through infancy (called being an instar or nymph), followed by adulthood (see lifecyle chart below and National Geographic video).
In terms of skin reactions, it varies by person. Some people are not allergic to bed bug bites and will show no skin reaction. Others are highly allergic and will experience red skin bumps, irritation and rash. Severe cases result in rashes. See pictures below for examples.
Bed bugs live for approximately 10 months and move through a life cycle from egg to adult. Infestations usually start with a female bed bug who would bite the host for blood upon arrival in the bed, and then for another "meal 2 weeks later.
At that point, she would lay eggs in the home at a rate of 3 per day. It takes 2 weeks for an egg to hatch. The just born nymph looks for food right away and becomes an adult bed bug in 4 months. The speed of reproduction and total life span is effected by room temperature and what is described assumes a room at 68F (20C). The adult bed bug lives for approximately 10 months, but can live without feeding up to a year if you decide to move to another room. A typical infestation has between 4 and 500 bed bugs.
If you are going to "do it yourself", the best way to remove an infestation is to buy a kit which contains a collection of products and zippered covers needed to 1) kill the bugs that you can see, 2) kill the bugs you can't and 3) protect against eggs you miss. Good choices include Eco Friendly natural kits offered by Naturasil or an insecticide based kit offered by Bed Bug Supply. More than one type of spray is needed to kill bedbugs, which is why a kit is essential.
If your mattress is over eight years old and showing signs of wear you may consider replacing it. See our guide for detailed instructions on pest control for eliminating bed bugs.
As this picture of a bed bug shows, adult bed bugs are approximately 1/4 inch to 3/8 inches long. After feeding on blood, the bug becomes a color that is a dull dark red. When the bugs are just born they have no color or look like a straw color.
A bed bug only feeds on the skin for up to 10 minutes. One bug may make multiple bites. Each bed bug will feed every few days and then move back to their hiding place until they need to feed again as this picture of bed bugs shows.
In this picture the bed bug on the left hasn't fed on a host yet. The bedbug on the right is engorged with blood.
Bed bugs tend to hide near the bed, with 80% - 85% of any infestation found near the mattress. However, they can also hide in nearby furniture, particularly if they were dropped in the area.
Bed bugs usually climb up bed legs or a headboard. They are attracted to the carbon dioxide exhaled by humans when breathing. Hiding spaces such as mattress seams are convenient ways to stay close to a human source for their next blood meal.
Picture of Bed Bug eggs on furniture including adult bed bugs and just born bedbug (nymph). Each bed bug (females) will lay approximately 3 to 8 eggs and up to 500 eggs over their 10 month life. Each egg is 1/25 inch and is curved. The bed bug will lay eggs in a sticky cluster. A bug will feed 24 hours after being hatched. Eggs will hatch between 4 and 12 days.
While bed bugs will bite anyone, they only leave red irritated skin on people that are allergic to the bites. This is why two people sleeping in the same bed can experience no symptoms, or only one of the two people will see symptoms.
Not sure you have a bed bug infestation? Trouble evaluating your problem based on these bed bugs pictures. One good way to evaluate a bed bug is to complete this form and send to to the Harvard School of Public Health, with a sample bug for evaluation. See this page for more bed bug photos or here for more bed bug pictures.
Remember that each bed bugs picture will be different from being a baby bed bug or nymph through adulthood.
Bed bugs are difficult to exterminate. It's preferable to call in an expert who can confirm the presence of bed bugs, knows how to conduct a proper inspection, and who uses specialized equipment to treat the problem. The bugs multiple quickly so be sure to act as soon as you think you have a problem..
Start by locating a nearbybed bug exterminator from our list. Only use companies and representatives of those companies that have specific expertise in treating bed bugs.
Do you have a question or great story about bed bugs? Share it!
Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...
Finding and Getting Rid of Bed BugsNot rated yet Bed Bugs Handbook Reader Question Ten days ago I was bitten by a bed bug while sleeping. I know it was a bed bug because it woke me up and I found
Have Bed Bugs But No BitesNot rated yet When my husband and I first moved into our appartment we were sleeping on two twins beds. Now I am 4'10" and my husband is 6'2". And this bed was not working
Bed bug paranoidNot rated yet I just traveled to Vietnam and I discovered I stayed in a hotel with bed bugs. I've had the worst itching and hurtful bites ever, I have them all over
Click here to write your own.
Free brochures for download with additional bed bugs pictures and information.
Bed Bug Problems
Guide to solving bed bug problems.
Written by: Michigan State Community Health Services
Available in a free Ebook
Bed Bug Pictures and Facts
Bed Bug Fact Sheet
Written by: James J. Butler
Available in a free Ebook
Excerpt from:
Bed Bugs Pictures: Actual Size, Stages and Skin Bites
- Lawsuit Claims Waldorf Astoria Had Bedbugs - September 5th, 2011 [September 5th, 2011]
- Luke and Lique Bed bugs training day Michigan Aug 25, 2011 - September 8th, 2011 [September 8th, 2011]
- Manhattan/michigan-mom-sues-waldorfastoria-over-Bedbugs - September 21st, 2011 [September 21st, 2011]
- Ladybugs at the Hotel - Video - December 3rd, 2011 [December 3rd, 2011]
- Fight Mite and Bed Bug Bite - Video - December 19th, 2011 [December 19th, 2011]
- Couple With Bed Bugs Contacts Call 3 For Help - Video - January 20th, 2012 [January 20th, 2012]
- Fox 17 News Feb 11 2011 Family Living with Bed Bugs.wmv - Video - February 6th, 2012 [February 6th, 2012]
- BedBugExterminator911.com Offers Complimentary Sample Of Non-Pesticide Solution To Subside Bed Bug Exterminator Cost - February 14th, 2012 [February 14th, 2012]
- Kalamazoo/Grand Rapids/Battle Creek region ranks in Top 50 for bed bugs - March 26th, 2012 [March 26th, 2012]
- Anteco Pest Control - Video - March 31st, 2012 [March 31st, 2012]
- What you should know abound bedbugs and hotels - May 25th, 2012 [May 25th, 2012]
- Health Buzz: Female Doctors Paid Less - June 15th, 2012 [June 15th, 2012]
- Bed Bugs Michigan - Bed Bug.org - November 3rd, 2013 [November 3rd, 2013]
- Bed Bugs in Michigan - Bed Bug KnowledgeBase - November 3rd, 2013 [November 3rd, 2013]
- Bed Bugs Metro-Detroit - Pest, Bed bug and Insect Removal in ... - November 3rd, 2013 [November 3rd, 2013]
- Bed Bugs - Bed Bug Control Company - Get Rid of Bed Bugs in Metro ... - November 9th, 2013 [November 9th, 2013]
- CDC - EHS - Topics - Bed Bugs - Centers for Disease Control ... - November 10th, 2013 [November 10th, 2013]
- Bed Bugs Exterminator Warren, MI providing bed bugs pest control ... - November 11th, 2013 [November 11th, 2013]
- Michigan, Bed Bug Reports | National Bed Bug Registry Database And ... - November 14th, 2013 [November 14th, 2013]
- Bed Bugs - Bed Bug Control Company - Get Rid of Bed Bugs in ... - November 18th, 2013 [November 18th, 2013]
- Bed Bugs Exterminator Warren, MI providing bed bugs pest ... - November 23rd, 2013 [November 23rd, 2013]
- Bed Bug Control Services | Detroit, Cleveland And Throughout ... - November 25th, 2013 [November 25th, 2013]
- michigan — Got bed bugs? Bedbugger.com - November 27th, 2013 [November 27th, 2013]
- Bed Bugs Muskegon - City of Muskegon - December 2nd, 2013 [December 2nd, 2013]
- Troy Pest Control | Bed Bug Identification, Prevention And Control - December 15th, 2013 [December 15th, 2013]
- Bed Bug Lawsuit Types Examples and Results - December 28th, 2013 [December 28th, 2013]
- Bed bugs in Michigan; new Michigan bed bug manual — Got bed ... - January 16th, 2014 [January 16th, 2014]
- Bed bugs in Michigan; new Michigan bed bug manual — Got ... - January 27th, 2014 [January 27th, 2014]
- Bed bugs in Michigan; new Michigan bed bug manual Got ... - February 3rd, 2014 [February 3rd, 2014]
- michigan Got bed bugs? Bedbugger.com - February 3rd, 2014 [February 3rd, 2014]
- Bed Bugs Muskegon City of Muskegon - February 10th, 2014 [February 10th, 2014]
- michigan Got bed bugs? Bedbugger.com - bed bug news ... - February 10th, 2014 [February 10th, 2014]
- Bed Bugs Muskegon - March 8th, 2014 [March 8th, 2014]
- Bed Bugs Trouble Subsidized Housing in Michigan, My Cleaning Products Suggests a Pesticide-Exempt Spray to Help Public ... - March 11th, 2014 [March 11th, 2014]
- Michigan - Kill Bed Bugs | Best Bed Bug Treatment ... - April 2nd, 2014 [April 2nd, 2014]
- Bed Bug Registry Database Michigan, Usa, National Bed Bug ... - May 8th, 2014 [May 8th, 2014]
- About Bed Bugs Detroit | Detroit, Michigan, United States ... - October 2nd, 2014 [October 2nd, 2014]
- Read 19 Bed Bug Reports for Baymont Inn, Baymont Inn ... - November 19th, 2014 [November 19th, 2014]
- Worst cities for bed bugs: Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo crawling up the list - January 22nd, 2015 [January 22nd, 2015]
- Worst cities for bed bugs: Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo crawling ... - January 23rd, 2015 [January 23rd, 2015]
- Michigan - Bed Bug Store - July 29th, 2015 [July 29th, 2015]
- Bed Bugs - Pest Control | Griffin Pest - August 9th, 2015 [August 9th, 2015]
- Eradico Pest Services | Bed Bug Control Experts | Michigan - May 4th, 2016 [May 4th, 2016]
- 'Don't let the bed bugs bite' - Tri-County Times: News For Fenton ... - Fenton Tri County Times - March 11th, 2017 [March 11th, 2017]
- Experts offer tips to avoid bedbugs during spring break travel - WWMT-TV - April 8th, 2017 [April 8th, 2017]
- News - Bedbugs Are Back in Michigan - Rose Pest Solutions - July 31st, 2017 [July 31st, 2017]
- Michigan, United States Bed Bug Registry Map Bed Bug ... - December 26th, 2017 [December 26th, 2017]
- How to inspect your hotel room for bed bugs Bug Gwen - March 12th, 2018 [March 12th, 2018]
- Bed Bugs | Residence Life | Western Michigan University - April 26th, 2018 [April 26th, 2018]
- Bed Bugs in Michigan: a Report | Griffin Pest Solutions - August 5th, 2018 [August 5th, 2018]
- Michigan Has a Lot of Bed Bugs Including Grand Rapids - August 19th, 2018 [August 19th, 2018]
- Bed Bug Heat Treatments - Residential - Rose Pest Solutions - November 17th, 2018 [November 17th, 2018]
- Bedbug Laws By State | Pest Control and Bug Exterminator Blog - February 3rd, 2019 [February 3rd, 2019]
- Bed Bugs | Eco Pest Control of Michigan - February 4th, 2019 [February 4th, 2019]
- Bed bugs found on chairs at Mott Community College - MLive.com - October 22nd, 2019 [October 22nd, 2019]
- Michigan Bed Bug Hotel and Apartment Reports ... - January 5th, 2020 [January 5th, 2020]
- Exterminator Says He Regularly Treats Rideshare Vehicles For Bed Bugs - GM Authority - March 1st, 2020 [March 1st, 2020]
- Ypsilanti library to reopen Thursday after closure for bed bug treatment - MLive.com - March 10th, 2020 [March 10th, 2020]
- Bed Bug Control | Pesticide Research Institute - July 18th, 2020 [July 18th, 2020]
- Lincoln Manor property manager responds to bed bug issue WBKB 11 - WBKB-TV - October 24th, 2020 [October 24th, 2020]
- What to expect after bed bug treatment - MSU Extension - November 21st, 2022 [November 21st, 2022]
- Are Bed Bugs Still a Problem For These Four Cities in Michigan? - November 21st, 2022 [November 21st, 2022]
Click Free Exterminator Quote
to fill in a form to obtain a free exterminator quote today.