Photo Gallery
A group of bed bugs feeding. The smaller
ones are nymphs. Note the raised welt on the skin resulting from their
feeding.
Description and Biology:
Adult bed bugs measure approximately 1/5 inch in length by 1/8 inch in width. They are reddish-brown in color and typically oval and flattened in shape. After feeding, the abdomen becomes engorged giving the bed bug a somewhat elongated appearance. Immatures are yellowish-white in color. The head bears piercing-sucking mouthparts which enable bed bugs to pierce the skin and retrieve blood from their hosts. The antennae have four segments and two compound eyes are visible. The wings are reduced to short pads and incapable of generating flight. Eggs are white and approximately 1/32 inch long.
Life Cycle and Habits
Bed bugs are nocturnal in their feeding habits, hiding in crevices and cracks during the day. A female can lay a total of 200 to 500 eggs. The eggs are laid in batches of 10 to 50 in areas where the insects hide. The young are hatched in four to 28 (usually about 10) days, depending upon temperature. Newly hatched bed bugs feed and molt five times before reaching maturity. All of the instars are tolerant to starvation and can endure several months or more without a blood meal. In one year, there may be three or more generations. Usually, one blood meal is taken between egg deposition and each instar molt.
Host(s):
Hosts include man, rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, bats, poultry, birds and other warm-blooded animals. The Cimicids in North Dakota that affect man include the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius, and the eastern bat bug, C. adjunctus.
Damage/Symptoms:
When bed bugs bite, they become completely engorged with blood in from three to fifteen minutes, depending on the bed bugs age and sex. A fluid is injected into the wound while feeding which may cause irritation and inflammation. In many cases welts develop, however, persons bitten by bed bugs may react differently. In some cases, the bite causes little inconvenience. The fact that bed bugs take at least five blood meals prior to maturity has placed these insects under suspicion as potential vectors of disease. However, there is no convincing evidence that this is true.
Initially, bed bugs are found in bedding and associated tufts, seams, and folds of infested mattresses. As the insects multiply, they spread to window and door casings, pictures, loosened wallpaper, plaster cracks, baseboards and partitions. They are readily moved about in clothing, traveling bags and suitcases, laundry, second hand beds and furniture. Bed bugs are found in just about any habitat which offers darkness, isolation, and protection. This includes new and old buildings. Even the best maintained households are not exempt from invasion, although proper sanitation is the best preventative measure against these and many household pests. Close relatives of bed bugs include the bat bug which is common in attics infested with bats, and swallow and chimney swift bugs which are frequent in homes inhabited by swallows, pigeons, and other wild birds. These insects prefer hosts other than man; however, they may feed on man if the opportunity presents itself.
Comments:
Effective control of bed bugs involves thorough inspection to determine the areas of infestation before treatments can be implemented. Careful inspection of all rooms immediately adjoining infested rooms will often reveal hidden bed bugs. Inspect cracks and crevices using a flat bladed instrument that dislodge bed bugs from their hiding places.
Frequently even when the insects themselves cannot be located, their presence can be determined by looking for dark spots of visible fecal material or remnants of blood on sheets and pillowcases. In some instances, a distinctive "sweet" odor often identifies the presence of a severe infestation.
Bed bug invasions can be prevented by practicing good sanitation. Laundering bedding on a regular basis, routine cleaning and vacuuming of the premises, repairing cracks in the walls and careful inspection of used beds and furniture prior to purchase can reduce the potential infestation. Eliminating bird nests and sealing potential openings in roofs and attics will prevent wild birds and bats from inhabiting the building.
Bed bugs can be controlled using chemical sprays. All areas where bed bugs could be hiding should be treated. This includes the tufts and seams of mattresses, bed frames, box springs, furniture, baseboards, moldings, carpet edges, around window and door casings, and loose wallpaper. Residual sprays containing carbaryl, allethrin, cyfluthrin, deltamethrin, permethrin, pyrethrin, resmethrin, sumithrin, tetramethrin, and tralomethrin may be used indoors. All these insecticides, except carbaryl, may be applied to mattresses. However, no insecticide should be used without careful consultation of the label since there may be exceptions regarding use of a specific product. Treated surfaces should be allowed to dry for at least 3 or 4 hours before use. Reinfestations may occur due to difficulties in locating all of the hiding places, or hidden eggs may hatch after the premise has been treated. A second application may be necessary if bed bugs are detected two weeks after the initial treatment.
Bat bugs, swallow bugs and chimney swift bugs may crawl into homes and cause problems after the bats and wild birds have left. An application of the previously mentioned insecticides will give control. In many instances, control measures can be successfully implemented by the homeowner. However, in those cases where professional consultation is required, a reputable pest control operator can provide assistance.
