What Do Bed Bugs Look Like?

There’s a massive misconception that humans can’t see bed bugs with the naked eye. While baby bed bugs — or “nymphs” — are too small to see, you might be able to identify adult bugs if you know what you’re searching for!

This article will tell you what bed bugs look like so you know whether they have infiltrated your property. If these creatures have moved into your home or business, the next step is to contact pest control experts who can solve your bed bug problem for good!

How to Identify Bed Bugs

People often confuse bed bugs with other insects like carpet beetles. However, the former have unique characteristics that make them pretty easy to identify in some circumstances:

Small, flat bodies

Unlike some other insects, bed bugs have small, flat, oval-shaped bodies.

Wingless

Bed bugs, both adults and nymphs, don’t have any wings. Adults have wing pads, but these don’t develop into functioning wings. That means bed bugs can’t fly!

Brown bodies

Bed bugs have brown bodies that turn red after they feed.

Size of an apple seed

Adult bed bugs are usually the size of an apple seed — around 4-5 mm.

Signs of Bed Bugs

Bed bugs are always on the move, making it difficult to catch them! That’s why many people don’t realize they have an infestation problem for weeks or months. Bed bugs can multiply during that time, meaning it’s even harder to remove them from your home or business.

Even if you don’t see a bed bug with your naked eye, you might notice other signs of their presence:

Bed bug bites

Bed bugs leave red, raised, itchy bites on your skin that sometimes turn into blisters.

Droppings

You might have a bed bug infestation if you notice tiny, dark stains on your bed sheets and mattress. These stains are often bed bug droppings.

Strange smell

Bed bugs sometimes leave a musty, sweet odor around your bed and other furniture.

Blood stains

If bed bugs bite you when you sleep, you might have small blood stains on your bed sheets.

How to Tell Whether You Have Bed Bugs for Sure

Bed bugs are wingless and have small, flat brown bodies, with adult bugs about the same size as an apple seed. However, you might never encounter one of these insects because they move so quickly!

The best way to identify a bed bug problem is to work with pest control professionals like Pest Shield. Serving home and business owners in Maryland and Northern Virginia, we can determine whether you have bed bugs on your property and find the right solution to this issue.

Pest Shield is your local pest control expert for the following reasons:

60 years of combined experience
We’ve protected military bases in Afghanistan and Iraq from dangerous pests
We’re certified and licensed by the Maryland and Virginia Departments of Agriculture in all pest and termite categories

Not sure whether you have a bed bug infestation? Get a FREE inspection here or call us at 301-829-0060.

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