Color:   Reddish-brown to mahogany; red after a blood meal
Shape: Flattened and Oval shaped
Size:   1/5 inch long and 1/8-inch wide

Bed bugs are typically active at nighttime, with a maximum attack period about an hour or two before sunrise, though given the chance, they may try to feed at other times throughout the day. Attracted by warmth and the presence of CO2, the bug penetrates the skin of its host with two hollow injector tubes. With one tube it injects its saliva, which contains anticoagulants and anesthetics, while the other tube withdraws the blood from its host. After a five minute blood meal, the bug returns to its hiding area. The bites can’t usually be felt until a few minutes or hours later. Although bed bugs can live for up to 20 months without a meal, they usually look for blood every five to ten days.

Bed bugs are often falsely associated with dirt. They are attracted by exhaled CO2, not by filth, and they feed on blood, not garbage. The cleanliness of their surroundings has no effect on bed bugs.

Bed bugs have been known to carry pathogens in their bodies, including plague and hepatitis-B. But they have not been linked to the transmission of any diseases and are not a medical threat. Some people can get skin irritations and scars from scratching bed bug bites. While these bugs are not thought of as a vector of transmissible diseases, they are a serious irritator and will create a lot of worry and alarm. With some people, it may precipitate mild cases of delusory parasitosis.

Human are the preferred host for the common bedbug, but it will feed  readily on other animals such as poultry, mice, rats, dogs, canaries and cats blood.

The bite is painless. The salivary fluid injected by bed bugs typically causes the skin to become irritated and inflamed, although individuals can differ in their sensitivity. A small, hard, swollen, white welt may develop at the site of each bite. This is accompanied by severe itching that lasts for several hours to days. Scratching may cause the welts to become infected. The amount of blood loss due to bed bug feeding typically does not adversely affect the host. Rows of three or so welts on exposed skin are characteristic signs of bed bugs. Welts do not have a red spot in the center such as is characteristic of flea bites. Some individuals respond to bed bug infestations with anxiety, stress, and insomnia. Bed bugs are not known to transmit disease.

Looking to avoid bed bugs? Bed bug prevention may be a bit easier then treating an existing infestation. According to the 2013 Bugs Without Borders survey, bed bugs remain THE most difficult pest to treat - more difficult than cockroaches, termites and ants!

Depending on the scope of an infestation and the type of treatment used by a pest professional, it can take several treatments to completely eliminate bed bugs. Male and Female Bed Bugs

Fortunately, there are many things that one can do to prevent bringing bed bugs into the home. Vigilance is the key to bed bug prevention. When out in public - whether at a hotel, store, movie theater or work place - it is important to be conscientious of surroundings.

As the public's awareness of the bed bug resurgence grows, focus on bed bug prevention has also grown. Many Americans are modifying their behaviors to minimize their risk of an infestation. According to the 2011 Bed Bugs in America survey, 27 percent of respondents have inspected or washed clothing upon returning from a trip; 25 percent have checked a hotel room for bed bugs; 17 percent have inspected or vacuumed a suitcase upon returning from a trip and 12 percent have altered or canceled travel plans because of concern about bed bugs.

Regular bed bug inspections are the best method of prevention to avoid bed bug infestation. Read our tips for preventing bed bugs to learn more about how to protect your household from an infestation: