Pest Library - Bed Bugs
Appearance, Habit, Identification and More

: Bed Bugs | Cimex lectularius L.

Often mis-spelled as bedbugs are small, wingless and nocturnal insects that feed on blood and warm-blooded hosts. They are also called Mahogany Flats, Red Coats and Chinches. Mature bed bugs have a flattened body which let them hide in inconspicuous places like behind baseboards, floor cracks, under carpets and behind loose wallpaper. They often go unnoticed and stay close together.

General Appearance & Facts:

Shape: Bed Bugs are oval in shape and are normally flat.

Length: about 3/16" about the size of an apple seed. Mature bed bugs can be 4-5mm long.

Color: A reddish-brown like a rusty brown to a deep red-brown. After a meal, they appear swollen and more red.

Signs of a Bed Bug Problem:

Since bed bugs are so small it can often be hard to find one. If you think you have a bed bug problem, give Live Oak Pest Control a call at (386) 362-3887 and we'll send out a trained specialist.

Some common signs:

Have a distinctively sweet, yet unpleasant smell
Blood spotting on mattresses and nearby furnishings
If they bite you, it can be itchy and leave minor welts on the skin. They can cause allergic reactions such as severe itching.
Cockroaches (coming soon)
Rodents (coming soon)

Habitat:

Bed bugs are very adaptable to human environments. Bed bugs are normally found:

In warmer enviroments
Around cracks and crevices on beds and other furniture
Mattress seams, sheets and comforters
Behind baseboards
Behind electrical outlet plates
Behind picture frames
In hotels where they travel from room to room and in visitors' luggage

Bed bugs are found worldwide due to human travelers who transport luggage, clothing, bedding, and furniture. Here in Florida, bed bugs can be found around poultry farms and around bats.