Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius)
Lifecycle: Incomplete metamorphosis
Egg: 4–5 eggs laid per female each day in cracks and crevices on, bed bug in or near bedding. Will only hatch above 13 °C.
Nymph: Nymphs reach adulthood within 5 months after several weeks under optimum conditions.
Adult: Adults are 6 mm and their lifespan is dictated primarily by the abundance of food and the ambient temperature, with some individuals having been noted to last almost 12 months without feeding, surviving in a state of diapause.
Adult: Adults are 6 mm and their lifespan is dictated primarily by the abundance of food and the ambient temperature, with some individuals having been noted to last almost 12 months without feeding, surviving in a state of diapause.
Description
The bed-bug is a wingless ectoparasite with an oval body. The body is flattened unless it has taken a blood feed, after which the abdomen will be distended as it taken on a blood meal up to 7 times its own body weight. Colour ranges from brown to mahogany depending on when the last blood meal was taken.
Habitat
The bed-bug inhabits houses worldwide. More commonly associated with hotels and hostel accommodation where the adults infest cracks, crevices, furniture, and bedding.
Signs of infestation
Bed-bugs will usually feed at night while the host is sleeping, bite marks visible on body parts exposed to bedding or furniture. Bed-bug harbourages produce a distinct musty smell, which is an accumulation of feces and scenting.
References
The British Pest Management Manual. Section 5, pg 76
Lab notes, Tarakan International.
The bed-bug is a wingless ectoparasite with an oval body. The body is flattened unless it has taken a blood feed, after which the abdomen will be distended as it taken on a blood meal up to 7 times its own body weight. Colour ranges from brown to mahogany depending on when the last blood meal was taken.
Habitat
The bed-bug inhabits houses worldwide. More commonly associated with hotels and hostel accommodation where the adults infest cracks, crevices, furniture, and bedding.
Signs of infestation
Bed-bugs will usually feed at night while the host is sleeping, bite marks visible on body parts exposed to bedding or furniture. Bed-bug harbourages produce a distinct musty smell, which is an accumulation of feces and scenting.
References
The British Pest Management Manual. Section 5, pg 76
Lab notes, Tarakan International.
Recently viewed