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Bed Bug Species - Cimex Lectularius
Bed bugs (Cimex Lectularius) are native to the UK and Europe, and after WWII it was believed that up to 30% of all homes in the UK were infested with this parasite.shouldn’t be confused with dust mites. Find out more about their appearance and lifecycle below.
Bed Bugs
(Cimex Lectularius)
Appearance
- Bed bugs are around 4 to 5mm long.
- Oval and flattened from back to underside with thick, well-developed legs. Bed bugs do not have wings.
- Their mouths are pointed for piercing and sucking.
- Adult bed bugs are red to brown in colour.
- Eggs are whitish cream, getting darker as they hatch to larvae.
- Their shed skins are lighter brown and look like flaky exoskeletons.
Life cycle and habits of Bed Bugs
Lifecycle
- Bed bugs lay 200 – 500 eggs over a 2 month period in batches of 10 to 50.
- The eggs are attached to items of furniture or fittings in clusters by a transparent substance
- There are 5 stages to the lifecycle from egg to fully grown adult which can be from 6 to 10 months
- The typical life span of a bed bug is about 10 months.
- They can survive for weeks to months without feeding.
Habits
- Bedbugs feed on human blood and are attracted to body heat and CO2 from sleeping humans
- They inject an anaesthetic when they pierce the skin, so the bite can go unnoticed at first
- They are found in cracks and crevices, headboards, behind peeling wallpaper, broken plaster, light switches, under carpets and skirting boards etc. so they are near to people for feeding
- Bed bugs are nocturnal and start feeding soon after sunset and before dawn
- Bed bugs will feed during the day if conditions are favourable
- When alarmed they move quickly and emit an odour