Bedbugs

After hatching the bed bug goes through five nymphal stages that resemble the adult, though they are
smaller in size. A newly hatched nymph is almost colourless. Engorged nymphs are reddish and swollen.
Wild animals, including bats, swallows, and house martins may also serve as hosts and maybe
responsible for causing infestations in or around buildings.
Bed bugs usually hide in cracks or mattresses during the day and emerge at night to feed. They inject
saliva as they feed. An allergic reaction to the saliva often causes slightly delayed swelling, itching, and
burning which may persist for a week or more.

Female bed bugs lay eggs throughout their life. Each female could produce
around 400 – 500 eggs during her lifetime.
The eggs are deposited all around the environment in which the bed bug is living.
At temperatures above 21°C (70°F), eggs hatch in 6 to 17 days. At lower temperatures, hatching may
take as long as 28 days.

Bed Bug Facts
1. They are not known to be disease carriers.

2. They feed on human blood by stabbing the victim with their hollow mouthparts, injecting an anticoagulant
to prevent blood clotting, and sucking the liquid blood into their gut.

3. Infestations are usually detected by the skin irritation caused by bites, usually limited to itching and
inflammation.

4. They prefer to feed when it is dark and the host is still and asleep.

5. Bedbugs can ingest up to 7x their body weight in blood in a single feed.

6. Bedbugs can go without feeding for up to 12 months with older bugs surviving longer than young ones

7. They are commonly transported in furniture and luggage.

8. They are unable to fly or jump.