What do bed bugs look like?
Bed bugs look like tiny red/brown insects. Their bodies are mostly flat and oval-shaped. Adult bed bugs are only the size of an apple seed. Their bodies are divided into three segments, with six legs and two antennae.
Bed bugs are often confused for other insects. To identify a bed bug, look for these characteristics:
- Brown in color with a reddish tint
- Flat bodies that may appear engorged after feeding
- Adults grow to be 5 mm long
- White, oblong, and about 1 mm-long eggs
What is the size of a bed bug?
As adults, bed bugs only grow to be about 5 mm long. This is best visualized as the size of an apple seed, or about 1/4 to 3/16 of an inch. Bed bugs grow a big bigger after a meal. After feeding, the bed bug body will appear slightly longer, more cylindrical, and more red. Adult bed bugs are visible to the human eye even though they tend to hide out of view.
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Bed bug stages of life
After eggs hatch, bed bugs go through five larvae (or nymph) stages. Bed bugs lay their eggs in mattresses, furniture, wall cracks, baseboards, and floorboards. These eggs are white, oblong, and only about 1 mm long. Nymphs look like miniature versions of the adult bed bug. After blood meals, the bed bug nymph will shed its exoskeleton several times before reaching its final stage of life.
How to identify bed bugs in Knoxville
Because bed bugs look like other insects, it’s important to know how to identify them. They can be hard to see, which is why we recommend using a magnifying glass to help identify them. Otherwise, it’s wise to consult the help of a professional bed bug company in identifying bed bugs. The first step to getting rid of and preventing bed bugs is knowing what they look like.