Bedbugs

OVERVIEW

• Adults are reddish brown; newly hatched nymphs are translucent and lighter
• Adults are around 5 mm
• Wingless
• Microscopic hairs give them a banded appearance
• Active at night
• Attracted to warmth and carbon dioxide
• Found in variety of places (both clean and dirty)-homes, hotels, college dorms, theaters, trains, planes, and buses
• Pierces the skin with 2 hollow tubes: one injects saliva containing anticoagulants and anesthetics; the other withdraws the host’s blood
• Can survive at a wide range of temperatures
• Travel tips to keep bed bugs away:
• Keep luggage off of floor and away from beds or upholstered furniture
• Keep items that cannot be washed sealed in plastic bags
• Inspect bed by pulling back linens and checking for live bugs, shed skins, very small black fecal spots, or blood smears