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Bedbug Identification
Bed bugs vary in size, with the smallest immature larvae being from less than 1/16 inch up to full-grown-up adults being about 3/8 inch long. Their color may vary from a translucent yellowish-white to a rusty reddish brown. When viewed from above, they appear to be an oval-round type shape. When viewed from the side, their bodies appear flattened; however, freshly fed bed bugs are engorged with blood and appear more robust.
Bed bug eggs are oval-oblong, pearly white in color, and about one millimeter in length. They may be found singly or in groups. Eggs may be found on virtually any surface where bed bugs hide or travel. Eggs are coated with a sticky substance that glues them place where laid by the female.
Bed Bug Identification Tips
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Refer to photos within this article, online, and in other sources to familiarize yourself with the appearance of bed bugs and signs of bed bugs.
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When attempting to identify bed bugs or other pests in the field, it is useful to place the pests on a white or light-colored background such as white paper or a paper plate. Moving your light across the subject is useful in seeing the insect and various physiological structures.
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There are a variety of economically priced hand lenses and magnifying glasses of variable powers widely available on the market that may be useful to view and identify insects, including bed bugs.
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Probably the only bug that might be misidentified as the common bed bug on a regular basis would be the bat bug. At about ten power or higher, the difference between bat bugs and bed bugs is visible to the trained eye. One difference is that the hairs along the margin of the pronotal shield on the bat bug are much longer than those of the bed bug. Consult other references to learn the physical difference between these pests.
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Bat bug behavior is different than bed bug behavior. When bat bugs are present in large numbers, they tend to congregate at the windows. And while bat bugs can bite people, generally speaking there will be fewer people experiencing bat bug bites than would be the case if bed bugs were present.
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Good lighting enhances your identification and inspection work. At the time of this writing, adequate LED-type flashlights may be purchased from various sources for less than ten dollars each.
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Behavior, existing conditions, physical evidence, and circumstances should also be taken into account when making a pest identification. For example, as mentioned above, when many bed bug-looking pest are found accumulating on window sill areas but only few if any persons report being bitten, this situation is likely due to bat bugs and not bed bugs. Generally speaking, when there are many bed bugs present, a number of people are being bitten and most of the bed bugs tend to remain hidden.
Excerpt From: Paul J. Bello. “The Bed Bug Combat Manual.”
Mistaken Identities
Cockroaches have been around for millions of years, evolving into some of the most adaptable pests on Earth. There are approximately 4,000 living species of cockroaches in the world. About 70 of these species are found in the United States. Cockroaches are commonly found in buildings and homes because they prefer warm environments close to food and water. Unfortunately, cockroaches can cause allergies and trigger asthma attacks, especially in children.
Although ticks are commonly thought of as insects, they are actually arachnids like scorpions, spiders and mites. All members of this group have four pairs of legs as adults and have no antennae. hard tick (american dog tick)Adult insects have three pairs of legs and one pair of antennae. Ticks are among the most efficient carriers of disease because they attach firmly when sucking blood, feed slowly and may go unnoticed for a considerable time while feeding. Ticks take several days to feed.
Booklice are not true lice. While they resemble lice in size and shape, booklice feed only on fungi or mold. If you find them in grain or other stored food products, it is an indication of high humidity which encourages mold growth. In addition to food products, psocids may be found under wallpaper, in furniture, along the sides of windows or on window sills around potted plants. Booklice do not bite, transmit disease, or damage food or fabric, but they can be very annoying.
Cockroaches have been around for millions of years, evolving into some of the most adaptable pests on Earth. There are approximately 4,000 living species of cockroaches in the world. About 70 of these species are found in the United States. Cockroaches are commonly found in buildings and homes because they prefer warm environments close to food and water. Unfortunately, cockroaches can cause allergies and trigger asthma attacks, especially in children.