What Is The Smallest Size of Bed Bug?

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What Are Bed Bugs?

Bed bugs are parasitic insects that feed off human blood while humans are asleep. As such, bed bugs are nocturnal insects, which means that finding them in your home can sometimes be very difficult. Awareness of bed bugs and their signs can be a very useful tool in trying to discern whether or not you are dealing with a bed bug infestation. Learning about the life-cycle of the bed bug is helpful, then, in trying to discern what kind of infestation you are dealing with. 

The Lifecycle of the Bed Bug

Bed bugs begin their lives as new hatched bed bugs called nymphs. Bed bugs will transition through 5 immature nymph life-stages before finally reaching adulthood. 

Each transition occurs when bed bugs shed their skins through a molting process called ecdysis where they discard their outer exoskeleton. The time it takes a bed bug nymph to mature varies depending on the temperature of their living space and how often they have had a blood meal. Under ideal circumstances (an available host, average room temperature), a bed bug nymph can mature into full adulthood in about 21 days.

What Is The Smallest Size of Bed Bug?

Nymphs are translucent and become browner in color at each stage of maturity and are red after feeding. First-stage nymphs are only about 1.5 millimeters. By the time they reach full adulthood, they will become about 4.5 millimeters in length.  

Life is tough for a first stage nymph: they can’t travel as far as older nymphs and adults to find a host. A first-stage nymph must feed as often as possible and can’t go for longer than 20 days without a blood meal before dying of dehydration.

Bed bug nymphs can make up a large amount of the population in any established infestation. This is part of the reason why it is well-known that bed bug infestations are hard to detect as well as difficult to eradicate.

Get Help Getting Help

The prospect of having a bed bug infestation is a daunting one. They are hard to spot, hard to get rid of, it can take time and expense all while you are still being fed on during the night. If you suspect you have a bed bug infestation in your home, reach out to a pest care specialist immediately. Knowing which pest care specialist will be the right one for you is an equally intimidating process. Let Pest Care Experts point you to the right professional pest service with the help of our team of exceptional agents. Take one tough thing out of the equation and call Pest Care Experts today.