BED BUGS

(Cimex lectularius)
Bed Bug

Habitat

Nocturnal parasite, all stages feeding on mammalian blood, principally human but also dog, cat or rodents.Hide by day in crevices in beds, furniture, wallpaper, skirting boards and emerge when hungry, usually every few days, to feed.

Biology

Egg - nymph - adult. Eggs - up to 200, possibly more, laid at a rate of 4-5 a day glued in crevices and harbourages. Eggs white with cap. Only hatch above 13°C. Nymphs - 5 moults, taking from a few weeks to several months depending on food supply and conditions. Adults - wingless, flattened unless recently fed, about 6mm long.

Severity

Bites may cause severe allergic reaction but not a known disease carrier.May cause severe anxiety, even months after removal.Infestations occur within hotels, hostels and domestic homes.

Solution

Application of residual insecticide to all known harbourages, flooring, walls, bed frames, cupboards, cracks and crevices etc. Only to be undertaken by qualified technicians.

Interesting facts

A bed bug can survive for up to 15 months without feeding. Half of the human population show no physical signs to bed bug bites. Before feeding, bed bugs inject an anesthetic in to the host so no pain is felt.