Bed Bug photos

Female bed bugs can lay up to 5 eggs at a time, and over a lifetime over

500.  The eggs are visible to the naked eye, but are only about 1 mm long.

This diagram shows the molting stages of a bed bug from egg to maturity,

This cycle can take around 5 weeks with the bed bug having to feed at

least once during each cycle.  Female bed bugs only reach sexual maturity

when they become an adult bed bug.

This is a unfed mature bed bug, bedbugs can live between 6 to 9 months

with a good food source.  But they can also live up to a year and a half without

feeding because they have the ability to go into hibernation.  The problem with

many bed bugs is that regular insecticide do not harm bed bugs.  There are

special bed bug sprays that can effectively kill them.

This bed bug has just gotten done feeding, if you compare this picture with

the one right above it you will notice that the plates on the unfed one have

stretched out to allow for the bed bug to get more blood.  If undisturbed

it only takes a bed bug to go from the picture above to this gorged bed bug

5 or so minutes.  This bed bug will not have to feed again for up to 10 days.

These bed bugs have found a home in the folds of a mattress.  If you were

not to pull the fold down with your thumb you probably would never notice

them being there.  They like these spots because they are dark, and it

makes the bed bugs home close to their food source.

Many companies have started making covers for mattresses and box springs

to trap the bed bugs in the bed and make them unable to get to you.  They

also are made to keep new bed bugs from getting into your bed.  They often

chemicals woven into them that are safe for everyone, but toxic to the bed

bugs.  If you have a infestation you should get one of these for your mattress.

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