Key Bed Bug Facts

• Appearance & Behavior: Adult bed bugs are oval-shaped and flat, roughly the size of an apple seed. They cannot fly but are fast runners and, while favoring humans, can feed on pets.
• Types: The primary types are the common bed bug (Cimex lectularius) and the tropical bed bug (Cimex hemipterus).
• Lifespan & Breeding: They can live up to 10 months to a year. Females can lay 1–10 eggs per day and 200–500 in their lifetime.
• Feeding: They can survive for months without feeding, with some reports citing up to 70 days or more.
• Habitats: Common in homes, hotels, apartments, and transportation; they are not attracted to dirt, but to blood meals.

Signs of Infestation

• Bites: Small, itchy, red bites, often appearing in lines on exposed skin (face, neck, arms, hands).
• Stains/Odor: Rusty-colored blood spots on mattresses or sheets.
• Physical Signs: Live bed bugs, shed skins (exoskeletons), and tiny white eggs. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC (.gov) +4

Management and Treatment

• Heat Treatment: Wash bedding/clothing at high temperatures ($$ or more) and dry for at least 30 minutes.
• Physical Controls: Use a strong vacuum for cracks and crevices. Use zippered, bed-bug-rated encasements for mattresses and box springs.
• Professional Help: Contact a professional pest control service as they are difficult to eliminate alone.
• Freezing: Items can be placed in a freezer at $$ (approx. $$) for at least 4 days to kill them. orthern Nevada Public Health +3

Common Misconceptions

They are not only found in dirty places; they can live anywhere (including 5-star hotels).

You do not necessarily have to throw away all furniture; many items can be treated.

Bed bugs do not transmit disease, despite being parasites.