What Do Bed Bugs Look Like?

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Bed bugs (sometimes spelled bedbugs, without the space) are fairly small (1/8"-1/4"), wingless, reddish-brown insects that are only found in association with people, usually starting in the room where people sleep. Hence the common name bed bugs. There is a related species that, for example, uses bats as their host animal. These are called bat bugs.

You never find a bed bug just crawling around outdoors. They don't move very fast, can't fly and depend on us to move them from place to place usually by hiding in our belongings.

Bed bugs are normally first detected because of mosquito-like bites that occur during the night. Bites itch but are not otherwise dangerous because bed bugs do not spread disease like some other insects do.

Once bites happen an inspection of the room and bedding will usually turn up the insects between the mattresses, on mattress seams or on bedside furniture. See pictures of bed bugs and a drawing of hiding places and bites. The second link also has information about safe and effective ways of getting rid of bed bugs if they do turn up.

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