A Field Guide To Bed Bugs
One species, five juvenile stages, and a life cycle built entirely around a host that sleeps in one place.
Bed Bugs
Also Known As
Bedbugs, mahogany flats, wall lice
Size
1mm as a nymph, 5mm as an adult
Active
Nocturnal, typically feeding in the hours before dawn
Lifespan
Four to six months, longer without feeding
Native To
Middle East and Mediterranean, originally associated with bats
Quickest Tell
Flat, oval, reddish-brown and wingless, about the size and shape of an apple seed. After feeding they become elongated and darker.
Already Know What You Have?
Most species here are covered on a plan from $139 a visit, with unlimited callbacks between visits.
Bed bugs travel well and show up in tidy homes just as often as anywhere else. This page covers identification and what to expect from treatment.
What They Look Like
Small, reddish-brown, flat oval insects about the size of an apple seed, easier to spot after they've fed.
Commonly Confused With
Sometimes mistaken for carpet beetles or small ticks. Bed bugs are flatter and move faster.
How They Live
Eggs hatch into nymphs that go through several stages before reaching adulthood, feeding on blood at every stage.
They feed exclusively on blood, usually at night while people sleep.
They hide in seams, cracks and furniture near where people rest, coming out to feed and then retreating.
Where They Came From
Typically introduced through luggage, secondhand furniture, or other items brought in from an infested space.
Signs You Have Them
Small bite marks in a line, rust-colored spots on bedding, and a faint sweet odor in heavier infestations.
Active year-round indoors, since they're not affected much by outdoor weather.
Seeing these signs at home? We will identify it and treat it on the same visit.
Are They Dangerous?
Not known to spread disease, but bites can cause itching, irritation, and real sleep disruption.
They have no real outdoor ecological role, since they live almost entirely alongside people.
Worried about children or pets? Treatment goes into harbourage and entry points, not living space.
Myths Worth Dropping
A common myth is that they're a sign of poor hygiene. They're just as happy in a clean home.
What You Can Do Yourself
Washing and heat-drying linens helps, but a real infestation usually needs professional heat or chemical treatment.
Know What You Have. Now Get Rid Of It.
See the treatment, the timeline and the price for this species, then book the first visit.
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