Bed bug

(Cimex lectularius)

Biology:

Bed bugs are wingless insects, which are broadly oval and extremely flattened in shape. They are up to 8 mm long and rusty brown in colour. They are characterised by their antennae, which are divided into 4 parts: the 3rd and 4th parts of the antennae are considerably thinner than the first two parts.

Young bed bugs look very similar to the adults, except for in terms of size. They are nocturnal and hide away during the day, e.g. behind loose bits of wallpaper, pictures, skirting boards and in cracks in beds and furniture. At night, they look for humans and pets so that they can draw blood from these for nutrition. Before she can lay her eggs, the female must have had a blood meal and the larvae must also have drawn at least a little blood between each shedding of their skin. However, they are also able to fast for up to half a year.

The characteristic sweet bed bug odour in infested rooms comes from the creatures discharging a secretion from a scent gland.

 

Damage:

Bed bugs are a relatively unpleasant pest and affect hygiene. Their bites can cause severe itching and the development of wheals, plus they can trigger allergic reactions in sensitive people. Thanks to improved cleaning methods and modern construction methods, we used to only get bed bugs on rare occasions in Germany. Now, the creatures occur more often again and we often bring them back from holidays with our luggage.

 

Tip:

You should enlist expert pest controllers to eliminate bed bugs.