The bugs are sometimes mistaken for ticks, cockroaches, carpet beetles or other household insects. Their coloration is similar to an apple seed although their size is closer to a lentil. Bed bugs depicted in a book published in 1485.Īdult bed bugs are about 3/16-inch long and reddish-brown, with oval, flattened bodies. It has done so since ancient times bed bugs are mentioned in medieval European texts and classical Greek writings back to the time of Aristotle. Although the common bed bug ( Cimex lectularius) prefers feeding on humans, it will also bite other warm-blooded animals, including dogs, cats, birds and rodents. Bed Bug Basicsīed bugs are small, brownish insects that feed solely on the blood of animals.
They also occur in hospitals, nursing homes, libraries, theaters, offices, municipal buildings, and on public transportation- wherever there are people there can be bed bugs. Whatever the reasons, bed bugs are again part of everyday life, with infestations common in homes, apartments, hotels, dormitories, schools and shelters. The rebound in recent years was probably due to multiple factors, including less potent insecticides, global travel, and a loss of vigilance practiced in years past. The public experienced a reprieve from the pests after World War II, due in part to the widespread use of DDT. University of Kentucky College of Agricultureīed bugs have made a major comeback in the U.S.
ENTFACT-636: Bed Bugs | Download PDF | En Español by Michael F.