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Identification
Bed bugs are reddish-brown and have flat, oval bodies. In appearance they resemble ticks, and are often mistaken for them. Adult bed bugs grow to about 3/15-inch long; infant bed bugs are much smaller and a bit lighter in color. These infants will shed their skin five times before they reach their adult size. Bed bug eggs are very tiny, about the size of a pinhead, light-colored and difficult to see without magnification. Instead of nests, bed bugs burrow into cracks and dark areas of the bedding or couches during the day, and are active at night.
Geography
Bed bugs share space with humans all over the world. Since World War II, infestations in the United States have been rare, creating a generation of people who have never seen a bed bug. In recent years, however, the number of infestations in homes, hotels, dormitories and other places have increased. Even movie theaters and furniture rental stores have not been immune. Theories surrounding the bed bug resurgence range from increased immigration and travel, to changes in modern pest control practices.
Concerns
The bed bugs only source of food is blood. They prefer human blood but will also feed off of other animals like cats and dogs. They are active at night and usually bite humans while the are sleeping, gorging on blood before they drop off anywhere from three to ten minutes later. Unlike some other pests, bed bugs do not stay on the body, they crawl away after they are done. Individual reaction to these bites varies. Some people have little or no reaction; others notice redness and swelling within a day or two. Some bed bug bites are misattributed to mosquitoes or other critters. Bed bugs are not known to carry diseases that can be transmitted to humans.
Control
Bed bugs cannot be controlled or eliminated using conventional insect repellents. Nor does keeping the light on while you are sleeping keep them from crawling in and feeding. A clean home also is not a security against bed bugs, as they are not attracted to dirt or food scraps. Because bed bugs are difficult to identify, can infest entire buildings and hide in the tiniest spaces, and are difficult to eliminate, it's recommended that you call in a professional pest control service to rid your space of them.