Bed bugs are small, flat, and oval-shaped insects that are reddish-brown in color. They are about the size of an apple seed, measuring between 4 to 5 mm. Bed bugs have six legs and two antennae. Their bodies can be more circular or oval-shaped, depending on how recently they have fed. Before feeding, they are brown and flat, but after feeding, they become more red in color, swollen, and elongated. Bed bug nymphs are smaller and paler in color than adults. They are approximately the size of the head of a pin and are white or tan until they feed. Bed bug eggs are tiny, pearl-white in color, and the size of a pinhead. They are marked by an eye spot if more than five days old.
To help identify bed bugs, researchers have compiled photos and descriptions of common look-alikes. Bed bugs can be detected by sight, especially within mattress seams and box springs. Signs of a bed bug infestation include small reddish-brown fecal spots on mattresses, upholstery, or walls, blood spots on sheets or mattresses, and bites on the arms and legs. Bed bug bites tend to leave clusters of bites rather than single bites here and there. Bed bug fecal spots have a smooth feel because they consist of a dried liquid food.
