Quick answer
Key facts about bed bug — size, diet, habitat, and conservation in one place.
Nocturnal blood feeding
Bed bugs emerge from hiding in darkness, attracted by carbon dioxide and body heat. They pierce skin with elongated mouthparts, feed for 5–10 minutes, then retreat to cracks. Bites often appear in lines or clusters but reactions vary — some people show no marks.
Resurgence and resistance
Bed bugs nearly disappeared in wealthy countries after DDT use mid-century but resurged since the 1990s with international travel, pesticide resistance, and reduced use of broad-spectrum insecticides. They spread via luggage, furniture, and clothing.
Detection and treatment
Signs include rusty spots (faecal stains), shed skins, and a sweet musty odour in heavy infestations. Heat treatment above 50°C kills all life stages. Professional extermination often combines heat, steam, encasements, and targeted insecticides.
Health impacts
Bed bugs are not known to transmit disease to humans despite blood feeding. Bites cause itching, allergic reactions, and psychological distress — anxiety and sleep loss are common during infestations. Not Evaluated by IUCN as a human-associated pest.