Bedbugs have six life stages (5 immature and an adult stage).They will shed their skins through a molting process throughout multiple stages of their lives. The discarded outer-shells look like clear, empty exoskeletons of the bugs themselves. Bedbugs must molt six times before becoming fertile adults.
Detection
An engorged female bedbug (Cimex lectularius) with eggs, discovered in the screw hole of a wooden bed frame
Bedbugs are elusive and usually nocturnal, which can make them hard to spot. Bedbugs often lodge unnoticed in dark crevices, and eggs can be nestled in fabric seams. Aside from bite symptoms, signs include fecal spots, blood smears on sheets, and moults.
Bedbugs can be found on their own but often congregate once established. They usually remain close to hosts, commonly in or near beds or couches. Nesting locations can vary greatly, however, including luggage, vehicles, furniture and bedside clutter. Bedbugs may also nest near animals that have nested within a dwelling, such as bats, birds, or rodents. The eggs of bed bugs are found in similar places that the bed bugs themselves are found and are attached to surfaces by a sticky substance.
Cause
Bugs and eggs that "hitchhiked in" on pets or on clothing and luggage
Infested items (such as furniture or clothing) brought in
Nearby dwellings or infested items, if there are easy routes (through duct work or false ceilings)
People visiting from a source of infestation; bedbugs, like roaches, are transferred by clothing, luggage, or a person's body
Ridder Pest Control LLC 1874 Thunderbird Road Troy, MI 48084 Phone: 248-362-0200
Fax: 248-629-6330
