About the Bed Bug Pest
The most common type of bed bug, and the species known to prefer human blood, is Cimex lectularius. Other species exist, but this one has adapted to human environments. Its preferred habitats are heated homes and properties where it can infest beds and sofas.
The species is most active at night, often hiding during the day - although it is not uncommon to find active bed bugs during daylight hours. For this reason they are not classed as strictly nocturnal.
A Global Pest on the Rise
Bed bugs are found across the globe. Their numbers have increased steadily since the mid-1990s, largely blamed on the increase in cheap air fares and international travel, as well as the bed bug's growing natural resistance to pest control chemicals.
This rising chemical resistance is one of the main reasons heat treatment has become the gold-standard approach to bed bug eradication.
Cimex lectularius - Key Facts
- Adult size: 4-5mm (apple-pip to small fingernail)
- Colour: red-brown, darkening after feeding
- Lifespan: up to 12 months without feeding
- Reproduction: a single female can lay 500 eggs
Why DIY Fails
- Growing resistance to consumer-grade chemicals
- Eggs are protected from most sprays
- Hide in inaccessible cracks and crevices
- Can survive months between feeds