Bed bugs are terrible insects. They can get into our homes and feed on our blood in the middle of the night, while we’re asleep and can’t defend ourselves. These insects are heinous, and they like to live close to their food supply, in our beds and couches. Their bites can be very itchy, or they may not have an effect at all, depending on how your body responds.
If you’re having a problem with bed bugs, it’s important to call a Tulsa Exterminator right away. Let’s take a look at bed bugs and how they operate.
How Bed Bugs Grow
Bed bugs use incomplete metamorphosis to develop into full-grown adults. The adult female lays eggs, usually in mattress seams or other cracks and crevices. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency describes bed bug appearance and life stages. These eggs are small, whitish-yellow in color, and about one millimeter long.
When the eggs hatch, a nymph emerges. This is a smaller version of the adult bed bug. Newly hatched nymphs can look translucent or nearly clear. Once they feed for the first time, the blood inside their bodies becomes visible, and their appearance changes.
University of Minnesota Extension provides information on bed bug biology and identification. They continue to grow and molt five times during their development. This means they shed their exoskeleton five different times in order to grow to adult size. Once they become adults, they can reproduce themselves.
Bed Bug Reproduction
Bed bugs have a mating process called traumatic insemination. During this process, the male pierces the female’s abdominal wall to transfer sperm. The female has a specialized area of the abdomen associated with this process. This unusual method of reproduction can injure females.
In high-population infestations, females may move away from crowded hiding places, sometimes climbing walls. If you see bed bugs high on a wall, it can be a sign that you have a significant problem, although their location alone does not establish how severe the infestation is.
Call TermMax Pest Control
If you’re having a problem with bed bugs or any other pest, you probably need to get in touch with a good Tulsa Exterminator. TermMax Pest Control can help you deal with these insects quickly and affordably. Call us today if you’re having an issue.
