Climb In Bed with the Common Bed Bug
The common bed bug (Cimex lectularius) is a cosmopolitan species of bug, found on every continent on Earth except Antarctica. They are an specialised parasite to human beings (Homo sapiens), and have established populations anywhere with a significant human presence. However, they are highly heat-intolerant, as eggs cannot withstand temperatures below 14 °C (57 °F). They reside mainly on soft fabrics and furnishing within human households.
Adult bedbugs are quite small, about 5-7 mm (0.19-0.27 in) in length. Females are generally larger than males, but that is partially because they feed more often than males. Both sexes are reddish-brown, and have very small heads and thorax, and large oval-shaped abdomens.
Like most other mammalian ectoparasites, C. lectularius feeds exclusively on blood, which they do in both their larval and adult forms. Adults can survive anywhere from 5 months to a year without food, but typically feed every 3-5 days. In each feeding, they can consume 3-7 times their own body weight. Bed bugs primarily at night, when they emerge from their nests to feed on their hosts. Both larval and adult bed bugs are common prey for cockroaches, centipedes, spiders, and assassin bugs. They are also frequently killed by humans as a part of pest control.
Because of their close association with humans and their habituation to human environments, bed bugs can breed at any time of year. Males seek out the largest females, as those are typically the ones who have fed most recently. They are also on occationally mate with other males, provided they are of sufficient size, and both males and females do not discriminate among siblings, unlike most other insect species. After mating, females can lay 2-3 eggs every single day, and can do so consistently for the rest of her life, which lasts from 6-12 months, for a total of about 500 eggs. Eggs hatch after about ten days. The larvae then molt through five stages, each lasting about a week. During this period, the larvae must feed at least once every molt. As soon as they become adults, individuals seek out other adults to begin mating.
Conservation status: The IUCN has not rated Cimex lectularius. Due to its close parasitism of humans, it has a large and stable population. Due to the allergic reaction their bites may cause, they are widely considered to be pests.
Photos
American Center for Disease Control
Matthew Barton
American Center for Disease Control
