There are many different types of household pests that may cause a ruckus in your home. Before your call a pest exterminator near Ft. Lauderdale, however, it helps if you can identify the type of pest control problem you are dealing with. Bed bugs go through three distinct stages in their life cycles: eggs, nymphs, and adults. Understanding each stage of the cycle may give you a better idea of what kind of problem you are dealing with. Continue reading for an understanding the bed bug life cycle.
Eggs
Like many other organisms, bed bugs start their life cycles in the egg stage. While bed bugs in general can be difficult to spot, eggs can be nearly impossible to detect with the naked eye. In addition to being incredibly tiny, bed bug eggs are also a clear whitish color; if your bedding design makes use of light colors, the challenge of spotting these eggs becomes even more difficult. Bed bug eggs develop eye spots after five days, and they ultimately grow to be about one millimeter in size.
Nymphs
After the egg stage, bed bugs begin their transformation through five separate nymph stages. While bed bugs in the first nymph stage grow to about 1.5 millimeters in size, those in the fifth and final nymph stage may reach 4.5 millimeters. In any of these stages a young bed bug may resemble an adult, but those that have not been recently fed may take on the translucent color of a bed bug egg. After passing through each of the five nymph stages, a bed bug is ready to transition into adulthood.
Adults
The body of an adult bed bug is ovular and flat, and typically of a red or brown color. Bed bugs that have recently fed tend to be more elongated than those that have not, and they may grow to about the size of an apple seed. Unlike earlier stages in the bed bug life cycle, adulthood causes these pests to emit a musty odor from their glands. Call a pest control pro if you see any type of bed bug.
