What do bed bugs look like, and can you see them?
Written by the Hydra Pest Control team, Arizona-licensed (license #9790)
Last reviewed:
Short answer
Yes, adults are easy to see. The EPA says adult bed bugs are about the size of an apple seed, 3/16 to 1/4 inch long, brown, flat and oval, and they turn reddish and balloon-like after feeding. Young bed bugs are smaller and whitish-yellow, and the EPA says unfed ones can be nearly invisible. Eggs are pinhead-sized and pearl-white. Look for the bugs, dark fecal spots and shed skins.
Arizona context
Bed bugs travel with people, so they can turn up in a Safford apartment, a Sierra Vista home or a White Mountains cabin rental. The CDC says you can find bed bugs anywhere, including five-star hotels and resorts, and that how clean a place is does not determine whether bed bugs are present. They spread by getting into the seams and folds of luggage, bags, folded clothes, bedding and furniture.
How to check for bed bugs
- Use a flashlight and a magnifying glass
- Strip the bed and check the seams, piping and tags of the mattress and box spring
- Check cracks in the bed frame and headboard. You may need to take the bed apart
- Look in the seams of chairs and couches, between cushions, in curtain folds, in drawer joints and along baseboards
- Look for dark fecal spots, rusty blood spots and light brown shed skins, not just live bugs
- Remember that other insects, such as carpet beetles, are easily mistaken for bed bugs. If you aren't sure, the EPA says your state Cooperative Extension office may be able to help identify it
What bed bugs look like at each stage
Adults: The EPA says adults are about the size of an apple seed (5 to 7 mm, or 3/16 to 1/4 inch long). If they haven't fed recently, they are long and brown with a flat, oval body. After a recent meal they look balloon-like, reddish-brown and more elongated. University of California IPM describes adults as oval, wingless and rusty red or mahogany.
Nymphs: Young bed bugs look like small adults. University of California IPM puts them at 1/20 to 1/5 inch with a lighter, yellowish-white color, and the EPA says nymphs that haven't fed recently can be nearly invisible to the naked eye because of their color and size.
Eggs: The EPA says eggs are tiny, about the size of a pinhead, pearl-white, and marked by an eye spot once they are more than five days old. University of California IPM says females lay them on rough surfaces such as wood or paper near where people sleep or rest, and the empty shells often stay stuck in place after hatching.
Can you see them with the naked eye?
Mostly, yes. The EPA lists "you can't see a bed bug" as a myth and says you should be able to see adult bed bugs, nymphs and eggs with your naked eye. University of California IPM adds a practical caveat: you can see adults and groups of nymphs with the unaided eye, but seeing the eggs requires a hand magnifying lens.
They are also good at hiding. The EPA says bed bugs are only about the width of a credit card, so if a crack will hold a credit card, it could hide a bed bug. University of California IPM says current research indicates 85% of bed bugs are found in or near the bed.
Signs to look for besides the bugs
The EPA says to look for rusty or reddish stains on sheets or mattresses from crushed bed bugs; small dark spots of bed bug excrement, which may bleed into fabric like a marker; eggs and eggshells, which are tiny (about 1 mm); pale yellow skins that nymphs shed as they grow; and live bed bugs. The CDC adds a sweet, musty odor.
Bites alone don't confirm bed bugs. The EPA calls bites on the skin a poor indicator, because they can look like bites from mosquitoes or chiggers, rashes or hives, and some people don't react at all. The CDC says bite marks may take as long as 14 days to show up in some people.
When professional service is warranted
If you find live bed bugs, eggs or the signs above, act early. The EPA says treating a minor infestation is far less costly and easier than treating one that has spread, and that misidentifying an infestation gives the bugs more time to spread. University of California IPM says confirmed infestations should be managed by trained professionals. If bites itch badly or you think you're having an allergic reaction, the CDC says to talk with your healthcare provider. You can also call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 with questions about a bite. This is general information, not medical advice.
How Hydra handles it
Our Service Pros treat bed bugs in homes, apartments and cabins. Think you found one? Call or text your local office to reach an Office Pro, or ask for a free custom quote.
Frequently asked
Are bed bugs too small to see?
Mostly false. The EPA lists this as a myth and says you should be able to see adult bed bugs, nymphs and eggs with your naked eye. Adults are about the size of an apple seed. The small stages are harder: the EPA says unfed nymphs can be nearly invisible because of their color and size, and University of California IPM says seeing the eggs requires a hand magnifying lens. So you can see bed bugs, but a flashlight and a magnifying glass help you find the young ones and the eggs.
What color are bed bugs?
It depends on age and feeding. The EPA says adults that haven't fed recently are brown, and recently fed adults turn reddish-brown and balloon-like. University of California IPM describes adults as rusty red or mahogany. Nymphs are lighter, translucent or whitish-yellow, and eggs are pearl-white.
What can be mistaken for a bed bug?
The EPA says other insects, such as carpet beetles, are easily mistaken for bed bugs. University of California IPM says bed bugs are smaller and more rounded than conenose bugs (kissing bugs), which can be up to 3/4 inch long, and that adult bed bugs have no wings. It also says telling bed bugs from their close relatives, bat bugs and swallow bugs, takes a hand lens or microscope. If you aren't sure, the EPA says your state Cooperative Extension office may be able to help with identification.
Do bites prove I have bed bugs?
No. The EPA calls bites a poor indicator of an infestation, because bed bug bites can look like mosquito or chigger bites, rashes or hives, and some people don't react at all. The CDC says bite marks can take up to 14 days to appear in some people, and University of California IPM says the only way to really confirm bed bugs is to find the bugs or their signs. If bites itch badly or you think you're having an allergic reaction, talk with your healthcare provider, or call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 with questions. This is general information, not medical advice.
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