Content updated: January 20, 2026

Transcript

 Bed bugs are small insects that feed on human blood, are reddish-brown, and about the size of an apple seed. They have several stages in their lifecycle.

 Female bed bugs can lay up to 500 eggs in their lifetime, typically in cracks and crevices around your home, such as in mattress seams or curtain folds.

 Bed bugs grow from eggs to nymphs, which are smaller, translucent versions of adult bed bugs. They shed their skin several times and become larger and darker after each molting.

 Bed bugs mature after five molts and prefer to feed on thin-skinned areas such as the face, neck, and arms,

 but can survive for months without feeding, and typically feed every five to ten days.

Not sure what bed bugs look like? Bed bugs are similar in size to apple seeds and have oval-shaped bodies. Most bed bugs have red-brown coloring, but depending on their age, they can be lighter or darker, while bed bug eggs are white. These pests typically seek a blood meal every 5 to ten days; they can survive months without eating, hiding throughout your home in the crevices of furniture like mattresses.

For professional help identifying bed bugs, contact Terminix for a free bed bug inspection.