Bed bugs go through various stages from eggs to adulthood. Identifying them in their larvae, or nymph stage can help you determine if you have a bed bug infestation and need a bed bug control exterminator. Nymphs are bed bugs that have not fully developed into adulthood. Because of their small size, they may be hard to see, but with the proper knowledge, you can identify them easily.
Nymph Identification
Nymphs look almost identical in comparison to adult bed bugs, but they are smaller. Like an adult bed bug, the nymphs are small and flat. Adult bed bugs look like apple seeds because they are usually dark brown and seed-shaped. Seed shaped nymphs are also brown, which makes them look like a smaller version of an apple seed.
However, when nymphs engorge themselves with blood, they taken on a reddish appearance. As they grow, larvae will shed their exoskeleton, which leaves a translucent shell behind. Adult bed bug sightings are uncommon because they stay well hidden. To identify a bed bug infestation, you will have better luck finding the eggs, the larvae, or their exoskeletons.
Larvae eggs are white and roughly 1mm in size, which is approximately the same size as a small grain of rice. You will usually find eggs, or even newly hatched larvae tucked up under the edge of your mattress or in a crevice inside your dresser or nightstand. If you see anything that looks like bed bug eggs or nymphs, contact a professional immediately.
Nymph Development
A nymph grows larger in size after each blood meal. Morphing into the next stage of molting takes roughly a week. Keep in mind that a nymph will not grow until it feeds. However, that does not mean that you can hope to starve bed bugs to death. In fact, a nymph can survive months without eating a blood meal. Adults can survive without food for approximately a year.
Hiding Places
Although the piping of your mattress is the most common place where you will find nymphs, there are other areas you should search, too. Search the following areas for bed bug larvae:
- Every crevice and joint of your dresser drawers and nightstand
- The folds of your curtains
- Inside electrical outlets (be careful when doing so to avoid any risk of electrocution)
- In corners where walls and floors or walls and ceilings meet
The reason you will commonly find nymphs in or around your mattress is because adults prefer to lay their eggs nearest a meal. Nymphs that dwell in your mattress will have easy access to the blood meals they need by feeding off you while you sleep. The smallest of cracks and crevices can serve as a hiding spot for bed bugs. If you can slide a debit card into the crack, it is big enough to shelter a nymph.
Contact a pest control professional as soon as you spot any signs of an infestation. An exterminator can effectively destroy a bed bug population fast and effectively. Call the Exterminators at 647-496-2211 if you need to solve problems with bed bugs, feel free to check out our selection of bed bug control products in our online store.
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