B12 · Insect
Bed Bug
Cimex lectularius
Resurgent global pest. Hitchhikes home in luggage from hotels. Extremely hard to eradicate without professional help.
- Size
- 4–5 mm
- Habitat
- Mattress seams, bed frames, skirting
- Activity
- Year-round, nocturnal
Safety Warning
Bed bugs are notoriously hard to kill. If you suspect them, call a licensed technician straight away — DIY usually makes it worse.
Overview
Bed bugs feed on blood at night and hide by day in mattress seams, headboards, skirting and behind picture frames. They don't transmit disease but cause sleeplessness, anxiety and itchy welts. Modern bed bugs are highly resistant to many insecticides — DIY treatment usually fails. Strongly recommend a licensed technician with heat treatment capability.
How to identify
- Flat oval reddish-brown body, ~5 mm (apple-seed sized)
- Linear or clustered itchy bites, often in a row of 3 ('breakfast, lunch, dinner')
- Small dark spots (faeces) along mattress seams and bed frame joints
- Sweet musty odour in heavy infestations
- Shed skins in mattress crevices
General guidance only. Information on Home Pest Defence is provided for educational purposes and is not a substitute for professional advice. For termites, venomous spider bites, wasp nests in walls, or protected wildlife, contact a licensed pest controller, your GP, or the relevant state wildlife authority. In emergencies call 000; for poisoning call 13 11 26.