Bed Bugs Are Insects That Have Evolved To Live

Bed Bugs are insects that have evolved to live by feeding on warm blooded animals like mammals and birds.Bed bug bites become noticeable only after the human body becomes sensitized to them and saliva the bugs inject through repeated attacks.An adult bed bug is about 4mm or quarter of inch in length and half that in width. There are several species of bed bugs in the world. It has a reddish brown color and has an oval shaped flat body. There are also several other insects that show similar behavior and are usually called bed bugs in common parlance.When not feeding they remain in dark crevices and holes to avoid detection. Others may get scars from excessive scratching of the bite area. That way the host cannot feel the bite.Bed bugs show greatest activity about an hour before dawn. They do not need to feed everyday and usually do so at about every five or ten days. Newly hatched bed bugs are known as nymphs and have a whitish tan color and are size of a poppy seed. In case of Cimex lectularius this happens five times.. After sucking blood for about five minutes it will return to a hiding place in a dark place. They find the host animal by sensing heat and carbon dioxide exhaled by the host. Bed bugs are not transmitters of diseases though some of their victims may get skin infections. However normally the creature we refer to as the bed bug is Cimex lectularius. In other words a female lays about three to five hundred eggs throughout its life. Experiments have shown that they can live up to eighteen months without feeding by entering into a dormant state till they are near a food source. Eggs are about 1 mm in length and can be seen through the naked eye. Their small flat bodies help in this concealment. Other tube is used to suck blood. One tube is used to inject saliva that prevent blood from congealing and also act as an anesthetic. They reach maturity in about five weeks after molting through five skins.Bed bugs can lay about three to five eggs at a time and may lay eggs a hundred times during their lifetime. After feeding, sucked blood can be observed through their bodies. Other species of bed bugs specialize in birds and bats. The species that is best adapted to feed on human blood is known scientifically as "Cimex lectularius". Active bed bugs on the other hand live only about six months. However they too sometimes feed on human blood. However their activity is not limited to night but depend on the feeding opportunities presented to them. They feed by inserting two tubes through the skin of the host. Pathogens inside the bed bug cannot enter the host due to complicated biological reasons. Hatchlings can feed on blood almost immediately. After a period of two weeks the eggs hatch. They shed their skin.