or birds ;irc kept iov cxpcrimcntiil pur- 

 poses. They also may feed on small 

 animals and birds that are kept as pets. 

 The loss of blood may weaken these 

 animals. 



How they develop 



Under favorable conditions, one female 

 bed bug lays about 200 eggs. When 

 the insects feed regularly, eggs are laid 

 at the rate of 3 or 4 a day. Maximum 

 egg laying occurs when the temperature 

 is above 70° F. No eggs are laid at 

 temperatures lower than 50° F. 



When first laid, the eggs are coated 

 with a sticky substance, which dries at 

 once, causing the eggs to adhere to the 

 object on which they were deposited. 

 The unhatched eggs and the eggshells 

 are seen, singly or in clusters, about the 

 crevices in which the bugs hide. 



At temperatures above 70° F. the eggs 

 hatch in 6 to 17 days. At lower tem- 

 peratures hatching may take as long as 

 28 days. 



Newly hatched bugs feed at the first 

 opportunity. They molt 5 times before 

 reaching maturity. The bugs will feed 

 a few days after each molt if a host is 

 available. In 1 year there may be 3 or 

 more generations. 



There is considerable variation in the 

 period of development, even among bugs 

 hatching at the same time. As a result, 

 bed bugs in all stages are present at all 

 seasons of the year, except in unheated 

 rooms in winter, when only adults may 

 be present. 



Length of life 



Newly hatched bed bugs may live for 

 several weeks without feeding during 

 warm weather and for several months 

 during cool weather. If they feed occa- 

 sionally, they may live only about 10 

 months. However, it is common for 

 older bed bugs to go 2 weeks to 2 

 months, or longer, without food. It is 

 believed that under some conditions 

 they can live a year or longer without 

 food. 



Where they hide 



Habitual hiding places are usually made 

 evident by black or brown spots of dried 

 excrement on surfaces on which the bugs 

 rest. Eggs, eggshells, and cast skins 

 may also be seen near these places. 



At the beginning of an infestation in 

 a room, bed bugs are likely to be found 

 only about the tufts, seams, and folds of 

 mattresses and daybed covers; later they 

 spread to crevices in the bedsteads. 



M & A 11223 



Mature bed bug. Above: Before engorge- 

 ment. Below: After engorgement with 

 blood (shows distention of body and al- 

 tered appearance). Much enlarged. 



3 



