Can you imagine 300 bed bug bites? Debbie Roome stated, "I switched my cellphone on and I could see in the light all these little bugs scurrying around the bed and in the pillows. It was disgusting.” The violent allergic reaction Roome suffered was due to the sheer number of times she had been bitten, she was told by the doctor.

All active stages of bed bugs feed on blood: nymphs, adult males and females. All stages require a blood meal in order to molt and eggs and sperm production in the adults require energy from blood meals.

Important bed bug facts:

• Bed bug bites are not always detected right away.
• Everyone reacts differently to bed bugs.
• Bed bug bites are grouped or clustered together in a straight line.
• Bumps/rash from the bites can be irritating and itchy

How often do bed bugs feed?

It all depends on the life stage of the bug, whether hosts are available, and temperature. Cooler temperatures, disturbances, no available hosts and competition between bed bugs will increase the time between feeding. At their ideal temperatures (80 F) bed bugs will search for a blood meal about every 3 days. At a cooler (64 F), they require a blood meal once a week.

When bed bugs suck blood they expand in size and become red or reddish-brown as the blood fills their body. A tiny nymph will feed for approximate 3 minutes to reach full engorgement, while it takes an adult 10 to 15 minutes. Adult bed bugs and late instar nymphs can sometimes survive for more than a year without feeding.

The fact about bed bugs is their ability to hitchhike almost anywhere on your clothing and belongings, going unnoticed until there is a severe problem. If you travel often, have out of town guest, a student returning from college or summer camp or just purchased items, keep an eye out for signs of bed bugs or take one of these proactive approaches to bed bugs. If you experience bed bugs in Lake George or elsewhere in the Capital Region, contact Thomas Pest Services for an immediate inspection.

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