Bedbugs feed on your blood and cause itchy bites. Adult bed bugs are brown, 1/4 to 3/8 inches long, and have a flat, oval-shaped body. Young bed bugs (called nymphs) are smaller and lighter in color. Bedbugs hide in a variety of places around the bed. They might also hide in other places, such as in the seams of chairs and couches, between cushions, and in the folds of curtains. They come out to feed on blood about every five to ten days. But they can survive over a year without feeding.
To prevent bedbugs in your home:
To get rid of bedbugs:
The good news? Unlike some other pests, bedbugs don't transmit and spread diseases.
Environmental Protection Agency
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)