Bed Bug Facts for Kids

A Picture of a Bed Bug
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Order: Hemiptera
  • Family: Cimicidae
  • Genus: Cimex
  • Species: C. lectularius

15 Bed Bug Facts for Kids

  1. Bed bugs are an insect with flat, round shape body, and usually have a reddish brown color.
  2. The species of bed bug that is a major nuisance to humans is the Cimex lectularius.
  3. Bed bugs (C. lectularius) feed exclusively on blood and humans are their primary host.
  4. Bed bugs can be found anywhere on our planet that has been colonized by humans.
  5. A bed bug only needs several minutes to complete a feeding.
  6. Adult bed bugs can survive months without feeding.
  7. Adult bed bugs can survive in a wide range of temperatures. They can survive in temperatures just above freezing and as hot as 122 degrees Fahrenheit.
  8. Bed bugs are stealthy and do a great job of evading detection during the daytime.
  9. Bites from a bed bug affect people differently. Some people will show no signs where they were bitten, others may get a rash or a blister.
  10. People with a bed bug infestation can have negative psychological effects and even show symptoms of PTSD long after the infestation has been eliminated.
  11. Bed bugs have been found to be infected with 28 different human pathogens. However, no studies have shown these pathogens can be transmitted back to humans.
  12. A female bed bug can produce two to three eggs daily if she is able to feed regularly. This means a female bed bug, under ideal conditions can produce hundreds of eggs in a lifetime.
  13. A research named Regina Gries did work on a pheromone trap for bed bugs. She used herself as a test subject and allowed bed bugs to feed on her, resulting in 20,000+ bites.
  14. Bed bugs have evolved to become resistant to pesticides, making it difficult to eliminate infestations.
  15. Methods used to eliminate bed bug populations that are resistant to pesticides include vacuuming, steam treating and heating to temperatures above 122 degrees Fahrenheit.

Additional Resources on Bed Bugs

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