found a bug (pictured) but NO BITES « Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums

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found a bug (pictured) but NO BITES

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prikklyskin

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Posted 3 years ago
Mon Jun 1 2009 4:31:47
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ok, so my boyfriend and i were sitting on our couch when he found a bug crawling on his shirt approx 4mm long, brownish, kinda translucent with a black marking on it identical to online pictures of almost-adult bb's. here's a picture (we caught it, doused it in alcohol, and taped it to a piece of cardstock as per this site's suggestion) <img src="http://i584.photobucket.com/albums/ss285/prikklyskin/IMG_4509.jpg" border="0" alt="ew"> it's a f***ing bed bug alright.

but here's the strange part. neither of us has experienced any bites at all, though my skin is crawling at the idea of it... none of our friends have complained of bb's in their homes. we haven't notified our landlord yet (having just discovered the thing an hour ago, in the middle of the night) so we don't know if there are any other incidences. the couch is used but we've had it nearly a year and it came from a friend who never have any bb problems.

SO... do we have a problem? we tore apart the couch and bed... nothing. no visible signs anywhere of eggs, husks, stains, etc. nothing to explain a nearly grown bb wandering around. it looks like a female bug, so does that mean it's already laid a gazillion eggs in our home? gross.

per our leasing agreement, our landlord would pay half of whatever professional treatment was needed but i don't think we can afford to shell out a couple hundred bucks to have someone come look at a card with a dead bug taped onto it. should we even tell them or should we wait until we're itchy? i already intend to boil and vacuum and scorch the heck out of everything. is there ever a scare like this without a full blown infestation?

thanks for any advice.
BBcoukHome

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Posted 3 years ago
Mon Jun 1 2009 4:41:50
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Hi,

Yes the image is a bed bug, I am sorry to say.

But I can offer some analysis and thoughts on the sample itself. From the colour and shape I believe it to most likely be a 3rd or 4th instar female bed bug. No comes the good bit, bed bugs can not breed until they are at the adult developmental stage indicating that this sample is unlikely to have laid anything. It has also not fed in quite some time.

Therefore if he had recently come in from outside it might be possible to conclude that the bug was a recent encounter and it had not established itself in your property yet.

I would suggest that the best thing you can do is read the FAQ's. Learn all about the signs of an infestation. Look at how you can make sure your home is bed bug free and make sure you take what steps you can to make sure no other bed bugs are brought into the property.

I fear it is becoming a lot more common for people to pick these up from out side of the home on a daily basis rather than just nights away.

With regards the lack of bite activity it could support the single invader theory or it could be that you are both non bite responders. Its the classic reason why waiting to be bitten is not advisable.

Hopefully its just the one but I would suggest vigilance to be certain.

Hope this helps.

David Cain
Bed Bugs Limited
Nobugsonme

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Posted 3 years ago
Mon Jun 1 2009 9:41:31
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Lots of people do not react to bed bug bites...
DragonFlight

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Posted 3 years ago
Mon Jun 1 2009 14:34:36
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3rd or 4th instar female bed bug

What do you mean by this?

How come it has not fed, is it fasting ?
ajade274

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Posted 3 years ago
Wed Jun 3 2009 13:00:10
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What did you decide to do? Have you thought about putting a pesticide down yourself?
DragonFlight

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Posted 3 years ago
Wed Jun 3 2009 14:34:18
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BBcoukHome - Please read my message I'd really like to know what you mean.
buggyinsocal

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Posted 3 years ago
Wed Jun 3 2009 14:41:31
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What I got from reading his message is that if the only bugs the person had in his or her home were 3rd of 4th instars, whether the bugs had fed or not, the poster didn't *yet* need to worry about eggs.

I think what David was saying was that only adult bed bugs could lay eggs. So, hypothetically, if a house were only infested with 3rd or 4th instar bed bugs, and the place was treated quickly, it would be easier to get rid of an infestation quickly. Killing the bugs off before they reached adulthood would mean not having to deal with eggs, which would make the infestation easier to eradicate.

Instar is another way of calling the bug a nymph as opposed to a full grown bug, I think.

If the bug hadn't fed in some time, that might be proof it had recently arrived from elsewhere (outside, empty apartment next door, etc.), since bed bugs aren't exactly the dieting type.

Or, at least, that's what my English major self has inferred from David's reply.
bed-bugscouk

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Posted 3 years ago
Wed Jun 3 2009 15:27:35
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Hi,

Sorry some days I am field based and don't always back track on posts to see new comments.

If you look here:

http://www.bedbugbeware.com/aboutbedbugs.html

You will see a full colour life cycle diagram of bed bugs. As you will see from this bed bugs have an incomplete metamorphic life cycle (they shed skins as they get older).

Yes the samples is female but as posted above only adult bed bugs can lay eggs so you have comparatively less to worry about if this is the only sign you have found in the property.

The colouration and pattern of blood inside the bug indicates that it has not recently fed (in the last few days I would say) so from that I can conclude that it had either not bitten you recently or may have been brought in recently.

I guess it is just one of those situations where we sometimes look at things on too scientific a level but as I have said for ages you can learn a lot about the problem by actually studying the samples.

Anyway I hope and the post above clarrifies.

David