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 Although bed bugs are not a known vector of disease, their presence can be annoying,
leading to a loss of sleep and allergic reactions to bites. Local pest control personnel and environmental health specialists are reporting an increase in the number of calls,
concerns and questions relating to bed bugs. In an effort to provide consistent, reliable information about bed bugs, the North Carolina Mosquito & Vector Control
Association (NCMVCA), in collaboration with Public Health Pest Management (PHPM), provides the following information:
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Life Cycle
The common or human bed bug (Cimex lectularius) is a small, wingless insect that feeds on blood. Adults can be up to a quarter of an inch long (about the size of an apple seed),
typically dark brown with a flattened body. Bed bugs are nocturnal, coming out at night to feed and staying well hidden during daylight hours. As the bug feeds, its abdomen swells and the bug
will take on a reddish or deeper brown color. 
After hatching, the immature bed bug, called a nymph, will go through a series of 5 molts until it reaches its full adult stage. Nymphs range in size from the size of a pin
head to slightly smaller and lighter in color than the adult. A bed bug’s life span is typically 10 months to a year and they can live up to 6 months without feeding.
Each adult female can lay approximately 200 to 500 eggs during her lifespan, typically 3 to 8 per day. They are very hardy insects, and can only be killed with extreme heat, cold or insecticides.
Bed bug complaints are on the rise world-wide. A common problem before 1950, they all but disappeared from the Pest Control Operator’s list of common complaints until recently. Bed bugs are
found in all types of locations such as motels, apartments, beach rentals, park cabins, private homes,
homeless shelters, schools, theaters and other public venues. Along with increased travel, the move
to insecticides with shorter residual activity and a more targeted approach in insecticide use may have contributed to their resurgence.
 Bed bugs are excellent ‘hitchikers’ and spread very easily by hitching a ride on
luggage, linens, clothing or any other item transported from one place to another. Because they are such prolific breeders, a few bugs can easily become an
infestation in a relatively short period of time. Although they may initially stay close to their food source, such as a bed, as their numbers increase they can be found throughout the dwelling.
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