Bed Bugs in Arizona Homes
Cimex lectularius, the Common Bed Bug
Adults are flat, oval and reddish brown, close to an apple seed in size (4 to 5 mm). They have no wings, so they neither fly nor jump. They feed only on blood, mostly at night, and spend daylight hours tucked into cracks, seams and joints. They can go several months between meals. Eggs are tiny and white, stuck to surfaces near hiding spots. Threat level: moderate. Not known to spread disease, but bites cause itching, allergic reactions and lost sleep.
Bed bugs are hitchhikers, riding along in luggage, secondhand furniture, clothing and shared laundry rooms. About 26.4 percent of Gilbert’s occupied homes are renter-occupied (25,839 of 97,717), and wherever belongings move between households, bed bugs can move too. Cleanliness has nothing to do with it: they turn up in upscale houses and budget rentals alike.