Bed bugs are common household pests often associated with nighttime activity. While they prefer to feed at night, it is a misconception that they are exclusively nocturnal. Understanding their behavior and the circumstances that lead to daytime sightings can provide insights into managing these pests.
Bed Bug Activity Patterns
Bed bugs are primarily nocturnal, most active during the night. They typically feed on sleeping hosts between 2 AM and 5 AM, when humans are in deep sleep and less likely to detect them. This nocturnal behavior allows them to avoid detection and feed in a safer environment. Bed bugs locate hosts by sensing body heat and the carbon dioxide exhaled during sleep.
Despite their nocturnal preference, bed bugs can be encountered during daylight hours. After feeding, they generally hide in dark, secluded places like mattress seams, bed frames, or wall cracks. Their feeding patterns are not entirely rigid, and daytime sightings can occur under certain conditions.
Why Bed Bugs Appear During the Day
Daytime bed bug sightings often indicate a significant underlying issue, as these pests are compelled to emerge. High infestation levels are a primary reason; large populations lead to crowded hiding spots, forcing bed bugs into the open and sometimes making them visible as they seek new harborage areas.
Extreme hunger can also drive bed bugs to seek blood meals during the day. If nighttime feeding opportunities are scarce, bed bugs, which can survive for months without food, will feed opportunistically whenever a host is available. Disturbance, such as moving furniture, cleaning, or pest control treatments, can dislodge bed bugs from their hiding spots, making them visible and causing them to scatter.
Bed bugs may also adapt their schedules if a host is regularly present during the day. If a host is sedentary and available during the day, bed bugs will seize the opportunity to feed.
Responding to Daytime Bed Bug Sightings
If you spot a bed bug during the day, confirm its identity. Adult bed bugs are reddish-brown, wingless, and about the size of an apple seed (5-7 mm or 3/16 – 1/4 inch long). Their bodies are flat and oval-shaped when unfed, becoming swollen and reddish after a blood meal. Nymphs are smaller and can be nearly colorless.
Confirming an infestation involves looking for additional signs. Inspect mattress seams, bed frames, and nearby furniture for reddish-brown fecal spots. Also look for shed skins of nymphs and tiny, pearl-white eggs, often found in crevices. A musty odor in the room can also indicate a severe infestation.
Upon confirmation, contact a qualified pest control professional. While washing affected bedding in hot water and drying on high heat can help, self-treating with over-the-counter pesticides is generally ineffective and can spread the infestation. Professionals have the expertise and tools to assess the infestation and apply targeted treatments, including addressing hidden eggs, crucial for effective eradication and preventing reinfestation.