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Six Types of Bed Bugs in the United States

YESpestpros • March 30, 2018

Did you know there are more than one type of bed bug? While the common bed bug is the bed bug species you’re most likely encounter, there are five other types of bed bugs in the United States you might come in contact with.

Common Bed Bug

The common bed bug ( Cimex lectularius ) is one of the most common pests in the world. It lives on every continent and can be found everywhere from the Excalibur Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas to the Days Inn in Columbus, Indiana.

The common bed bug grows to about the size of an apple seed after it’s eaten blood and is a darkish-red color as an adult. They tend to hang out in cracks and crevices near the place they feed, such as a bed (hence their name).

While bed bugs are a nuisance, a single bed bug bite is no worse than a bite from a mosquito . Unlike mosquitos, however, bed bugs haven’t been proven to spread disease , though they do sometimes carry diseases. Bed bugs have been known to carry MRSA (Staphylococcus aureus) and VRE bacteria (Enterococcus faecium).

Bat Bugs

“Bat Bug” by NY State IPM Program at Cornell University. Used under license.

Bat bugs, as their name suggests, feed primarily on the blood of bats. And while they look exactly like their bed bug cousins (unless you use a microscope), they are a different species. Bat bugs species range from Africa ( Afrocimex constrictus ), western and eastern parts of the continental United States ( Cimex pilosellus and Cimex adjunctus ), to parts of Europe ( Cimex pipistrelle ).

Although bat bugs mostly hang around their nocturnal mammal or choice, they will bite humans if given the opportunity. They usually come into contact with humans if bats infest a building in which people occupy. Even then, the bat bugs will generally stay close to where the bats nest. They’ll only explore the rest of the building after pest control experts have removed the bats or the bats have migrated.

If they do find humans, they may move into mattresses and bed frames like common bed bugs.

Tropical Bed Bugs

Tropical bed bugs ( imex hemipterus ) like common bed bugs are resurging in numbers throughout the world. The main difference between tropical bed bugs and common bed bugs is that the tropical variety prefers warmer climates and therefore usually lives in more southern locations. In the U.S., they range in southern states. They look similar to common bed bugs except for some small physical differences.

While tropical bed bugs don’t normally live in Indiana, Hoosiers vacationing down South can bring them back in their luggage. And in the warmth of a controlled indoor environment, they will reproduce.

Poultry Bug

kinds of bed bugsAlso called the Mexican chicken bug , poultry bugs ( Haematosiphon inodorus ) are a North American bug that is commonly found on poultry farms and domestic fowl. Like bat bugs, although they prefer winged hosts, they will feed on human blood if given the opportunity.

It’s rare that they get the chance, however. Unless a poultry bug is residing on a bird that makes its nest in somebody’s home, or unless people spend the night close to a roosting area, the bugs are unlikely to bother anybody.

Swallow Bugs

swallow bugsLuckily, swallow bugs aren’t named because they crawl into people’s mouths at night. They’re named after the birds with which they’re associated —  cliff and barn swallows. Swallow bugs ( Oeciacus vicarius ) are smaller than bed bugs, and their bodies are covered with fine hairs.

While these bugs won’t hide around beds and take up residence in your rooms, they can find their way into people’s homes and will feed on humans. They typically do so in late winter and early spring when they come out of a dormant state in anticipate of the return of swallows. After the swallows leave at the end of the summer, the bugs return to a dormant state.

Chimney Swift Bugs

bugs that look like bed bugsChimney swift bugs ( Cimexopsis nyctalis ) like swallow bugs are usually found with a specific type of bird. In this case, it’s the chimney swift , which make its nests in chimneys and on other vertical surfaces such as air vents, wells, hollow trees, and caves.

Like swallow bugs, chimney swift bugs live close to where their hosts live. They, too, can find their way into homes through cracks and crevices.

Compared to bed bugs, chimney swift bugs are slightly smaller, and they differ in behavior. For example, chimney swift bugs aren’t nocturnal, meaning they are active during daylight hours. They also have claws, unlike bed bugs, so they’re able to crawl on smooth surfaces.

If you’ve treated your house for bed bugs and they continue to bite, it might be that you don’t actually have a bed bug infestation. If chimney swifts or other birds have taken up residence in your building, have a pest control professional remove the birds and inspect the bugs. Professionals can tell what species of bug they are and can treat the affected areas so you can rest easy at night.

 

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