Bed bugs

Cimex lectularius

Bedbug infestation is an unpleasant and annoying matter. They can be brought in unnoticed with your luggage from your vacation, and an acute infestation goes unnoticed at first. Adults are insensitive to the cold and can survive for up to 40 weeks without food. The nocturnal insects stay in dry, crevice-shaped hiding places during the day, e.g. between mattresses, sofa cushions and ventilation shafts. The bed bug is native to the north up to just over 65 degrees latitude. In the Alps it can be found up to almost 2000 m. They are largely tied to humans and the animals around them. They live in cities, sometimes in homes adjacent to the breeding grounds of feral pigeons. Bedbugs are bloodsuckers and feed on humans, pets, bats and birds. They use odorous substances to attract each other and form large congregations. The bedbug is approx. 5-8 mm long, strongly flattened, reddish-brown. After sucking blood, the animals are strongly thickened and red to black in color.