Bed bugs are small, flat, oval bloodsucking insects that infest the sleeping quarters of man and other animals. Their presence is not necessarily the result of poor housekeeping, since these insects may be brought into a home in spite of all reasonable precautions. If introduced into a home, they may become very numerous and irritating, and affect the welfare of the occupants. In most parts of Canada this is the only species. It may be troublesome in homes, hotels, theatres, barns, poultry houses, and in buildings housing rabbits or other warm-blooded animals and birds.
Occasionally bed bugs of a different species may be found associated with bats or swallows, but they are rare in Ontario. Beg bugs feed mostly at night by biting sleeping people. If they are very hungry and if the light is dim, they will feed during the day. When biting, they inject an anticoagulant (to prevent clotting) into the skin. This substance often causes the skin to become irritated and inflamed, welts develop and there is much itching. There is no North American evidence that bed bugs can transmit disease. If feeding is undisturbed, a full grown bed bug becomes engorged with blood in 3-5 minutes.