Bed Bugs

Bed bugs are small wingless insects that feed solely upon the blood of warm-blooded animals. Bed bugs seek out people and animals, generally at night while these hosts are asleep, and painlessly sip a few drops of blood. While feeding, they inject a tiny amount of their saliva into the skin–some people develop a sensitivity to the saliva and additional bites may then result in mild to intense allergic responses. Bed bugs are not known to transmit any diseases to humans.


Adults, nymphs and blood spots on a box spring. Bed bugs are generally active only in the dark, so look for them, and their eggs, in cracks and crevices.	Adult feeding. Adults are flat until engorged with blood, and about ¼ inch long.	Inflammation develops approximately two days after feeding.

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Landlords and Tenants

Travelers

Links to More Information

Videos on YouTube

A Warning from the Federal Trade Commission regarding bed bug products

Fact Sheets

Bed Bugs Fact Sheet [PDF]—Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Pest Management Fact Sheet: Bed Bugs—University of Maine Cooperative Extension
Fact Sheet: Bed Bugs [PDF]—Michigan Department of Community Health
Fact Sheet: Bed Bugs [PDF]—University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service
Integrated Pest Management In and Around the Home: Bed Bugs [PDF]—University of California
Fact Sheet: Bed Bugs For Homeowners [PDF]—Utah State University Extension

Other Publications

Got Bed Bugs? brochure [PDF]—Pennsylvania IPM Program
Bed bugs are back! An IPM answer [PDF]—New York State Integrated Pest Management Program and Cornell Cooperative Extension
Bed Bugs: Biology and Management [PDF]—Environmental Health & Safety, Harvard University
Don't Let Bed Bugs Bite brochure [PDF]—Michigan Bed Bug Working Group
Best Management Practices for Bed Bugs: A Summary for Consumers [PDF]—National Pest Management Association
Preventing and Treating Bed Bugs brochure [PDF]—Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Travelers

Bed Bug Tips for Travelers [PDF]—Central Ohio Bed Bug Task Force

Links to More Information

Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention
National Pesticide Information Center—Provides links to many additional resources and a few videos.
Lots of Fact Sheets and Presentations from Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency—Links to lots of information, including Top Ten Bed Bug Tips
Ramsey County, Minnesota, Bed Bug Page—Lots of information, including Bed Bug Myths and How to Dispose of Infested Mattresses and Furniture
FAQ List for Bed Bugs—Cornell University, New York State IPM
IdentifyUS Identification products & services
Bed Bug Resources—Emerging Disease Issues, State of Michigan
Let's Beat the Bed Bug—University of Minnesota
Bed Bugs—Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station

Videos on YouTube by Cornell University entomologist

Bed Bugs part 1 What is a bed bug
Bed Bugs part 2 Identifying and Inspecting for bed bugs
Bed Bugs part 3 How to get rid of bed bugs

[Photos, left to right: Gary Alpert, Harvard University, Bugwood.org; Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org; none]

It is the policy of the State of Maine to minimize reliance on pesticides. The Maine Department of Agriculture and the Maine IPM Council encourage everyone to practice integrated pest management and to use pesticides only as a last resort. The mention of pesticides in the fact sheets linked to these pages does not imply an endorsement of any product. Be sure that any product used is currently registered and follow all label directions.

got pests?

Bed Bugs

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Fact Sheets

Other Publications

Schools

Homeowners

Landlords and Tenants

Travelers

Links to More Information

Videos on YouTube by Cornell University entomologist

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