These insects are about 1/4 inch long and their color ranges form dark red to almost black. They do not fly. They are primarily active at night, so the only evidence of their presence are red bites that itch.

Bed bugs, Cimex spp., feed on the blood of warm blooded animals, such as birds and bats. The bed bug that feeds on humans lives in the cracks and crevices of the bed or behind the baseboards close to the bed.

Remove the mattress and vacuum it thoroughly. Clean all the cracks and crevices of the bed frame, and use some aerosol insecticides on the frame and adjacent baseboards.