If you awoke one morning with uncomfortable, little, flat pimples on your skin, they were most likely bed bug bites. However, you must still ensure that the bites were caused by bed bugs. If you can’t locate them, look for bed bug shells, skin, and casings on your bed or beneath your mattress.
Bed bugs go through molting as part of their life cycle. Otherwise, they would not mature into adults and would most likely perish. Expect to see some bed bug shells left behind when they molt. If you notice a lot of them, there may already be a bed bug infestation, and you should take action right away.
Bed bugs go through molting as part of their life cycle. Otherwise, they would not mature into adults and would most likely perish.
Expect to see some bed bug shells left behind when they molt. If you notice a lot of them, there may already be a bed bug infestation, and you should take action right away.
Related: What Are the Different Types of Household Pests That Exist Today?
What Do Bed Bug Shells and Casings Look Like?
At first glance, bed bug shells and casings may seem to be living or dead bed bugs. However, upon closer inspection, you will see that they are nothing more than empty shells. Molted skins are the same size and color as bed bugs, depending on their life stage when they molt.
Adult bed bugs are typically between 14 in (5 mm) and 3/8 in (9 mm) in length. They have flat, oval bodies that resemble wood ticks. When hungry, these wingless, blood-sucking insects become red-brown. However, after they are full, they will turn purple-red and become larger and fatter.
Nymphs, or juvenile bed bugs (or recently born), have the same body form as adults but are smaller. They have a thinner exoskeleton and are typically 1/16 in (1.6 mm) long. Unless they’ve been fed, most nymph bed bugs are pale yellow-white or colorless. So, yeah, they suck blood and are pests.
Bed bug shells or molted skin are likewise transparent, and nothing can be seen within. A bed bug infestation usually develops while the bed bugs are still young. This is why, if you have several bed bug bites on your arms and torso, you are likely to observe a lot of bed bug casings, particularly in the morning.
Are Bed Bug Shells Hard or Soft?
Bed bug casings are technically hard shells that act as protective gear for their bodies against cold. This is why it may be difficult to crush bed bugs. Furthermore, you will observe their molted skin as a whole rather than in fragments. The nymph’s shell becomes tougher and larger as it ages.
When and Why Do Bed Bugs Shed Their Skin?
Bed bugs, as previously said, lose their skin as they molt. During the molting cycle, bed bugs (and other insects) naturally shed their old skin and replace it with new ones. Bed bugs, like cockroaches and lice, undergo incomplete metamorphosis, which means they have three phases of life.
Bed bugs have three stages of development: egg, nymph, and adult. Female bed bugs will deposit 2 to 5 white, oval eggs every day after mating. Each female will lay 200 – 250 eggs throughout her lifespan, with eggs measuring 1/20 inch in length. They often deposit their eggs in tiny holes or on hard surfaces close to their human host.
How Often Do Bed Bugs Shed Skin?
Within 10 to 15 days, bed bug eggs develop into nymphs. Molting occurs in five phases for nymph bed bugs. As a result, they shed their shells and casings five times. They must suck blood at least once before moving on to the next stage. This is why juvenile bed bugs expand in size, as do their shells.
Nymph bed bugs are roughly 1 mm long, the same size as their shell. They grow around 0.5 mm larger after each molting stage. However, by the time they reach the fifth and final stage of molting, their size might be three times that of their initial molting.
How Long Does It Take a Bed Bug to Shed Its Shell?
Each of the five nymph bed bug shaping stages normally lasts approximately a week. It may take longer if they don’t have a host to feed on. On average, young bed bugs lose their shells for 35 to 48 days on average. However, they can live for 400 days without sucking blood.
What Should I Do if I Found Bed Bug Casings?
A single bed bug egg or nymph may be seen due to their tiny size. However, you will most likely see a lot of them. And, since bed bug casings may be found for more than a month, you have plenty of time to plan how to get rid of them. The idea here is to begin where there are a lot of them.
According to recent studies, 85% of bed bugs and their shells or casings are located in or around the bed. It is important to note that these bloodsuckers do not die on their own and grow rapidly. This is why, if you discover bed bug shells in your bedroom, you should act quickly.
How to Remove Bed Bugs and Their Shells From Your Mattress?
The following are the most important things you should do:
- Vacuum your mattress and box springs thoroughly. Remove the dust cover if you have one, and you may discover additional bed bugs behind the box spring.
- To prevent any residual bed bugs from escaping, carefully encase your mattress and box springs.
- Take your vacuum outdoors and remove the vacuum bag.
- Boiling water should be used to clean your mattress and box springs. Allow them to dry in direct sunshine at midday. If there is no sunshine, allow them to dry for at least 30 minutes.
Summary
Bed bug shells are simpler to discover than actual bed bugs. So, if you notice any of them, you should act quickly. Don’t wait for bed bugs to breed and infest your home. It’s also worth noting that most pesticides won’t kill bed bugs or their eggs. So far, heat treatment is the quickest technique to destroy them.
