They are not known to cause any diseases directly however, they can be carriers of disease. They are sensitive to heat and extreme cold, but are able to survive without the benefits of oxygen as well. It is impossible to “starve” them out, as they are able to survive without sustenance anywhere from six months to over a year. In most cases, the host is unaware that they are being bitten. Often, their red color increases after a feeding, as they are engorged with the host’s blood. They can suck up to six times their initial weight in blood. They do not have the capabilities of host detection when the host (human) is over five feet away. For some reason unknown to scientists, the majority of people over 65 do not have a reaction to bites whatsoever. Some individuals report severe adverse reactions to bites, others have no reaction at all, and some have a mild reaction. They have a “beak” with mouthparts that are dissected into two: one mouth part secretes the bugs’ saliva into the human, and the other mouth part feeds off of blood. They are extremely shy insects, drawn to the human body at night for feeding. They have very visible antennae and regularly emit a foul odor. They do not fly both their forewings and hind wings are functionally nonexistent. They have well developed legs and they are apt to crawl up vertical surfaces quite easily. They are often nicknamed “Mahogany Flats” “Red Coats” and “Crimson Ramblers” for this reason. They are oval-shaped insects, flat in appearance, and have a mahogany color which varies from a straw-like tint to a deep reddish mahogany. A Department of Health report claimed that if forty are placed in a room with a mild temperature, within six months their population would exceed 5,900. Because of the way they mate, they multiply in size while breeding. “Good night, sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite.” This horrific nighttime creature is a member of the Hemiptera order of insects that feast solely on blood.
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