Bat Bug

Color: reddish-brown and very flat if they have not had a blood meal, After feeding, their body appears plump and dark-colored from the blood meal.

Size: Adults are about ¼ to 3/8 inch long

Feeding Habits: Adult bat bugs may survive for a year or more without a meal in cool environments, but blood feeding is required by the female in order to produce eggs. The females lay eggs on rough surfaces and in cracks, usually in the same areas where the bugs hide. Eggs hatch in one to two weeks, and nymphs can feed immediately. Nymphs must acquire a blood meal in order to molt. Younger nymphs are practically colorless unless they have fed, in which case the blood meal creates a highly visible dark spot in their digestive tract. The exoskeleton becomes darker as the bug matures.