Bedbugs Trivia Quiz

Answer: False

Adult bedbugs do have wings, but there are very tiny and useless for flying. If something bites you and flies away, it isn't a bedbug.

Answer: True

Bedbugs are bloodsucking hemipteran insects. This means that their mouthparts have a "beak" which is capable of piercing tissues and sucking out liquids. Some hemipteran insects suck sap, but others, like the bedbug, suck blood.

Answer: True

Bedbugs can withstand lesser cold, -15C (5F) for short periods, but will not be able to reproduce as quickly. They cannot survive in the freezer, so if you have something that you think may have bedbugs, and put in the freezer for a few days, it will kill the bedbugs.

Answer: warmth and carbon dioxide

Bedbugs are attracted to warmth and carbon dioxide so they can go after warm-blooded pets as well as people. They do not eat leftover food, like cockroaches do, nor are they attracted to dirt. Movement, bright colours, and flaked-off skin will also be of no appeal to bedbugs. They just want blood!

Answer: False

There is no evidence to support this, according to the World Health Organisation, but they can make you itch a lot. Like any insect bite, bedbug bites can become infected if they are scratched too much. If the site is very tender and oozes a yellow or greenish substance, it is probably infected and you should see a doctor.

Answer: brown or reddish brown

Their colour depends on how much blood they have consumed. Other names for bedbugs are "red coats" and "mahogany flats". Some people describe them as similar to apple seeds in appearance, being flat and oval in shape.

Answer: an itchy red welt

They leave a very itchy red bump similar to a bad mosquito bite. The welts are from an allergic reaction toward the anesthetic in the saliva which allows the bedbug to feed without disturbing the host.

Answer: red or rusty-coloured smears on objects

If you see red or rusty-coloured smears on your bedding, on the walls or on other light-coloured surfaces, then you very well may have bedbugs. The red smears are from crushed bugs, and the rusty-coloured smears are the bedbug excrement.

Answer: flies

Other enemies of the bedbug also include the masked hunter (assassin bug), and mites. It is not recommended however, to use biological pest control to rid your house of bedbugs!

Answer: washing and drying them using high temperatures

Bedbugs can not survive temperatures above 48.9 C (120 F), so washing and drying linens and clothing at very high temperatures is an effective way of killing the bugs.

Answer: True

Yes, thankfully this is true. Dogs are able to smell in parts per trillion, something that no person can possibly do. They can be trained to detect bedbugs in all life cycles (eggs, nymphs, and adults). This helps to reduce the need for pesticides as it localises the areas that need to be sprayed.

Answer: in sofas and couches

Bedbugs can be found where humans and warm-blooded animals spend time sitting or sleeping. They can live for more than 12 months without eating, if the conditions are right, and will stay in a state of semi-hibernation until they are roused by the carbon dioxide from a warm-blooded host.

Answer: nothing else

Blood is all they are after. They will make a meal out of people or other warm-blooded creatures, so snakes, turtles, and lizards are safe!

Answer: False

Insects such as ants, flies, and cockroaches thrive on old food. Bedbugs on the other hand, eat fresh blood, so they are attracted to carbon dioxide- producing organisms. They get around by hitching a ride on bags, clothing, etc, not by seeking out dirty places.

Answer: a line

Quite often bedbugs bite in a line. The victim may have three bites in a row which is known as a "breakfast, lunch, dinner" pattern. Bites can occur however, singly or in a curved line. If the infestation is severe, the bites can look quite random.