Feeding

Bed bugs can crawl up to 100 feet in search of its only food source – warm blood, preferably human, but they will feed on animals. Prior to feeding, saliva containing a natural anesthetic and anticoagulant is injected into the sleeping food host thereby allowing an essentially painless feeding to occur uninterrupted. Both male and female of the nymph and adult bed bugs feed on blood, and may move around several times during its 3 to 10 minute meal. After feeding, bed bugs crawl into a crack or crevice for a few days to digest. Bed bug bites can be all over the body especially in exposed areas such as face, neck shoulders, arms and hands.