Exoskeletons After Molting
An exoskeleton is an external or outer skeleton that supports and protects an animal’s body. Having an exoskeleton is a defining characteristic among insects and crustaceans. Bed bugs, like other insects, also have exoskeletons. Adults or matured bed bugs have dark brown exoskeletons, while younglings or nymphs have lighter-colored shells that appear almost translucent.
As bed bugs go through their life cycle, they’ll cast off their exoskeletons several times. This process is called molting, which is essential for insects to grow and move to the next stage of their life. After the molting process, bed bugs leave their shell casings behind. Abandoned shell casings are easier to find than actual bed bugs. This is because they are usually scattered near places where bed bugs breed, like sofas, mattresses, wooden furniture, and cracks and holes in the walls.
Finding abandoned shells that are yellowish and translucent near dark and narrow areas is a reliable sign of bed bug infestation. However, the most solid symptom of bed bug bites is finding an alive bed bug crawling near the host. Live bed bugs are brown and small, closely similar to how an apple seed looks like.
