Young nymph of a bed bug

6370  Description: THIS PHOTO IS OF THE INSECT AFTER IT WAS PRESSED BETWEEN MY FINGERS, AND DEAD. Size is less than 1/4 of my pinky nailbed. Colour is transparent with black on the INTERIOR. No wings. Maybe 4-8 legs. Found crawling along blanket on couch while I lay there on main floor of house. Saw from corner of my eye. WHEN: Found close to 12am week before May long weekend 2019, cool in house but high humidity setting, outside around 12°.
** ALSO found another (similar) day before, sitting alive on my bed blanket beside my cat (thought was a crumb because of jagged edges until I picked it up – were legs). Second floor of house. It looked slightly brown on a navy comforter. Both cats are twitching/scratching, have crusty spots on them near head areas but no flea poo I see when I flea comb them. I spilled water on carpet beside bed while ago & soaked up with salt ( still there). I often find various piles of white specks on bed comforter, assumed was salt from cat’s paws but I’m quite anal about no salt on bed.. Could it be eggs? ?- It looks like lice, please tell me it’s not! Now I feel like I’ve been bitten everywhere! I have had the ODD single itchy red bump show up on my leg in the morning. The house has a lot of recycled/second hand items; not properly maintained. From: Stoney Creek, Ontario L8G3W1 Canada

Number 6370. This looks like a very young nymph of a bed bug (Hemiptera/Heteroptera: Cimicidae); the black substance is a partially digested blood meal. Click here for a very comprehensive fact sheet on bed bugs.