The carbon dioxide that we emit attracts bed bugs to us. When bed bugs find a host they must be able to stay on the host for approximately ten minutes in order to fully engorge themselves (this is the reason they often will feed on sleeping people). The bed bug inserts two hollow, beak-like, tubes into an exposed area of their host. One of the tubes injects the bug’s saliva which has an anesthetic that numbs the area. Because of the saliva, most people do not even notice that they are being bitten. The other tube is the one that actually draws the blood that the bed bug needs for nourishment. After the bed bug has engorged itself it usually finds a secure place to hide in order to digest its meal, mate, and lay eggs. They usually stay in the secure place for five to ten days before looking for their next meal.