The human exodus from NYC might well have caused the drop. Bed bugs are widely associated with travel, hitching rides with people. But they could also just be lying in wait in empty city homes. "Bed bugs can survive for several months without a blood meal and could be hungry if they have survived unnoticed after decreased travel amid the pandemic," Cindy Mannes, executive director of the Professional Pest Management Alliance, said. The insects are tiny — just under a quarter-inch long, according to Orkin. They're usually dark brown or red in color and are hematophagous, meaning blood is their only food source. Bed bugs take blood meals from sleeping humans and can travel from place to place with ease, stowing away in things such as luggage, purses and other personal belongings.