The naked eye

Something is visible “to the naked eye” if it can be seen without a microscope, magnifying glass, or other type of visual aid.

Sometimes pests at home are so small we cannot see them. House mites, for example, are not visible to the naked eye. They are too small to see. (Of course, you can see them under a microscope.)

Bedbugs, on the other hand, are visible to the naked eye. They measure about four to five millimeters and are often reddish brown. Bedbug eggs, too, are visible to the naked eye, though you have to look closer. They are about one millimeter in length and can seem like a grain of salt.

Bacteria and microorganisms are not visible to the naked eye, either. That clean, crystal-clear glass of water you’re drinking? Try looking at that under a microscope and you’ll see what we mean!