Bed bugs bite. It’s not fun to have them in your home, but it’s not always clear when the bites occurred and if a person can tell the difference between an insect bite and a bed bug bite. In several discussions I’ve had with people about bed bugs, there are often concerns about bed bug bites after a few days or even a week or more later on. Bed bug bites can be a nightmare for any person that is exposed to them. This is why getting rid of bed bugs is so important if you have them in the home. The problem is that they are not easy to deal with. Most people think you can just scrub them with bleach and call it a day. This is not the case. When you kill bed bugs, you want to make sure that bed bug eggs are killed as well. If you do this, then the next time they are exposed to it they will die as well. Let’s take a look at what happens when someone has been out at a cabin or camp site and then comes back home after a few days to find out they have bed bugs biting them on their legs and arms where many of the hidden bed bug eggs are located.

Bed Bug Bites After A Few Days

Do bed bugs bite immediately?

It is common to wonder if bed bugs bite immediately. In fact, the most common question we get from people who want to know if they have a bed bug problem is: “Do bed bugs bite immediately?” The answer depends on a few factors. Bed bugs are active at night when they feed on human blood. Since they are nocturnal, it’s not uncommon for people to be asleep when they come into contact with the pests—making them unaware of an attack until morning when they wake up with bites.

Bites can take up to 24 hours after being bitten by a female bug before you feel any symptoms at all (the average time frame being six hours). If your bites don’t show up right away after waking up in the morning or even eating lunch then chances are pretty good that you didn’t get bit during the night while sleeping soundly in your own bed!

After being bitten, how long does it take for the symptoms to show?

Bite site: After being bitten, most people will not experience symptoms for 4-6 days. The bite site will be red, itchy and may have a white spot in the middle of it.

Multiple bites at once: You can get multiple bites at once from one bed bug. This is because they tend to feed on different areas of your body at different times (i.e., one might bite you on the head while another feeds in another area).

Do bed bug bites itch immediately after being bitten?

Most people will not feel or notice the bed bug bite immediately. Depending on the person, it may take a few minutes or a few hours for the itching to start. Some people will even go to sleep without knowing they have been bitten. Once you feel that itch, however, it can last anywhere between 12 – 72 hours depending on the severity of your reaction and how many bites you received.

Do all bed bug bites itch?

• Not all bed bug bites itch.
• Some people don’t react to bed bug bites at all, or for days after the bite occurs.
• Not everyone is allergic to bed bugs or their saliva.
• Bed bug bites may not itch for a few days, even if you are allergic to them.

Bed Bug Bite Reaction Timeline

These are the most common reactions to a bed bug bite:

• Redness and swelling at the site of the bite.
• Itching, pain and irritation. These symptoms may last up to five days or more.
• Swollen lymph nodes in your armpits and groin for several days after you’ve been bitten by a bed bug. Some people might have significant swelling of their lymph nodes that lasts up to 10 days or longer.

Bed bug bites do not appear right after you are bitten.

The good news is that you may never notice a single bite. Bed bugs are capable of biting without being detected, so it’s possible to be bitten without knowing it. If you suspect bed bugs, contact an exterminator immediately—the longer you wait, the longer they will have been living in your home and the harder it will be for them to be removed.