Bed bugs are a growing problem in the United States and elsewhere. If you are looking for information on how to identify if you have bed bugs, this article is for you. It has bed bug signs, symptoms and treatment options. Bed bugs have caused people to lose a significant amount of sleep over the years. In fact, they are the most common household pest in the United States – you don’t want to be their next victim. Don’t worry if some of these signs or symptoms seem minor or harmless. Bed bugs can survive for up to a year without feeding and are small in size, making it easy for them to hide and be overlooked by homeowners. The most important thing you can do for your family is recognize the signs and symptoms of an infestation and contact a pest control service. Bed bugs are small, brownish flat insects that feed on your blood while you are sleeping. They hide during the daytime and come out at night to suck your blood. Soon as they bite you, they inject their saliva into your body that prevents your blood from clotting.

Bed Bug Signs And Symptoms

Introduction

The best way to avoid bed bugs is to know what they look like, where they hide, and some of the typical signs that you may have an infestation.

In general, signs of bed bugs include the following:

• Live bed bugs. This is the most obvious sign of infestation, but it’s not always possible to see live bed bugs. If you suspect there are bed bugs in your home, use a flashlight and visually inspect the cracks and crevices of your mattress and box spring, as well as any other areas where you find blood spots or dark stains on sheets.
• Fecal stains. Bed bug feces are tiny black dots that look like pepper sprinkled onto fabric—they can be found on mattresses, box springs, headboards, furniture and walls near sleeping areas.
• Dead bed bugs: Look for dead bedbugs on mattresses and box springs; they’re usually brownish red in color when they die but will turn darker after a day or two of exposure to air (the older they are at death).
• Bed bug eggs: Eggs are white when first laid but then harden over time into pearls that resemble grains of rice attached to surfaces by a sticky film called an egg sac (or ootheca). Eggs can appear anywhere inside a mattress — including between coils — so be sure to check all cushioning material carefully if you see signs of infestation​

A musty odor.

Bed bugs can give off an odor that varies from mild to strong and has been described as sweet, musky, musty or like coriander. The odor may be present in furniture, clothing and other items. It’s important to know that the odor can be present in the room but not at the bed.

Live bed bugs.

If you find live bed bugs, this is the strongest sign that you have a problem. However, they can be difficult to spot and may be mistaken for other insects such as ants or cockroaches. Look for clusters of small brown insects with oval bodies that are about the size of an apple seed. Adult bed bugs are dark red-brown in color, but their nymphs (newly hatched immature bed bugs) are light yellow in color with no body hair and have smaller bodies than adults do.

Bed bug eggs will also appear like pinpricks or dots on your sheets if you happen to see them—more likely than not when you’re searching for signs after coming home from vacation when there’s a 95% chance it’s just dust bunnies anyway.”

Fecal stains.

• Fecal stains. Bed bugs leave fecal stains on mattresses, box springs and pillows. These stains are usually black or dark brown and can be found in areas where bed bugs have been seen.
• Shed skins. Bed bug skin that has recently molted from the nymph stage will be white in color and can often be found behind the headboard of a bed or near it as well as underneath baseboards on floors where people sleep or sit down for long periods of time (e.g., couches).

If you suspect you have bed bugs, you should check your mattress and box spring for signs of an infestation.

If you suspect you have bed bugs, you should check your mattress and box spring for signs of an infestation.

Look for any black or brown spots on these surfaces. These are the fecal stains that adult bed bugs leave behind while they feed on human blood at night. If you see small black or brown spots, it could be a sign of an infestation. In some cases, however, these spots may be dried blood from bites that occurred in the past and were not cleaned off properly by a professional pest control company as part of their extermination process.

Conclusion

Bed bugs are a growing problem in our country, and it’s important to know what to look for. But if you find yourself with an infestation, don’t panic! There are plenty of things you can do to get rid of them.