Have you come out of your shopping spree in the middle of the night with several bags in tow, only to stumble into bed with a full belly and realize that you might be covered in bed bug bites? Oh no! You’re not sure. You’ve heard about bed bugs. You don’t know what to think. It started off simply enough. Your sister told you about an infestation that was going on down on Main Street where the store she shops at gets regularly exterminated for them. That could be causing your problem, but then again, it probably isn’t. Here are a few clues to help you detect if you do have bed bug bites and steps you can take in your home today to get rid of them before they get too bad and start showing up in funky places like your car, on your dog, and worse yet…in your mouth at breakfast tomorrow. Some people have been known to bite their tongues while sleeping and wake up with one of those little critters stuck between their teeth.Bed bugs are tiny, parasitic insects that feed on blood. While the common bed bug does not carry diseases, it’s generally a nuisance pest — and difficult to eradicate. Fleas, ticks, lice or spiders? Not bed bugs. Bed bugs are not just in your bedroom. They can also be found in stuffed furniture, car interiors, hotel rooms and hostels. The good news is that they cannot easily live in extreme cold or extreme heat. If you’re asking the question “do I have bed bug bites?” read on to find out how you can spot them for yourself. Here at Terminix®, we offer a number of resources to help homeowners prevent infestations before they occur and then eliminate existing infestations should they occur — but first let’s start with what bed bugs look like.

Do I Have Bed Bug Bites

Introduction

Bed bugs are no fun, and they can cause a lot of problems. The way to avoid bed bug problems is to know if you have them. The bites can look like other bug bites, so it can be hard to tell for sure. But there are ways you can identify whether or not it’s bed bugs. There are several things you should know before we begin. First, never assume that the infestation is from bed bugs at first sight of a few bites on your skin. A number of insects may bite humans and cause redness, swelling, and itching at the site of the bite. So how do you identify bed bug bites? Read on to find out more!

How to Identify Bed Bug Bites

If you think you have bed bug bites, take a look at the red marks on your skin. Look for these signs:

• Red marks on the skin that are no larger than a pea
• The red marks are itchy and raised (not flat)
• The red mark(s) develop into welts or blisters that may be painful.

What do Bed Bug bites look like?

You can tell if you have bed bug bites by looking for the following signs:

• Itchy and red. Bed bug bites are often itchy and will turn into a raised, red bump or rash.
• In clusters, straight lines or random patterns. Bed bugs tend to bite in clusters – sometimes several at once – which can leave marks that look like a line of dots or bumps on your skin, though these marks may also form in clusters like groups of freckles or pimples. They’re also known to bite in straight lines up your arms, legs, torso and even head (though this is rare). If you spot bed bug bites on irregular patches of skin such as your back or stomach, they could be from something else entirely—but if they do resemble other types of insect hives then it’s probably best to assume it’s due to an infestation anyway!

Look for any odd signs on your body.

If you’ve been bitten by bed bugs, you might have noticed a few different symptoms. Some of them can be hard to spot at first glance, but once you know what to look for they may become easier to spot.

• Look for red marks on your skin. Redness is one of the most common signs of a bed bug bite. If any part of your body has been bitten and it turns red or pink within a couple hours, then it’s likely that that area was bitten by a bed bug (or other similar pest).
• Look for itchy bumps. Bed bugs do not actually inject venom into their victims—they just leave behind small amounts of saliva as they feed—so if you see small bumps on your skin after being bitten by one or more pests in the night, then there’s a good chance those bumps are due to bites from these pests rather than anything else like hives or eczema flareups caused by other factors such as stressors in life like exams/projects at school or work related issues going on outside of home life such as money problems with spouse/significant other who isn’t contributing financially).
• Look out for redness around each bump because this means there may be further swelling coming soon; if swelling occurs within 24 hours after being bitten by bed bugs then consider yourself lucky since most people don’t get alerted right away which means they miss their window where treatment could’ve potentially worked effectively against those pesky critters!

Check if you’ve been bitten before.

If you’ve been bitten before by bed bugs, you may be able to recognize the bite mark on your skin.

Check the area around the bite for a red, itchy bump or rash. Look for a small red dot (as in flea and mosquito bites), small red spot (like poison ivy), small red bump or even a small welt (like from a wasp sting). A single bed bug can leave multiple bites on an individual at once so there could be one or two bites that are slightly different from each other but still similar in appearance.

Bugs that look like bedbugs.

If you’re still not sure whether or not you have bed bug bites, there are a few other insects that can be mistaken for them. Most of these insects are larger than the actual size of a bed bug and have a very different shape than it does. Bed bugs have a narrow body that’s about the size of an apple seed, with six legs and no wings—if your bug has three or fewer feet, then it’s probably not a bed bug.

Bed bugs can be confused with:

• Crickets (they’re brown in color)
• Ants (they’re much larger in size)
• Firebrats (they look like ants at first glance because they also have six legs)

Search your home for bedbugs.

To confirm that you have bed bugs, it is important to search your home. Bedbugs are often found in dark crevices and cracks or behind electrical outlets. The following signs may be indicative of a bed bug infestation:

• Bedbugs themselves
• Eggs (small, oval-shaped, white eggs)
• Fecal matter (a black stain)
• Blood spots on sheets and mattresses caused by the bites of an adult bed bug or its nymphs (these spots will look similar to rust or red paint splatter)
• Cast skins of an adult bed bug or its nymphs (the cast skin looks like a translucent white shell that has been dried out)
• Molted skins from recently molted adult female bed bugs (these will look like translucent yellowish pieces of tape stuck onto surfaces around your home).

Check the infested area for bed bugs.

Bed bugs are very small, and can be hard to see with the naked eye. Bed bug bites are usually located on areas of skin that come in contact with your sheets or mattress, including:

• Your upper body (shoulders, back, neck)
• Your lower legs and feet

If you think you have bed bugs, look for dark spots on the mattress and sheets where you sleep. You may also see small dark spots on your mattress or sheets. These spots could be either fecal matter left behind by adult bed bugs or blood stains from crushed eggs laid by female bed bugs after they feed on human blood. If these signs are present in your home or hotel room, there’s a good chance you have an infestation!

Bed bugs are attracted to carbon dioxide, body heat and dark areas.

Bed bugs are attracted to the scent of carbon dioxide, body heat and dark areas.

• Carbon dioxide is given off by all warm-blooded animals. Bed bugs breathe through small hairs on their bodies called tracheae. As you breathe, these tiny tubes fill with CO2 which is then transported through the insect’s bloodstream to its other organs for use as an energy source.
• Body heat helps bed bugs find a suitable host to feed on. Bedbugs are able to detect heat from up to 15 feet away and will follow the warmth back toward it until they reach their intended target (you).
• Dark spots like those found in mattresses attract bedbugs because they make it easier for them to blend into small spaces without being noticed by predators or prey. It also helps them hide from light sources which could reveal their presence when trying to sneak up on potential meals! Bedbug eggs also require darkness before hatching so be sure not too shine any bright lights near where you sleep every night (like reading lamps near your headboard).

Inspect the furniture and walls.

Bed bugs are attracted to carbon dioxide, body heat, and dark areas. If you have recently been bitten by a bed bug, inspect the furniture in your bedroom for any odd signs of infestation. If you have found these signs, then it is likely that you have been infested with bed bugs and should call a professional exterminator immediately.

Bed bugs are most commonly found in hotel rooms but can also be found in other establishments like hospitals or nursing homes where there is an increased risk of cross-contamination if proper care is not taken while washing clothes/linens as well as during meal times (when food sits out on tables).

Check behind furniture and appliances.

Bed bugs often hide behind walls, furniture, and other objects that can’t be moved. If you see any visible signs of bed bugs, look for the following signs:

• Eggshells (small brown or tan oval-shaped eggs)
• Live nymphs (tiny translucent and brownish-red immature bed bug life stage)
• Adult bedbugs (1/4 inch to 5/8 inch long; flattened bodies; six legs; blood red eyes)

Bed bug bites can be annoying and frustrating, but you can identify them.

Bed bug bites can be identified by their appearance. Most commonly, they are red and itchy, but they can also be yellow or brown. Bed bug bites will often appear in clusters around the wrists, ankles and waist. However, unlike other insect bites that cause a rash or hives on your skin (such as mosquito bites), bed bug bites are often not very noticeable at first glance. If you notice any unusual marks on your skin that may be caused by bed bugs contact a pest control professional immediately to have them inspected!

Conclusion

The best way to avoid bed bugs is by ensuring that your home and belongings are clean. If you suspect bed bugs, call a professional. The sooner you get the pest out of your home, the fewer bites you will end up with—and the less likely you’ll be to notice them in the future.