How to Identify Bed Bug Bites

I’m
sure that there have been times when you’ve been skeptical about sleeping on
just any bed for fear of being bitten by bugs. The question is – even if the
bugs bites you, would you be able to spot their bites and possibly distinguish
them from those of insects like fleas and mosquitoes?

You
need to be able to distinguish bedbug bites from those of other insects, so you
don’t end up paying so much to get rid of a bedbug infestation when your house
was never infested, I’m the first place. Below are some features of bedbugs and
their bites that would help you detect their presence in your home.

Bites from Bedbugs Vs. Bites from Other Insects

If
you’re wondering why bedbugs bite more often at night than during the day, it’s
merely because they like having their meals undisturbed, and the best time
happens to be at night – while you sleep. Nonetheless, it is good you also know
that insects like fleas and mosquitoes also prefer to feed while you’re asleep
and completely still.

How
then do you get to know if the insect that bit you in your sleep is a bedbug,
mosquitoes, fleas or if it’s merely an allergic reaction that is manifesting on
your skin?

Distinguishing
bed bug bites from those of other insects isn’t all that easy because not every
skin type reacts to insect bites, and even when they do, the reactions are
usually different in different people. Furthermore, these reactions may take up
to a few days to become visible.

The
significant difference between bedbug bites and those of other insects is the
small reddish wheals that can be found scattered or clustered on any part of
the body a few hours or days after a bedbug bite. These bite marks sometimes
itch mildly and then severely at other times.

What Exactly Do These Pesky Bugs Look Like?

Mature
bedbugs look no different from the seeds of watermelon and are usually about
0.6cm in body length. They are of a reddish-brown coloration, and their flat
oval bodies are often bigger than their normal size after each feeding. Bugs are
wingless insects with three pairs of legs and antennae for vision and
sensitivity.

The
features mentioned above are not solely peculiar to bedbugs. Insects like
carpet beetles and bat bugs are often confused for bedbugs because of their
similar anatomy. However, unlike other insects, bedbugs can be found in hidden
places like table sides, ceiling edges, mattresses, wall edges, and clothing.

How Do I Identify a Bedbug Infestation?

Before
you run off to hire pest control professionals, take a look at the signs that
actually confirms the presence of bedbugs in your house:

• Tiny dark stains on your bedding

• Dried blood on your bedding and nightwear

• Discovering the exoskeleton shed by the
eggs and nymphs of bedbugs

• Always finding itchy, red insect bites on
your skin whenever you sleep on a particular bed or sofa.

That
you discover either or all of the above signs doesn’t really confirm the
presence of bedbugs because even fleas leave the same signs. It is best you
contact your pest control expert as soon as you find any of these signs around
your home. Controlling bedbugs is usually more effective when done early
because these pesky parasites are quite challenging to eliminate completely.