Signs Of Bed Bugs

There are many ways you might discover bed bugs. The most common is finding bites on your skin. These insects draw blood and digest it, leaving behind itchy wounds. But there are many insects that can bite you. How can you know that you have these particular pests? Let's start with how to tell if you're getting bed bug bites. Then, we'll share other common signs and how you can find them in your home.

Bed bug bites

What does a bed bug bite look like? It looks like many other insect bites. You may have a bump, rash, and irritation. The reason it looks like any 'ol bug bite is that it isn't the bug that makes the wound look like that. The antihistamines in your body are what cause the inflammation, rash, and itchiness. So, how can you tell the difference between a bed bug bite and any other bite? You have to look for the pattern.

• Bite, crawl, bite, crawl, bite. That is the pattern of a bed bug. When you see three bites close together, you may have a bed bug in your home.
• Imagine five bed bugs feeding together in one area of your body and following the pattern above. It will look like a trail.
• Bed bugs are drawn to carbon dioxide. If you have bites on your arms, neck, or face, it is likely that you have bed bugs if they follow the pattern.
• Bed bugs prefer to feed on open skin. If the area of your body with the bites was not exposed during the night, you may not have bed bug bites.
• These quick facts should help you diagnose your bites and tell whether or not bed bugs are the culprits.

Bed bugs in each stage of development

What does a bed bug look like? If you say, "It is reddish-brown and shaped like an apple seed," you're right. But if that is all you know about bed bugs, you may not recognize one when you see it.

• Bed bug eggs are about 1mm and white.
• Newly hatched nymphs are also white and about 1mm. They are six-legged insects from the start.
• Nymphs grow tan as they develop, and you will see blood or fecal matter in the insects.
• A fully grown adult is about 4.5 mm and looks like the pictures you've probably seen of bed bugs.

When you uncover these pests, you're likely to easily know it. They huddle together, and are often surrounded by another sign. Let's look at it.

Bed bug stains

When a bed bug feeds, it sometimes excretes blood. You may find these stains on pillowcases, sheets, clothing, curtains, and surfaces. When they dry, they will appear brown. You're also likely to see black stains with them. Bed bugs leave their black excrement as they move about at night in your home.

When you lift a cushion or open a fabric flap and find a few bed bugs, you are almost guaranteed to see black stains. You may also see brown stains. This is one reason why people think that bed bugs only infest dirty homes. The furniture removed from bed bug-infested homes probably had fecal matter and blood stains on them. But bed bugs don't choose where they live, and they are not attracted to unsanitary environments. They create unsanitary environments. But they do this in secretive places, such as between your mattress and box spring. How often do you look in that space? You may not know there is a big, dirty, black, and brown spot hidden in there.

Where to look for bed bugs

Now that you know the signs, it is helpful to know where to look for these biting pests. They don't like the light, and they have a preference for tight spaces. These two factors make them elusive. Check these common bed bug hiding spots:

• Between mattresses and box springs
• Within mattresses and box spring seams
• Underneath labels
• Around mattress vents
• Inside the cracks and crevices of box springs and bed frames
• Under the feet of bed frames and other furniture
• Along carpet edges and around electrical outlets
• Behind picture frames on your wall
• In the gaps of crown molding
• Within the cracks and pockets of luggage and bags
• In all of the tight spaces of your living room furniture
• Inside the base of your office chair

This is not a comprehensive list, but it is a great starting point to find bed bugs.

Professional bed bug control

If you find bed bug activity in your home or business, contact a licensed pest management professional to get treatment. If you're in Colorado, find out if you're in our service area. We provide bed bug control services in Denver, Boulder, Colorado Springs, and more. Your EnviroPest service team has the experience and training to get rid of those irritating pests. Contact us today!