Bugs on mattress not bed bugs5/2/2024 ![]() If you have doubts about what you are dealing with, reach out to a diagnostician. German cockroach nymphs ( Figure 5), carpet beetles ( Figure 6, Figure 7), ticks ( Figure 8), and booklice ( Figure 9) are mistaken for bed bugs all the time. Many insects can be confused with bed bugs. For more information about identifying bed bugs, see Bedbugs - Biology and Management.įinally, you do not want to misdiagnose the problem. Once you find signs of activity, live bed bugs are probably close by. For instance, looking for fecal spots ( Figure 1), or shed skins ( Figure 2) which are often left out in the open and can be easier to find. Additionally, it may be easier to look for signs of activity versus live bugs as you begin. Visual inspection for bed bug activity must be thorough in light of these hurdles. Eggs are only 1/25th of an inch and can be even more difficult to spot when only a few are present. They can easily hide in crevices as thin as one sheet of paper. They become especially difficult to see on items like furniture, luggage, backpacks, and other items with zippers, seams, and folds in fabric ( Figure 2). All juvenile bed bugs become swollen and bright to dull red after a blood-meal ( Figure 1).ĭue to their small size, light color (upon hatching), aversion to light, and preference for hiding in small tight spaces, bed bugs can be difficult to spot–especially when they are young. Nymphs range in color from almost clear (first instar) to a dark, creamy, tan color as fifth instars. First instars are tan to clear and small (they are hard to see), while fifth instars can be almost as large and dark in color as an adult. Immature bed bugs range greatly in size from the first to the final (fifth) instar. After a blood meal, they are swollen/engorged and dull red ( Figure 4). Adult bed bugs are reddish brown, oval, flattened insects before feeding ( Figure 3). Instead, look for other signs of infestation, including fecal spots ( Figure 1), exuviae (shed skins that result from bed bug growth) ( Figure 2), and obviously, the presence of live bugs.īed bugs start as eggs, hatch into what we call “nymphs”, go through five nymphal stages, and then become adults. ![]() Therefore, we want to reiterate that the presence or absence of bites, of any kind, should not be used to identify or exclude the possibility of a bed bug infestation. While bites from bed bugs will almost certainly occur as a result of infestation and the need of bed bugs to feed, their tangible presence is unreliable at best and at worst (from an identification perspective), completely non-existent. Unlike tick bites, which usually present around the banding of clothing (socks, pants, underwear)-bed bugs will often attack areas unencumbered by clothing or sheets. For that reason, you may see more bites on the arms, legs, face, and neck than covered regions. There is no conclusive evidence to support the clustering of three bites or probes (or a combination of the two) at a time.īites in areas that are exposed: Bed bugs prefer areas of the skin that are exposed. However, you can ignore the “breakfast, lunch, and dinner” premise that you may have read elsewhere. Probing can result in multiple bite reactions in a cluster or line, too. Those who are very sensitive may also have reactions from simple probing (when a bed bug touches the proboscis to the skin, but does not insert). When multiple bed bugs feed at this junction, it can result in lines or clusters of bites. ![]() Multiple bugs may feed a region where skin meets a flat surface (e.g., an arm resting flat against a mattress). However, if you have lesions, have been exposed to bed bugs recently, or have traveled and suspect exposure, some bite patterns to look for include:Ĭlusters or lines of bites: Bed bugs primarily feed at night, when potential hosts are asleep and unaware. ![]() For that reason, bites, bite-like lesions, or rashes alone are not a reliable sign of a bed bug problem. However, many people do not react to bed bug bites at all. In severe cases, hives, wheals, or blisters can result. After a bed bug feeds, you may be left with a welt similar in appearance to a mosquito bite. Like mosquitoes, they use a long, needle-like proboscis (sucking mouthpart) to pierce human skin. Let’s go over some information that will help you on each of these fronts!īed bugs are obligately hematophagous, meaning, they have to consume blood to survive. In the case of bed bugs, this includes being able to identify: i) potential bites/signs of feeding, ii) places they like to hide (refugia), iii) signs of activity, and iv) things that aren’t a bed bug. The first step in preventing and combating a pest infestation is to know as much as you can about the enemy in question. Know the Warning Signs Skip to Know the Warning Signs
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