How to Recognize Bed Bugs

Know what the bugs look like., Check for bite marks., Find their hiding spots., Look for the following signs.

4 Steps 2 min read Medium

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Know what the bugs look like.

    Bedbugs are tiny, oval, brown insects.

    They are wingless creatures with flat bodies and six legs.Though they are small, bedbugs can be seen with the naked eye; most grow to about .2 inches (.5 cm)., Bedbugs are most active at night, biting people while they are asleep.If you wake up with itchy, red spots that you didn't have before you went to bed, you might have an infestation in your home.

    Bedbug bites are usually painless, but cause itching throughout the day.Unlike other types of bites, bedbug bites can appear anywhere on the body, especially areas that are exposed during sleep.

    Many people mistake bedbug bites with bites from other insects like mosquitoes or spiders.

    In order to confirm an infestation, you must find the bugs themselves., Bedbugs usually hide in mattresses initially, because they provide easy access to human flesh.

    They usually spread, however, to furniture throughout the house, as well as stored items like clothing, towels, sleeping bags, and luggage.

    If you think you may have bedbugs, then strip the blankets and sheets from your bed and examine your mattress and box spring for bedbugs or bedbug excrement.Check your bed as well as the area surrounding your bed.

    Examine clothing, books, telephones, carpets, etc.

    Stored items in your closet may also be infected.Bedbugs do not form nests of any kind, but usually appear in large numbers and scatter throughout the house., If you are having trouble finding or identifying the insects themselves, check for the following telltale signs that bedbugs are present:
    Blood stains on your pillows or sheets.A strong, musty odor from the bedbugs' scent glands.Dark/rusty spots on sheets, clothes, and walls, which may be bedbug excrement.
  2. Step 2: Check for bite marks.

  3. Step 3: Find their hiding spots.

  4. Step 4: Look for the following signs.

Detailed Guide

Bedbugs are tiny, oval, brown insects.

They are wingless creatures with flat bodies and six legs.Though they are small, bedbugs can be seen with the naked eye; most grow to about .2 inches (.5 cm)., Bedbugs are most active at night, biting people while they are asleep.If you wake up with itchy, red spots that you didn't have before you went to bed, you might have an infestation in your home.

Bedbug bites are usually painless, but cause itching throughout the day.Unlike other types of bites, bedbug bites can appear anywhere on the body, especially areas that are exposed during sleep.

Many people mistake bedbug bites with bites from other insects like mosquitoes or spiders.

In order to confirm an infestation, you must find the bugs themselves., Bedbugs usually hide in mattresses initially, because they provide easy access to human flesh.

They usually spread, however, to furniture throughout the house, as well as stored items like clothing, towels, sleeping bags, and luggage.

If you think you may have bedbugs, then strip the blankets and sheets from your bed and examine your mattress and box spring for bedbugs or bedbug excrement.Check your bed as well as the area surrounding your bed.

Examine clothing, books, telephones, carpets, etc.

Stored items in your closet may also be infected.Bedbugs do not form nests of any kind, but usually appear in large numbers and scatter throughout the house., If you are having trouble finding or identifying the insects themselves, check for the following telltale signs that bedbugs are present:
Blood stains on your pillows or sheets.A strong, musty odor from the bedbugs' scent glands.Dark/rusty spots on sheets, clothes, and walls, which may be bedbug excrement.

About the Author

J

Jennifer Mendoza

Committed to making practical skills accessible and understandable for everyone.

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