Identifying Bed Bugs

Not sure if you have bed bugs? Find out how to identify bed bugs so you can approach your pest problem armed with the right knowledge. When it comes to bed bugs, it’s always best to call a professional at the first signs of an infestation. Call our pest professionals today to get started.

Is This A Bed Bug?

Bed bugs are notoriously hard to identify for many reasons. They closely resemble several other small insects which can be a cause for confusion. The way they look also changes depending on several factors including age and how much time has passed since their last meal. Bed bugs are primarily active at night and identifying them during the day requires a lot of persistence, know how and training. If you think you might have bed bugs, call a pest professional right away.

What Do Adult Bed Bugs Look Like?

Mature bed bugs are reddish brown in color and range in size from approximately 1/4 of an inch to 3/8 of an inch long. They are almost as wide as they are long. For a good reference, they are approximately the same size and shape as an apple seed. A bed bug will look flat and oval shaped if it has not recently fed. If it has fed recently, it will swell in size, becoming longer, redder in color and will look more like a blown-up balloon rather than a flat seed.

What Do Bed Bug Bites Look Like? How Do I Know If I’ve Been Bitten By A Bed Bug?

Since bites are often the first indicator of an infestation, it seems like you would know that you had a bed bug infestation by the bites alone. Unfortunately, bed bug bites are often mistaken for mosquito bites or bites from other insects. One telltale sign of bed bugs is that bites often come in clusters or groups of three, often referred to as “breakfast, lunch and dinner.” Some people have no reaction to bed bug bites at all, making it even harder to detect bed bugs in your home before the infestation gets even bigger.

What Does Bed Bug Activity Look Like?

Adult bed bugs are wingless and therefore cannot fly, however, they can move very quickly on both horizontal and vertical surfaces. If you have an infestation, you might see cast skins, the empty, bed-bug shaped shell left behind when a bed bug grows too big for its current skin. Cast skin is transparent and in the shape of a bed bug. Another giveaway that you probably have a bed bug infestation is if you find small reddish or dark brown spots or smears on your bedding or mattress. These can be signs of fecal spots made of digested blood that bed bugs leave behind.

Where To Look

Bed bugs are primarily active at night and are rarely out during the day so they can be hard to detect. Adult bed bugs are visible with the naked eye, so they can be spotted, especially if you know where to look. Check anywhere you might find a crack or a crevice near where people sleep in your home including areas around the bed and walls near or behind any bed. Examine headboards, bedside tables, loose wallpaper, mattress seams, and any other personal belongings near the sleeping area closely for bed bugs and signs of bed bugs.

When Should I Call Pest Control for Bed Bugs?

Because bed bugs are so difficult to identify for all the reasons outlined above, it is always the best course of action to call a knowledgeable pest control service to come inspect your home and make sure you are dealing with bed bugs and not some other kind of infestation. Need help? Call us today!