Signs Of Bed Bugs

These blood-eating pests leave multiple bites that are often accompanied by an itchy rash. In a home, they can cause sleepless nights and emotional trauma. In a business, they can lead to a loss of revenue and a damaged reputation. But you don't have to take these bugs lying down. The secret is to look for the signs of bed bugs. No matter what causes your bed bugs, Action’s Bed Bug Control Service is here to help.

Visual Identification

The most obvious form of detection is seeing a bed bug; but if you don't know what a bed bug looks like, you could miss this valuable sign. That is why it is important to make sure everyone in your home can recognize these insects when they see them. Bed bugs are brown with a reddish tint and range in size from as small as the tip of a pen to the size of a pea. If they have recently had a blood meal, they will be pill-shaped and bloated. If they have not fed recently, they will appear flat and oval. All bed bugs are insects, so they have six legs and two antennae, but their most notable visual feature is the horizontal, shiny, and equidistant lines on their abdomens.

Odor

If you smell a strong, musty odor when you enter a room or lie down on a bed, you might have an infestation. Bed bugs release pheromones that can be potent if there are a large number of bugs infesting. The smell is sometimes compared to the musky smell of a dirty locker room or an old wet towel that has been lying on the floor. If you smell something nasty in an otherwise clean room, it is time to look closer.

Bed Bug Bites

Before you see signs of infestation, you’re likely to be bitten. So bite marks are an important form of bed bug detection. But not all bed bug bites are the same. These bugs pass through five stages before they become full adults. On their way, they will need a blood meal to molt and enter the next stage of development. These early bites often go unnoticed because they aren't always accompanied by a rash. For some people, it can take several bite incidents before an allergic reaction is seen. When you see bites on your skin, examine them closely. Bed bugs feed multiple times. That means their bites will not be random like mosquito bites. They are more likely to be in a line or cluster.

Urine

If bed bugs travel across cloth they may leave light brown urine stains to warn you of their passage. These stains are most often found near sites of infestation and are easiest to see on white fabrics.

Feces

When bed bugs come out to feed, they will sometimes leave fecal streaks to let you know. They will leave these streak marks on pillowcases, mattress covers, sheets, backboards, baseboards, outlet covers, and the floor. There will also be a significant amount of black fecal spotting in infested places, like the corners of a mattress, the seams of a mattress, and the stitching of upholstered furniture. Streaks and spots will often be accompanied by the tiny, black, sticky droppings themselves, but it is the streaks and the spots you'll see first.

Blood

Bed bugs are known to dribble. For this reason, blood spotting and blood streaks are helpful indicators. These stains can appear red if found quickly but are more often found after they have dried and turned brown. The consistent appearance of bloodstains should be immediately investigated.

Shed Casings

Bed bugs must pass through five larval stages, also known as instars, to reach their adult size. As they pass from stage to stage, they will shed their skins. And, since they require a blood meal to molt, these skins can sometimes be found on sheets, pillowcases, and pillows, where these pests travel to feed. They can also be found in abundance where bed bugs are nesting.