The best way to identify bed bugs is to first look for signs of their existence. They tend to operate at night, so spotting them during the day can be difficult. Many other insects in a similar class of insects, look like bed bugs, so confirming an infestation might need to be made by a professional.
The easiest way to spot a problem is to look at the mattress or bed linens. When bed bugs are at rest they leave behind either red blood spots or brown feces. Theses spots are likely to be found near the seams of the bed and buttons, since these are hiding spots.
During the early stages of a bed bug problem, studies show that a majority of the insects will be around the bed area, since the is where their human host sleeps. If you suspect that you have bed bugs, it is more likely that the bugs will be hiding around the box spring and frame, particularly if the frame is wood. Bed bugs do not like hard smooth surfaces, so metal frames are a deterrent. Be sure to look at the joints of the frame since these cracks are easy places to hide. Also look along seams for clusters of bed bug eggs. The eggs are white and the size of a pin head. They are held in place by a cement like substance.
The other obvious sign of an infestation is when you see small puncture wounds on your skin. When bitten, it feels like a small tickle. A bed bug will bite along a line, such as along a seam of a bed. Not everyone has a a reaction to the bites, which is a hyperallergenic reaction. Even if your skin doesn’t get the familiar red bumps the first time, it could get them the second time that you are bitten, as most people have a stronger reaction each time.
The last sign is to find the bugs themselves. A bed bug goes through a life cycle from egg to nymph to adult over an approximate 3 month period. The nymphs are straw like in color and the adult bed bug looks flat, about 1/4 inch and reddish brown in appearance. They will enlarge approximately 30% after a feeding. Use a flashlight and a magnifying class that is approximately 3x in power to spot the eggs and the bed bugs themselves.
If you suspect that you have bed bugs, you can check the pictures offered by the resource link below. The site also provides an address where you can mail bed bugs you catch for a professional examination.
Geoff Grill is an editor of the Bed Bugs Handbook which contains many bed bug pictures. You can also learn more about how to identify bed bugs find additional bedbug information on how to remove and keep them out of your home.
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