Bed Bug Identification

December 1st, 2008 Posted in Bed Bugs & Fleas


Good Night, Sleep Tight; Don’t Let the Bed Bugs Bite

When you were little did your parents ever say to you, “Good night, sleep tight; don’t let the bed bugs bite”? Do you say that to your children now? Nursery rhymes may tend to be filled with fiction and fantasy, but don’t let this one fool you. When the lights go out the bugs come out! So you have to be well educated in order to keep these little buggers from getting you and disturbing your good night’s sleep.

This article will provide you with helpful information about the history of bed bugs, how to identify them, and some more basic information to help keep you safe.





History of Bed Bugs

In colonial times, Spanish moss was used to fill mattresses and furniture. The popular goodnight saying comes from the fact that sometimes bugs and spiders would stick around in the moss and bite people while they were laying in bed sleeping.

Recently, you’ve probably been hearing more and more about bed bugs. The National Pest Management Association has reported a 50-fold increase in the number of reported bed bugs in the last five years. Other parts of the world outside of the U.S. have different types of bugs that act similarly as well as having bed bugs, but in the U.S. bed bugs are the most popular predator of their kind.

DDT, a popular synthetic insecticide in the 1950’s and 1960’s, but now banned in the U.S., had been widely used to kill this pest, but now new methods and products are being explored. Bed bugs although fairly harmless can still cause much panic and anxiety.


Identification

You may have heard that bed bugs, or Cimex lectularius (their scientific name), are so small you cannot even see them, but that is false. Yes, they are small, but no, they are definitely not invisible.

Description:

  • Brown to reddish brown in color

  • Oval shaped and flattened except after feeding when they are dark red and swollen

  • Range from 3/16 -1/5 long in length

  • Beak-like mouth

  • Small wing pads, but fortunately, no wings

The baby bed bugs or nymphs are nearly clear in color and gain color as they mature.

The females can lay up to 12 eggs in one day. These eggs are white and about 1/32 of an inch. They are nearly invisible to the naked eye and sit in small sacks that easily stick to many fabrics and materials.

If you don’t see the actual bed bug you may see other indicators of their presence. Bed bugs leave trails of excrement along mattress seams and other common areas in which they hide out. If you roll over and squash one, you will also see blood splatter on your sheets.

You may not even find live bugs or bug splatter – brace yourself because this is definitely nasty – you may find bug shells from when they shed their skin during different stages in their life.

All of these items are clear indications that you have a bed bug problem and will need to take steps to get rid of them.




Habitat

A large misconception is that these creepy creatures only live on and in mattresses, but they can be anywhere. They are just like many of the animals that they feast on.

Bed bugs like warm places that are heavily occupied, which is part of the reason they like to share your bed with you. Bed bugs are small enough to fit in a hole the width of a credit card. So there are many other places besides the actual bed you should check while sleeping at home or staying at a friend’s or hotel.

Bed bugs prefer fabric, wood, and paper surfaces; this sounds like a lot of areas in your bedroom doesn’t it? (I know this sounds like nearly every area in my room.) Don’t let this scare you. You just have to become a very observant bed bug hunter.

Bed bugs like to hide out in:

  • Mattresses

  • Furniture

  • Behind wallpaper

  • Box springs

  • Bed frames

  • Cracks and crevices

  • Window and door frames

  • Floor cracks

  • Carpet tack boards

  • Baseboards

  • Electrical boxes

  • Behind picture frames

  • Wall hangings

  • Drapery pleats

  • Cracks in plaster

  • Ceiling moldings

  • Any other place you can think of that is similar to these

Bed bugs have no problem commuting to their host during the night in order to eat so they can be found anywhere around your home. Remember they can go for over a year without eating and stay in hiding so don’t be fooled if you haven’t seen them recently; still be mindful and check to see if they are around.

So now you know what to look for and where to look for it. Flashlights and even magnifying glasses may be very helpful in your pursuit.


Bed Bug Bites

All this talk about what they are and where to find them, but you still don’t know what they do. Well I’ll finally tell you…THEY BITE YOU!

These little buggers like to feed during the night, so more likely than not you won’t see them when they are actually biting you. Bed bugs use their beak like mouths to inject an anesthetic into you so you won’t feel them and then suck your blood.

They tend to leave painless welts. The welts can appear within a few hours of the bite. No they are not poisonous, but the bumps may itch a little or irritate your skin.

You may notice that these bites do not have red dots in the center like flea and mosquito bites; this may help in identifying what has been feeding on you. Don’t worry there are no known serious health risks associated with bed bug bites. They are not known to transmit blood-related diseases so you don’t have to worry about who they bit before you.

Take care in identifying bed bugs, because not every bite you have is a bed bug bite. They could be from something like gnats, mosquitoes, fleas, or ticks. The most helpful thing in assisting you in identifying a bed bug is to collect the bug that bit you so that it can be visually identified by an expert. Although organic insecticides kill most pests, prevention is the most effective method of control.


Ashley Hil

  1. 35 Comments | The First 1,000 to Comment (Starting 12/21/2009) Will Become EcoSMART Product Testers!

  2. By Devin Suggs on Dec 16, 2008

    I did not know about this problem but I am glad I found this site. You better believe am on the lookout now. Thanks

  3. By M Thoren on Dec 16, 2008

    Holy Cow.. Im sure gonna look for them now!

  4. By A mcneal on Dec 16, 2008

    OMG!!!!! See i wasnt crazy!!!! I knew my mom had these! She was getting bit by something while sleeping, couldnt figure out what it was! Now i know! Great site!

  5. By Martha on Dec 16, 2008

    We have a problem with flies, beetles, and bees. I would like to know how to get rid of them without chasing them with a fly swatter.

  6. By cupcake51 on Dec 16, 2008

    This made me feel itchy all over !! Yikes !! Thank goodness you have a safe way to handle this problem.

  7. By cupcake51 on Dec 16, 2008

    Thank goodness you have a safe way to handle this problem.

  8. By pat zastrow on Dec 16, 2008

    very useful information. I sure would like to try your products. Do you have anything for mice?

  9. By Suzanne High on Dec 16, 2008

    I have never had this problem and didn’t know what they were. Thanks for the information and a safe way to get rid of them. Thanks!

  10. By judy ellinger on Dec 16, 2008

    wow so there really are bed bugs i need some help thanks judy

  11. By mon cheng on Dec 17, 2008

    Wash your bedsheets and pillow case with hot water on a regular basis to reduce bed bugs.

  12. By Gene Reece on Dec 17, 2008

    I would like to try your products. It would be nice to find something that works other than those vile products on the market.(no names). Thank you

  13. By Ava on Dec 17, 2008

    Bed bugs must be getting more popular, I keep seeing articles and workshops about them! I would love this Eco product as a environmental advocate. I don’t want bugs!

  14. By Courtney on Dec 18, 2008

    I heard that they can come home with from hotels!!! So make sure you do not empty your suitcase in you bedroom. Wash your clothes right when you get home.

  15. By Michelle on Dec 19, 2008

    I like educational web sites as this one.
    I have read a lot of articles on bed bugs. This site is one of the best. All of the information is contained here. I’ve been reading about bed bugs being in motel and hotel rooms. The media has reported it. People wake-up and know that they have been bitten by bed bugs. This is the killer part…they end-up taking the bugs home with them. Try EcoSMART for free.

  16. By Mary on Dec 20, 2008

    They say to go into the hotel and pull back the sheets and look for them. They also say to never bring your suitcase in until you have checked.

  17. By amanda on Dec 29, 2008

    I would love to test this and to protect my children and cat from any future bed bugs, I heard they leave nasty mark bites fruit flys are our issue at home.

  18. By tresa on Jan 5, 2009

    Do you have anything for the nasty ground moles?? I have one living on my front porch .He won’t take the mole bait
    thanks
    T

  19. By Kim on Jan 8, 2009

    We had new carpeting installed in our bedrooms about a year ago. We’ve had problems ever since. I thought it was biting mites. Haven’t been able to find anything but what one vet thought was mite feces. I just found two bugs under the microscope that I thought were thrips. They looked like a skinny rendition of your adult bed bug. I sure would like to get rid of these bugs once and for all. I’ve tried everything. Each thing has helped for about 3 weeks, then the problem starts all over again! And I haven’t found anyone to identify the problem. It’s been an awful year!

  20. By barbara on Jan 14, 2009

    I would like to know how to get rid of bed bugs.It gives me the creeps to think about them.

  21. By Becky on Jan 25, 2009

    Wow!!! Now I know what’s biting me at night!! I thought it was fleas but my dog is free of them! I have to find a magnifying glass…

  22. By Sammy on Jan 26, 2009

    I really would like to try this brand. I feel that it being eco smart is a good way to help get rid of the insects, but not harm us humans in the process. Its very difficult dealing with this problem, and also very sad.

  23. By EcoSMART Kara on Jan 26, 2009

    Good luck with your hunt, Becky! Thanks for sharing.

  24. By EcoSMART Kara on Jan 26, 2009

    You’re right, Sammy. If you haven’t filled out the survey for a chance to get a free can of EcoSMART, click here. You can also try to win EcoSMART products by commenting on the EcoSMART giveaway page.

  25. By Cynthia on Mar 2, 2009

    I have not had the problem but I am very pleased there is a non toxi, non irritant way to resolve. It most concerns me away from home, like a hotel matress, furniture etc.

  26. By beth on Jun 13, 2009

    i have already had someone come in and spray and im still getting bite, he came and sprayed on wednesday and it is now saturday and i just found like 10 new bites on my arms and legs. should i expect this for the next week and a half? how long do the bites continue after they spray

  27. By Kim on Jul 20, 2009

    How long do the bites marks last? I have ones that I have had for a couple of weeks now, and they don’t seem to want to leave!

  28. By diane jaques on Aug 17, 2009

    i already had someone come in and spray for the bed bugs how long does it take before you stop getting bite i still getting bite marks and itching.

  29. By richard gould on Jul 29, 2010

    yes we got them but the crazy thing is they have been biting my wife but not me or my kid…either way though they got to go..so how do we get rid of them completely from our house and clothes and such…now i have a smell child and a dog so i want to be as safe as possible,so if you have a safe environmentally friendly solution to our problem and advice how to end this infestation i would love to hear what you have to say and to test your product…

  30. By Rose Albanese on Aug 21, 2010

    My elderly aunt and uncle is having a bed bug problem and they are frantic. Please send a free copy of ecosmart to remedy the situation. Thank you.
    Rose Albanese

  31. By Jan Brett on Oct 12, 2010

    Good morning,
    I’m setting up a company, cleaning business, to help sanitise and clean the entire house, including the BED BUGS! All help gratefully received.

  32. By David Elsey on Dec 5, 2010

    I would like to use eco friendly anything to get rid of bugs. I have a 12 year old son and a 1/2 year old maltese puppy.

  33. By Jeni S. on Mar 2, 2011

    I keep hearing about bed bugs and am glad I found this website. I can now find some relief knowing there is a line of toxic free products to use against such insects. I have three puppies and can only worry so much about what they bring in with them, thanks for supplying a great product to help with pests, that are eco-smart for the planet as well!

  34. By lizzie on Sep 4, 2011

    i saw them i think

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  2. Dec 12, 2008: How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs | Organic Insecticides Blog by EcoSMART
  3. May 26, 2009: Bed Bug Identification Organic Insecticides by EcoSMART | Shed Kits

35 Comments | The First 1,000 to Comment (Starting 12/21/2009) Will Become EcoSMART Product Testers! (details)