A bed bug infestation can be an absolute nightmare to deal with so it’s good to know the early signs of bed bugs. Fortunately, the situation is much easier to handle at the beginning. Since it can be tricky to identify an early infestation, though, it helps to know what you’re looking for.
What Do Bed Bugs Look Like?
Baby bed bugs or nymphs are tiny and almost impossible to see. The adults, however, are about the size of a flax seed and can get as big as an apple seed when they’ve just eaten. They’re oval-shaped, flat, and reddish-brown in color.
You should note that a lot of people confuse bed bugs with spider beetles, carpet beetles, and cockroach nymphs so it’s good to look out for confirmation signs of an infestation as well.
Where Do Bed Bugs Come From?
Bed bugs usually come from other areas that have an infestation. Since they’re not always easy to see, you can be in an infested place and not know it immediately.
The most common places to pick up bed bugs are apartments, hotels, and other multi-unit buildings. As long as there are shared accommodations, bed bugs can spread and build into an infestation.
How Do You Get Bed Bugs?
Though bed bugs don’t like to wander and can’t fly, it’s easy to pick them up from somewhere that’s infested. They can reside in furniture, clothing, bags, and luggage.
If you live in an apartment complex, the bugs may migrate from an infested area because they’re looking for more space and resources.
RELATED: Bed Bugs: 10 Places Where They Hide & How To Stop Them
5 Early Signs of Bed Bugs
1. Small Bloodstains On Your Sheets
It’s true that bed bugs are usually flat but they bulk up a bit when they drink your blood. If you roll over on them after that, they’re likely to lose some of it. When you wake up, you’ll see small rust-colored stains, smears, or splotches.
2. Signs Of Droppings
Bed bug droppings are tiny but you may spot an accumulation of it at infection spots as well as on your bed. Sometimes, the droppings will get smeared and look like a marker spot.
3. Seeing Shell Casings
As with many insects, bed bugs shed their exoskeletons as they grow. They’re translucent and yellowish in color but may vary in size depending on the stage of the bed bug’s life cycle.
4. Finding Their Eggs
A pregnant bedbug can lay new eggs every 1-7 days. These pearly white eggs are the size of a pin head and commonly hand loosely from areas that are infested. You may see them stuck to the underside of flat surfaces as well.
5. Seeing Live Bed Bugs
Bed bugs like to hide so you really have to search for them. Experts agree that by the time most people see a live bed bug, there’s usually a significant infestation so even if you only find one, you need to take immediate action.
While most people are likely to suspect the presence of bed bugs after seeing bites or rashes, that’s not the most accurate way to determine that there’s an infestation.
How to Check for Bed Bugs
Bed bugs don’t like to move around during the day, so they often find comfortable hiding spots and hunker down. That means your best bet for catching an early infestation is by seeking them out. When they’re not feeding on humans, bed bugs can be found in various places.
You should check the seams of chairs, couches, mattresses, pillows, and cushions. They can also be found in cracks in your headboard, in electrical appliances, in electrical outlets, behind hanging pictures, behind loose wallpaper, and in drawer joints.
That list isn’t exhaustive, though. Given how small bed bugs are, it’s worth it to look for live bugs or their eggs in every crevice of your home.
Final Words
Nobody wants to deal with a bed bug infestation. If you don’t catch it quickly, it’s easy for them to spread. Once you’ve spotted them, make sure to start dealing with the issue immediately. Washing and vacuuming usually do the trick but get professional help if you think you need it.