Bed bugs are so good at hiding that finding them could be a real time-consuming task. If you live in a place with lots of people, you may be at risk of bed bug infestation. Here’s how to know if you’re currently experiencing one.

• Bloodstains on sheets

Bed bugs feed on human blood. This happens mostly at night, while you sleep. As a result, it is almost impossible to not see bloodstains on your sheets if there is a bed bug infestation.

Bed bugs are very flat and can hide in spaces that are as small as the width of a credit card. After feeding on human blood, this flat figure becomes round and bloated. If you innocently adjust in bed and lay on a bed bug that just finished feeding, you are likely to crush or squeeze your own blood out of it, leaving bloodstains on your sheet.

• Bed bug bites

Perhaps you have some really smart bugs in your home that are fast enough to dodge every turn you make while you sleep. If this is the case you might not notice bloodstains but the red, itchy, and small bumps on your skin are not easy to ignore. They are a clear sign of bed bug infestation.

Watch out for bed bug bites around arms, legs, and hands. Very frequently, these insects’ bites appear in groups of three (or four) in a line. It is called the “breakfast, lunch, and dinner” pattern.

• Fecal stains

When your home is infested with bed bugs, red bumps on your skin and red stains on your sheets aren’t the only signs of nocturnal activities you will wake up to. Since the itchy bug bites mean they are feeding, it is only natural they should poop too and they do that in small spots on your sheet. These fecal stains also possess an unpleasant odor.

Bed bug fecal stains aren’t limited to appearing only on the beddings. In the case of an infestation, you will find them on walls and in corners. Look behind items hanging on your wall and you may find some small black spots as well. 

• Discarded skin

Bed bugs shed their skin and shells as they grow bigger. Discarded skin is a major sign of bedbug infestation. Each bug will shed its skin five times as it progresses towards maturity. The amount of discarded skin found can tell the level of infestation you’re dealing with. Discarded bed bug shells look just like the bed bugs themselves. However, when you give it a closer look you will find that the shells are translucent and shouldn’t be mistaken for dead bed bugs.

Discarded bed bug skin can be found anywhere a bed bug itself can be found. This includes your bed, corners, and crevices. Bed bugs come in different sizes according to age. Expect to find discarded shells of different sizes too.

• Live bed bugs

If after all these manifestations you still are not sure if what is leaving all these traces in your home are actual bed bugs, then try to find a live one. The presence of even one live bed bug is a confirmation that your home has been infested.

Finding a live bed bug wandering about is unlikely to happen unless it needs to feed or it is a pregnant female trying to avoid the males. Because they hardly show themselves, it is very unlikely to ever see them until the infestation has become severe. 

Bed bugs are small and are sometimes confused with other small insects. Nevertheless, if you set out on a mission to confirm if your home is in fact infested, look between tight cracks and crevices. Just remember, if you actually find a live bed bug it means the infestation is severely advanced and you need to call a pest control company right away before it is too late.

The small size of bed bugs and the fact that you will almost never see them might make this situation seem like it is not a big deal, but these creatures can reproduce quickly and, before you know it, your home could end up being taken over by them. How long can you live in a home that is infested with bed bugs? 

We can assure you, their effects will be noticeable and get pretty annoying faster than you think. Use these tips to understand what type of bugs you have crawling around in your home. You might also see bed bug heads around your house, which are pinhead-sized and pearly white ovals of one millimeter in length. You can find them on various surfaces and in areas where the bed bugs live. If you ever notice any sign of bed bug infestation, especially the eggs (since these hatch in ten days max.), we recommend you contact us immediately.

Our residential pest control services will get the bugs off your property before you even have the time to worry about them. And if you’re not sure whether your home is infested or not, we have highly skilled inspectors that can run a quick check on your property, to ease any concern you might have. Call us at 561-842-4700 or send us an email at [email protected] if you have any questions.  

With Shoreline Environmental Pest Solutions, you win, bugs lose, every time.