The early signs of bed bugs

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  • Author John White
  • Published April 26, 2022
  • Word count 1,071

If you have bed bugs, there is no time to wait. There are people who do this for a living and can come in and save your stuff and remove the infestation while it’s still small.

Some of the early signs that you may actually have bed bugs include:

– small brown stains on bed sheets

– tiny cream-colored spots on your sheet or mattress (these are bed bug poop)

– actually seeing the little monsters

– you wake up feeling itchy in random places, this is because of their bite.

If you see any of these signs, get in contact with a professional right away to get help to get rid of the infestation.

Bed bugs will often bite while their food (you) is asleep.

The following are the early signs of bed bugs to look for:

  1. Blood Stains – This is probably one of the earliest signs that you can find on your sheets. These are small dots or stains which are reddish-brown in colour. They are caused by the excretion of blood after feeding on human or animal blood.

  2. Bed Bug Bites – You can find these tiny bugs crawling around your bed at night and biting you especially if you leave uncovered skin exposed. These bites will show up as red bumps with a white centre which will be swollen and itchy. The good news is that they tend to disappear without leaving any scarring but there have been cases where people have experienced allergic reactions to the bites which might even be potentially dangerous.

  3. Bug Faeces or Droppings – You can also look for dark brown spots which are usually long and cylindrical in shape. They have a rough texture to them and they will appear dry and flat on your sheets. If it is possible to find a few of these droppings then there is a good chance that you have an infestation going on.

  4. Burrows or Egg Sacs – These bugs tend to hide in feather beds, mattresses and other places where they will not be disturbed.

  5. Dead Bugs – If you happen to be up late at night then you may notice that there are tiny bugs crawling on your blanket or sheets which have been piled up. In most cases, these bugs will be completely flat as they lack blood but there is also a possibility that those who have been crushed left behind some blood stains as well which can lead to confusion.

The first sign of a bed bug infestation is usually visible to the naked eye. Look for small red or brown dots that resemble early-stage flea bites. These bites will often itch, and they may appear in any area of the body where blood would normally close to the skin. However, if you begin seeing these marks but aren’t noticing any itching whatsoever, it might be because the bugs are injecting anaesthetic into your bloodstream as they bite down on your skin’s surface. This can lead to delayed reactions and even large outbreaks appearing weeks after you thought you’d eradicated all of them from your home.

Other signs of a bed bug infestation include:

Blood spots on sheets – especially pillowcases

Eggs and egg shells – which are tiny white specks.

Bug faeces– which are small brown droppings.

Moulted bed bug skins – these look like old patches of skin from a snake, and they’re usually found near the areas where the bugs tend to hide.

These first signs should prompt you to begin a fast-paced inspection of your home. Bed bugs can pop up anywhere that’s warm and dark, so it’s important to check any area where you spend a lot of time sleeping. Look for bugs themselves as well as their eggs and shells, but don’t stop there: continue checking every item in your bedroom as well as other commonly accessed areas throughout your home such as under furniture or behind baseboards. This is because once you’ve eliminated an infestation from one room, those tenacious little bugs will keep reinfecting the same room if they can’t find another suitable hiding place.

If you’re noticing any of these signs, it’s a good idea to call a pest control company immediately and schedule an inspection. Sometimes the smallest infestations can quickly become large ones if left untreated, so don’t put off calling for help!

What do bed bugs look like?

It is not easy to spot bed bugs. Their size ranges from 1 millimetre to 7 millimetres. They appear as a small, flat and oval-shaped brown bug. Bed bugs are often compared to apple seeds in appearance . In fact, they sometimes go unnoticed for months because of their extremely flat bodies .

In case you do detect an infestation, you will find the following evidence:

You have a bad itching at night or when in contact with your bed . Bed bugs feed on your blood during the night. Your body reacts to their bites by getting an itchy red spot.

Mattresses and sheets are covered with light brown spots from crushed bed bugs. In advanced stages, your bed may have dark brown or black spots from bed bug excrement.

Bed bugs leave a strong musty smell in the bedroom.

A sweet and sickly scent is another sign of a recent infestation .

You will discover traces of blood on your sheets if you spot bedbugs in time.

What do bed bug eggs look like ?

The size of an apple seed , bed bug eggs are white and resemble tiny specks.They are often found on the bed frame and wall. Bed bug eggs hatch after about 10 days .What does a bed bug bite look like?

Light brown in colour, bed bug bites are usually flat and surrounded by an itchy red circle .You may notice more than one set of bites on the same person. In some cases, you may find no bites at all. Bed bugs often feed while their host is asleep. The only evidence of a bed bug bite is the itchiness that occurs later.

Where do bugs hide?

Bed bugs have been known to hide in bedding, mattresses , floorboards, carpets and behind wallpaper.

Warning signs of an infestation

You have frequent waking at night due to itchy red spots.

You are annoyed by the sweet, sickly scent in your bedroom.

The presence of blood on your sheets is a sign that you have been bitten during the night.

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