Have you ever woken up with a mysterious line of itchy welts on your arm? While the culprit could be a number of insects, bed bugs are a disturbingly common cause. A study by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) found that one in five Americans has dealt with a bed bug infestation in their lifetime.
Knowing how to spot bed bugs is crucial to implementing effective prevention strategies. In this guide, learn how to identify bed bugs at all life stages and spot the signs of a bed bug infestation, so you can protect your home against these pesky critters.
Spotting Bed Bugs and Their Mimics
What do bed bugs look like to the human eye?
The first step in identifying a bed bug infestation is recognizing the adult insect itself. Thankfully, adult bed bugs are visible to the naked eye, though their small size and nocturnal habits can make them tricky to spot.
| Size | Adult bed bugs are about 4 to 5 millimetres long, roughly the size of an apple seed. |
| Shape | They have a small, flat, oval-shaped body that becomes elongated and more balloon-like after feeding. |
| Colour | Typically brown, their colour shifts to a redder hue post-feeding due to the blood they consume. |
| Legs | They have six legs to aid their movement across surfaces. |
| Antennae | Bed bugs have short antennae positioned on their head. |
| Wings | Despite possessing wing pads, bed bugs do not have functional wings and cannot fly. |
What bugs look like bed bugs?
According to an NPMA survey, bed bugs are often confused for other pests. In fact, 84% of pest control experts, initially called to tackle one type of pest, often find that bed bugs are the actual culprits upon inspection. Interestingly, fleas are the pests most commonly mistaken for bed bugs.
Below are other bugs that are often mistaken for bed bugs:
- Swallow Bugs: Most identical to bed bugs, but generally smaller with a greyish cast and more prominent fine hairs covering their bodies.
- Booklice: Lighter in colour, ranging from translucent white to grey or brown, with a more elongated shape.
- Carpet Beetles: Rounder and vary in colour, with spotted patterns of white, brown, black, and yellow.
- Cockroach Nymphs: Reddish-brown with antennae longer than their bodies.
- Spider Beetles: Reddish-brown to black with a more rounded, shiny body.
- Bat Bugs: Similar size and colour, but with longer legs and antennae.
- Ticks: Typically larger with a teardrop-shaped body.
Early Life Stages
The chances of encountering bed bugs heighten during peak travel season. These pests can easily find their way into luggage and onto clothes from infested hotels or rentals. An infestation starts with the sneaky placement of eggs that hatch into almost invisible nymphs.
What do bed bug eggs look like?
Bed bug eggs are only 1 mm in size, about as small as a pinhead and shaped like a rice-grain. They’re oval and pearly white, but can turn darker as they mature. Look for them in hidden spots near beds, furniture, and mattress seams, as females tend to lay them in clusters using a sticky secretion.
What do newborn bed bugs look like?
Newborn bed bugs are incredibly tiny (1.5 mm), almost transparent, and resemble a smaller, paler version of the adult bed bug. Having not had a blood meal yet, they lack the reddish-brown colour typical of adult bed bugs.
Signs of a Bed Bug Infestation
Although spotting a live bed bug is a definitive sign of an infestation, it’s not always easy. These pests are good at hiding, and their small size makes them harder to detect. Here are some other signs to look out for:
- Bites on exposed skin
- Rusty or reddish stains on bedding or furniture
- Shed bed bug skins in hiding spots
- Musty odour
What do bed bug bites look like?
Bed bug bites often result in small, red, raised or flat welts, with a darker red spot in the center. They commonly occur in a line or a cluster, reflecting the feeding pattern of the bugs. Although they can cause itching and discomfort, the bites do not transmit diseases.
These bites are usually found on exposed areas of the body such as the face, neck, arms, legs, and hands. Unlike mosquito bites, the itching from bed bug bites can be more intense and persistent.
However, some individuals may not even react to bed bug bites at all. As a result, bed bug infestations can go undetected for much longer.
What do bed bug droppings look like?
Rusty or reddish stains can sometimes be spotted in pillowcases, sheets, or mattresses. These can either be remnants of crushed bugs or bed bug droppings.
Bed bug droppings resemble tiny dark spots that look like crushed coffee grounds, often accompanied by a shed skin or two. These droppings can sometimes exude a sweet, musty odour, similar to the smell of old berries. However, the presence (or absence) of this odour is not a reliable indicator of a bed bug problem.
What do bed bug shell casings look like?
Bed bugs moult as they progress through their life stages. When they do, they leave behind pale yellow or translucent hollow shell casings. Bed bug shell casings retain the oval shape of bed bugs and are about 1 mm in size. These casings are typically found in mattress crevices, bed frames, and nearby furniture, where the bugs grow and hide.
Don’t Let the Bed Bugs Bite
Attempting to solve a suspected bed bug problem with homemade DIY solutions is the last thing you should do. Bed bugs are highly resilient pests that require professional intervention.
Licensed professionals are specially trained and equipped to get rid of these pests safely and effectively. Contact a reputable pest control company or consider K-9 bed bug extermination services for more thorough inspections and permanent solutions.
