Bed Bugs Bite

"Bed bugs bite look like little red marks that are an allergic reaction to the saliva that is left behind when you are bitten. Not all people develop a noticeable reaction. The bites are not dangerous, but might itch.  They can be found as single bites,  in lines or clusters on exposed skin areas such as the legs, arms and neck.  It is rare for a bedbug to bite the face or bottoms of the feet.   Bed bug bites will heal on their own if left alone in about 3 to 5 days.  If scratched, infection can form. Bite reactions can vary from episode to episode with some people seeing in increased reaction, while others may see a smaller reaction. These insects do not transmit disease to humans."  

Bed bugs are a type of parasite that inhabits nests. This could be everything from a birds nest to your bed. They wait until the animal that inhabits the nest returns and then feed on the blood of warm-blooded animals when the host animal return. In this example it could be the bird in your next, or members of your family or pets. They can go a long time without feeding, however. That’s how a house or apartment could be infested before you move in, even if it’s been a long time since someone lived there and the home was empty of furniture.

Many people ask "do bed bugs bite."  Well not exactly.  The rostrum or projection from the bedbugs head,  is composed of right and left halves of the mandibles (lower jaw)  and maxillae (upper jaw) and a labium.  These maxillary and mandibular structures are fused together when the insect is alive and retained in the singular labium, a hinged oral structure that acts as a sheath for the single stylet fascicle.  There is a dorsal slit through which the fascicle leaves the sheath (appears ventral because the labium is angled back from the head when being carried and not feeding).  Within the fascicle is a large maxillary canal through which blood is sucked up and a smaller one through which saliva travels.   A bed Bug is sucking and not sipping when withdrawing blood from the human host.

During a bed bugs bite, the bed bug  injects an anesthetic/anticoagulant compounds into the human host.  An allergic reaction to these compounds cause bed bug bite symptoms as you can see in these pics of bedbug bites.

A bed bugs bite often resembles a mosquito or flea bite. However, there will often be multiple bites in one area, creating a rash. Bites may look pink or red and may create a small welt on the body. When a bed bug bites, they leave behind some saliva. It is the allergic reaction to the saliva that caused the bite mark or rash.

Because bed bugs bite resemble the bites of other insects and other kinds of rashes, you may not realize right away that you have bed bugs. A doctor might even misdiagnose the bed bug symptoms.

Over time, it is possible to become less sensitive or more sensitive to a bed bugs bite. Here are several pictures of bed bug bites for comparison to your bite marks.

Bed bugs are normally nocturnal and feeding takes place late at night through early morning hours, but bed bugs can feed during daylight hours, too.  Often bed bug bites can be single but can be multiple and form a pattern.  There are many reasons why bites are clustered close together.

They will not move because you move during feeding unless for some reason the stylet fascicle doesn't allow blood to be sucked up into the bed bug's gut.

Bed bugs feed by inserting their stylet mouthparts into the skin and search for a small blood vessel or capillary from which to suck blood by moving their heads (and stylets impaled in the skin) slowly up and down to locate the vessel

 Lastly, bed bugs hide in mattress bed seams or folds.  If your arm or leg is along one of these seams, any bedbugs hiding will move to the closest skin area along the mattress seam line. 

Picture of Bed Bugs Bites

Bed Bug Bite Picture on Leg

BedBugs Bite Look Wheal

Bed Bug Bite Photo: Blisters from Allergic Skin Reaction

Bed Bugs Bite - Treatment

No treatment is usually required for a bedbugs bite. If you scratch the bite so that it breaks the skin, you could develop a secondary infection. If the area of the bite becomes redder and redder or otherwise appears infected, see your doctor. Antibiotics may be needed. The bottom line – don’t scratch the bites. You should also wash the affected area with an antiseptic soap to help prevent infection.

Bed bugs bite can cause severe itching. That’s because when bedbugs bite, they inject a chemical under your skin that prevents blood from clotting. Many people are allergic to this chemical. The itching may require treatment. If the itch is bothering you, a natural itch cream such as Itch Dr. could help.

You can use calamine lotion or any other over-the-counter product designed to prevent itching and treat insect bites. You can also try an over-the-counter antihistamine like Benadryl. That will treat the allergic reaction that is causing the itching.

If there is too much swelling around the bed bugs bite, you can apply an ice pack. This will reduce the swelling and will probably help with the itching, as well.

Preventing Additional Bed Bugs Bite

Follow these steps to end the bed bugs bite problem in your home or call a local professional from our list:

1. Look for the Bed Bugs in Your Home and Select a Safe Area

Use a flashlight and magnifying glass to find where the bed bugs are hiding. You will be able to see both the bugs and their remains without any magnifying glass as an adult bug is 1/4 inch long. You can see areas where they have been by looking for a reddish-brown spot on your mattress. Look in the mattress cracks.

Look under every surface and crack in your home including the inside of any printed materials in your room such as a newspaper or magazine. it is possible for the bugs to move from one room to the other.  Every inch of  the room needs to be inspected, cleaned or treated.

Picture of Bed Bug Infestation in Mattress

Select a safe area outside the room to be cleaned such as in a hallway.  This is where you will place treated items.  Treatment will start in one area of the room, where your bed is located.  When inspecting or treating items, try and do it in one place to avoid spreading bed bugs throughout the room.

2. Remove and Wash all Bed Linens

Start with the linen on the bed. All linen will need to be cleaned in the wash on the hot water setting following by 20 minutes in the dryer.  Fold the linen on the bed and place in a plastic bag, preferably a Ziploc Big Bag, as these are bed bug proof and low cost  As an alternative, transport in a plastic container with a lid that snaps on.

Throw out any disposable items such as magazines and newspapers.  Bed bugs could easily hide in seams or between pages.

3. Vacuum and Treat the Mattress

The vacuum is a handy way to pick up bed bugs.  Vacuum all areas of the mattress using a brushless crevice tool (or hose if your vacuum doesn't have one). Avoid the brush attachment since bed bugs could hide/get trapped in the brush.

Treat the mattress with a bed bug safe spray. The seams and cracks in your mattress are excellent places for bed bugs to hide.

If you prefer to to use a natural bed bug treatment to spray any places where you feel the bed bugs may be hiding, then two safe products worth considering are:

Benzarid Environmental Spray: Contains benzalkonium chloride, a safe product that doesn't have any odor and kills the bed bugs right away.

Bug Patrol: natural product that uses plant extract to kill bed bugs within seconds after contact. This product has a slight cinnamon smell.

When using either of these products be sure to apply liberally, meaning soak the cracks to make sure the spray penetrates.

A quality mattress safe insecticide based spray is Sterifab.

Be sure to spray along seams, buttons and particularly look under any mattress tags or labels, a favorite hiding place for bed bugs.  When done, move the mattress into the safe area.

For extra protection use a hand steamer along all seams.  Steam is an effective way to kill bed bug eggs.

3. Treat the Furniture Near the Bed

Remove drawers from any night tables and place on top of box spring.  Look under the drawers.  Treat any cracks or seams with one of the bed bug spray products.  If treating wood, always test first on an out of sight area to avoid staining.

Any clothes in the drawers should be placed in a sealed Ziploc bag or container and then washed in hot water as indicated above.  

Inspect other furniture as well.

4. Treat Your Box Spring

You should also clean the head board and box spring.   Start with box spring, treating all surfaces with the mattress safe spray such as the Benzarid or Sterifab mentioned above.  Open the bottom of the box spring by either removing or peeling back the cloth that is tacked to the bottom.  Spray inside the box spring.  When done, considering spreading some natural Fossil Dust inside the box spring and then reseal the bottom cloth (or throw it out).

When done, move the box spring to the safe area.

5. Treat the Bed Frame and Head Board

These are favorite hiding places for bed bugs, particularly if your bed frame is made of wood.  Treat all cracks in the bed frame with Sterifab or a crack and crevice spray such as Phantom or Bedlam.   If you can/to be safe, take apart the frame or loosen bolts and treat inside each crack and joint.  

Treat the bed frame.  If bolted to the wall, remove and treat.  

Move both into the safe area when done.

Also treat any pictures frames, particularly in the backs of the frame.  Bed bugs can hide in electronics.  The only way to treat electrical items is to purchase a PackTite case, which will heat the items to the required 114F, assuming this heat level doesn't cause damage to the item.

6. Vacuum and Hand Steam the Rest of the Room

The more bed bugs you can vacuum up the better. Vacuum all the cracks in your room until the infestation is gone.  Remove the vacuum bag in the room being treated and wrap in a sealed plastic bag during disposal.  Use the crevice tool (no brush) around the edges of the room.

As mentioned, a hand steamer will also effectively kill bedbugs and their eggs.  Steam cracks, crevices and places where you see clusters of white bedbug eggs.

7. Spread Fossil Dust

Use a natural dust product under the furniture, inside the box spring and along the cracks of the wall.  The dust will attach to any late hatching bedbugs from eggs that you might have missed.

7.  Place a ClimbUp Receptor Under Each Bed Leg

Move the bed 6 inches from the wall and any furniture when done.  Put a climbup receptor under each bed leg to trap any bedbugs heading toward the bed.  An empty receptor after a week is a good indication that the bedbug problem is gone.  It will also give you a good idea as to the size of an infestation.  Place some talcum powder into each receptor bowl.   The powder will stick to the back of the bed bug, eventually killing any that were trapped.

You may need 2 or 3 treatments to avoid another bed bugs bite problem.  Be patient, thorough and use the right combination of products (spray, dust, vacuum, hand steamer) and bed bugs bite issues will be a thing of the past.

Call a Bed Bug Pest Control Professional

It is always preferable to call in a professional to avoid more bed bugs bite problems. A national chain such as Terminix is a good place to start (phone # is 877-291-4849).  The advantage of this approach is that they offer a free home inspection and evaluation.

Compare a national firm to a local one. You can find one by using our local list of bed bug pest control experts.  

Follow these tips and you'll never suffer from a bed bugs bite again.

Share Your Bed Bug Experience With Others

Do you have a great story about bed bugs? Share it!

Help Others With Your Bed Bug Story

Tell Us Your Bed Bug Story! [ ? ]

Close Help Entering your story is easy to do. Just type!... Your story will appear on a Web page exactly the way you enter it here. You can wrap a word in square brackets to make it appear bold. For example [my story] would show as my story on the Web page containing your story. TIP: Since most people scan Web pages, include your best thoughts in your first paragraph.

Upload A Bed Bug Picture (optional) [ ? ]

Close Help Do you have a bed bug picture to add? Great! Click the button and find it on your computer. Then select it.

Add a Picture/Graphic Caption (optional) 

Click here to upload more images (optional)

Add a Picture/Graphic Caption (optional) 

Add a Picture/Graphic Caption (optional) 

Add a Picture/Graphic Caption (optional) 

Author Information (optional)

To receive credit as the author, enter your information below.

Your Name	(first or full name)
Your Location	(ex. City, State, Country)

Submit Your Contribution

Check box to agree to these submission guidelines.

(You can preview and edit on the next page)

Click here to see the rest of the form and complete your submission.

What Other Visitors Have Said About Bed Bugs

Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...

---