Is this a bed bug? I've been finding them in our bedroom but we haven't been bitten, yet?!

Im scared to get infested! Ive found this on my 3year old boys dirty shirt right before doing laundry please help!

Editor Response

It's hard to be sure from the photo, but this doesn't look like a typical bed bug. Next to the penny it's small and narrow, while bed bugs, even young ones, are broad, flat and oval. One bug on a shirt is not a sign of an infestation by itself.

If you want to be certain, drop the bug into a small vial or pill bottle of rubbing alcohol (or seal it in a zip-top bag and freeze it overnight), and have it identified by your county Cooperative Extension office, a university insect lab such as the Cornell Insect Diagnostic Laboratory, or a licensed pest control company. Drying clothes on high heat for 30 minutes kills bed bugs at every stage, so finishing laundry in a hot dryer is a good habit while you find out. You can also check your son's bed for the signs of bed bugs.