Is this a bed bug? Please help.

by Chris

Hi,

I recently moved out of a place that had bed bugs and into my parents house. All of my suitcases were under the bed that had bugs. My suitcase sat in my parents house on the floor for about 5 days before realizing that the place I moved from had the bugs. Since then I've been vigilant about cleaning etc. Unfortunately yesterday I think we found our first specimen. But I can't be sure. Can you tell me, from the attached picture, if this is indeed a bed bug. It seems to fit the description.

Thanks.

Editor Response

Hi Chris,

Given your history, take this one seriously. The bug in your photo has the flat, oval shape and light brown color of a young bed bug, and the dark area in its body is consistent with a partly digested blood meal. A photo can't confirm it, though, because a few close relatives look almost identical. 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.

In the meantime, run the clothes and fabric items from your move through a hot dryer for 30 minutes, inspect the suitcase seams and the room where it sat, and put interceptor cups under the legs of the bed in that room. Our guide to the signs of bed bugs shows what to look for.