Bed bugs are small insects that live off of human or animal blood. They are just some of the many kinds of pests that can invade your home, so you better watch out for the signs of a bed bug infestation.
Here are the most common signs you should look out for.
1. Red spots on your body
Most people don’t actively look for pests in their homes, and they will only act once their bodies are actually affected. The most prominent effect of bed bugs on human bodies is the emergence of red spots.
If you find yourself waking up with itchy red spots in your body, you better be wary. You might be experiencing a bed bug infestation in your house.
The only good news here is that bed bugs don’t spread diseases. But don’t be too complacent. Bed bug bites can become infected or irritated if you scratch and bleed.
2. Bite patterns on your skin
Sometimes, bed bug bites don’t just leave red spots on your body. They also leave marks that obviously look like bites from small insects.
You can usually find these bites around your arms, legs, ankles, and other exposed body parts while you sleep. You can easily differentiate these bites from other insects such as mosquitoes. This is because bed bug bites form a line.
3. Generally uncomfortable feeling in your bed
Bed bugs are most active during nighttime. And where are you during nighttime? You are in your bed, trying to relax after a whole day’s work.
If you find yourself not being comfortable in your bed for whatever reason, you may have a bed bug infestation. You may also notice that you develop the red spots on your body and the bite patterns on your skin only when you are lying down in your bed.
4. Blood stains in your bed sheet
Aside from your body, you should also look at your bed for signs of a bed bug infestation. You should look for blood stains in particular.
Bed bugs bite you and suck your blood. After a feeding session, they usually appear bigger and redder.
Since you are asleep, you may make movements that end up squashing the bed bugs who just feasted on your blood. This results into blood stains all over your bed, and you will usually see these on the corners or edges.
5. Weird spots in your mattress
If you really want to see more conclusive signs of a bed bug infestation, you should inspect your entire mattress, not just your bed sheets.
Be on the lookout for weird-looking spots, especially on the corners and edges of your mattress. These spots can be a lot of things. They can be brown exoskeletons of bed bugs. They can be fecal matter. They can also be blood stains.
If you touch these spots, you will notice that you can actually smear them further across your mattress. They also tend to have a foul smell.
6. Musty smell in your room
Speaking of smell, foul odors don’t just come from the exoskeletons and fecal matters of bed bugs. They also come from the bed bugs themselves.
Bed bugs release pheromones from their bodies. You will probably not be able to smell one bed bug releasing pheromones. But a large group of bed bugs releasing pheromones all at the same time can produce a strong enough odor that you will be able to smell.
So, if your room smells like an abandoned attic even if you regularly clean it, be wary. This is one of the signs of a bed bug infestation.
7. Weird spots on your walls
The name “bed bugs” can be quite confusing. Yes, these bugs can stay in your bed, but this doesn’t mean that it’s the only place where they can stay. They can also be found in your walls.
Inspect your walls and be on the lookout for the same weird spots that you can find in your mattress. Blood stains, exoskeletons, and fecal matters, can give your walls a stomach-churning look.
8. Other signs around the house
As said earlier, bed bugs can be found not just in your bed. A bed bug infestation that is slowly turning severe can show signs all over your house.
Check for your furniture in particular. Aside from blood stains, exoskeletons, and fecal matters, you may also see white spots, especially in the crevices of your furniture. These are bed bug eggs. They can be very hard to see without proper magnification and if your furniture is light-colored, so check very carefully.
Other things you should give particular attention to are books, carpets, clothing, closets, curtains, stuffed toys, and shoes.
9. Contact with someone who has a bed bug infestation
One of the most common ways to start a bed bug infestation in your home is to get the bed bugs from someone else.
Remember the items mentioned earlier where bed bugs can thrive. If you make contact with someone who has bed bugs in his clothing, you may end up having bed bugs in yours as well. You may bring these bugs into your home.
If you buy furniture from a secondhand store that has bed bugs, you may bring the bugs into your home too.
These are the most common signs of a bed bug infestation
You feel generally uncomfortable in your bed. You wake up with itchy red spots or marks that obviously look like bites. You also see weird spots not just in your mattress and bed sheet, but also on your walls and other parts of your house. There is also a weird smell coming from somewhere.
These are signs of a bed bug infestation, so you better act fast and get rid of the bugs before the problem becomes even worse.
Also, remember that having a bed bug infestation in your home doesn’t necessarily mean you are unhygienic. You can get the bed bugs from someone else.
So, be very proactive in getting secondhand furniture and be very careful when getting into contact with someone you know is experiencing a bed bug infestation in their home.