How do bed bugs bites look like? For those who have never had an encounter with bed bugs, this is one of the main questions that they often ask. There are a few instances more disgusting than waking up in the morning to find clusters and rows of bites on your body. It’s even more dreadful to imagine that you have been sleeping with an enemy who has enjoyed your blood all night. Normally, the initial signs of bed bugs bites is the skin reaction.
Bedbug bites detection devices
· You can easily detect bedbug bites using a sophisticated solution or a trap that uses carbon dioxide solution similar to the breath of a human to attract bed bugs. These are not only highly effective in detecting bed bugs but are also ideal in trapping them. Although they tend to be very expensive if you cannot truly inspect your mattress then they are highly recommended. Remember, detecting the bites can be challenging since some people are completely immune to them.
How to find out if you have been bitten by bedbugs
If you want to find out whether you have been bitten by bed bugs you need to check on the following symptoms.
· Unusual staining of dried blood on your skin or your bed sheets
· Waking up in the morning every day to find that you have similar patterns of bite marks on some parts of your body.
· Development of large to small red bumps that look like a cluster in a row.
How bedbug bites look like
· Generally, bed bugs bite are like a flea or mosquito bites. Since people have different reactions to the bites it can be difficult to know whether you have bed bugs bites or not. When these insects bite you they will insert a saliva that will prevent your blood from clotting. This allows them to suck your blood while still biting you. Unfortunately, for some people, these bites will cause them to have allergic reactions that will lead to large swelling.
· Most people’s bed bugs bites resemble red, raised, lumps which are extremely itchy especially when the temperature is very high. But in very few cases the bites can form yellowish blisters that contain a clear fluid. Since this may be a sign of secondary infection, it’s advisable to seek medical attention.
· When bed bugs bite you they tend not to hide under the beddings or clothing, instead they look for exposed areas such as the neck, arms, and shoulders. Although they may climb over the skin, in most cases they prefer to feed from the surrounding clothing with only their mouth parts getting into contact with your skin. For them to find a suitable capillary they often relocate several times. This is why they tend to produce a row of 2 to 3 bites.
· As compared to other insects, the skin’s reaction to the bites can be delayed even for 2 weeks before they can manifest itself. This is why while travelling it can be very difficult to know where exactly you were bitten by the bedbugs. More so, if you continuously encounter them, your skin might stop reacting to them.
· Remember, bedbugs are commonly attracted to carbon dioxide that we exhale from our bodies and the body heat which is why they tend to attack at night while sleeping. In fact, any exposed part of your body while sleeping is a target spot for bedbugs. The most common areas are the arms, hands, neck, and legs.
How quickly can manifestation take place?
Since they react with the skin slowly, their ability to hide deep within the structure of the bed can make their infestation go undetected in the first few weeks. This is why most people often dismiss the first bites as flea or mosquito bites. During this time, the infestation becomes much more established.
Interestingly, an adult bedbug produces around 15 to 25 eggs and can live even for one year especially in warm conditions. With regular access to their host, bed bugs’ eggs can mature within 6 weeks. At this rate, you may find that 25 to 30 adults are reaching maturity every week so that they can start laying eggs of their own.
During the early stages, they tend to become infested near the feeding sites. However, as the infestation develops they move to more peripheral parts of the bed. This is why it’s very important to detect them as early as possible.
Most people’s it can also be difficult to tell the difference between bed bugs bites and mosquito bites. Typically, flea bites are usually smaller as compared to bedbug bites. On the same note, if you are bitten by mosquitoes the bites tend to flare up and start itching almost immediately. The characteristics of bedbug bites often look like small red bumps that appear in groups or clusters.