“Do I have bed bugs?” This is a question that we are asked on a regular basis. Some people are so grossed out by just the mere thought of bed bugs that they want to go looking for bed bugs signs and refuse to wait to be bitten or to see a bed bug before they start taking action. The following are 8 signs of bed bugs being in your home:

1) Bites. The most obvious proof their are bed bugs around, you have been bitten! The bites are similar to flea bites and are characterized by redness and swelling. If people in your house hold are complaining of being bitten in the night then alarm bells should start ringing.

2) Bed bug waste. Inspect your mattress for dark brown fecal stains. Bed bugs excrete feaces where they eat, leaving droppings around the bedding and surrounding area. These droppings look like little reddish brown specs and are visible to humans. They may be found on the bedding but also on the carpets and walls.

3) Blood stains. You may also inspect your bedding for reddish, brown smudges or stains. These are caused by bloated bed bugs either being squashed after feeding or as a result of the bed bug releasing some of the blood it has fed on so as to become more mobile.

4) Smell. Where the infestation has become quite severe, bed bugs can even be smelt by humans. It is quite a sweet smell that has often been likened to coriander or overripe rasberries, although it should be noted that this “buggy” smell is rarely apparent and so one should not consider the lack of a “buggy” smell to be conclusive proof that there is no infestation, that is, at least where human sense of smell is concerned. There are specially trained bed bug dogs that are able to detect infestations with remarkable accuracy.

5)  Eggs and shedded skin. One should also be on the lookout for bed bug eggs and the brownish molted skins of maturing nymphs. Bed bugs go through 5 stages of growth before reaching full maturity and they shed their skin at each stage.

6) The actual bed bugs. The adult bed bug is about 3/16′s of an inch long and is visible to the naked eye. Bed bugs are excellent hiders and so one will invariably have to go looking for them in order to see them rather than just waiting around for it to happen. Bed bugs will set up camp close to where they feed. They are usually found within the seams and crevices of the mattress, bed frame and headboard.

It is always best to catch a bed bug problem as soon as possible. In the early stages of an infestation the signs of bed bugs will be found mostly around the bedding areas of the home, but if not addressed the problem is likely to become more severe. The bed bugs will move beyond the sleeping areas to more secluded areas that are more difficult to reach, making the problem a lot more difficult  to address.

If you do locate any bed bugs symptoms and signs, then don’t panic. Unlike back in the 1940′s and 50′s, there are many great products that are available to get rid of bed bugs that are both effective and not harmful to humans. We’ve reviewed some of the best products in the market on this site. Click here to take a look.

Tagged with: