Bed Bug Bites
Below you’ll find comments from visitors around the world; some include pictures of bed bug bites, others are asking for help and many share their experiences, good and bad.
If you are concerned that you may have found a bed bug, have bed bug bites or can help those seeking information, please participate. Whenever possible, please send pictures to jim@badbedbugs.com and I’ll make sure to include the picture in your post (I’ll dress up the picture and make sure only the bed bug bite is displayed, so don’t worry about photo quality, etc).
Besides the pictures in the comments below, I’ve also included 5 images (click on each to see larger version) of a bedbug infested mattress. Caution, they may cause nightmares! Seriously!
Picture of Bed Bugs their eggs shells and feces
Closeup of bedbugs and their eggs
Picture of Bed bug hiding away in a great spot close to your body
Picture of a bed bug filled with human blood that burst open including eggs
Picture of Bed bugs hiding on the edge of the mattress including feces, shells and eggs
Most Popular Pages Listed Below
September 30th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
I am a flight attendant, who was staying at the Crown Plaza in Phoenix. I got bit by bed bugs, as I slept. The affected areas have turned into large water filled blisters/boils. I now have staph infection as a result of these bites.
September 30th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
I have had bedbugs for over a month now. dealing with it on my own since i don’t find many anymore. i recently found one hiding and captured it with my pencil. this is what i discovered.
1. they love wood…more than you could imagine. it didn’t want to get off the pencil. but it wouldn’t walk on the painted part no matter what i did.
2. i put it in a plastic food container and it couldn’t climb the sides. i am sure that they cant climb smooth hard surfaces like glass metal and plastic. they hate these surfaces very much. to them it is like slippery ice.
3. i put one on double sided carpet tape and it slowed it down a bit but it was still walking all over both sides until i pressed on it then it wouldn’t move. so i wouldn’t bother with tape.
4. i found several in spider webs so spiders are your best friend.
October 10th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
Help! I am not quite sure what these bites may be but they seem to be bed bugs. I’ve searched all over and I could not find the bugs or the blood stains mentioned in the article. I have no idea what type of bites these can be and would appreciate any help.
The photo of these bites appear below.
October 10th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
I didn’t take pictures of my bites, but they totaled nearly 30 on my legs. I was literally “bugging out” because these (what I assume now were bed bugs) are horrible. What seemed to really stop the bites was grabbing all my sheets at once, rolling them up and placing them far away from my bed, later washing them in high heat. I then slept on top of my metal spring mattress but in a zipped up sleeping bag and the bites stopped occurring.
October 10th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
My boyfriend and I have been getting some bites around our ankles during bedtime over the past couple of days. We couldn’t figure out if it was spiders or bedbugs? I stripped the bed down and looked inch for inch, but unsuccessfully discovered the source. What could it be? You can see the bites in the photo below.
Many thanks!
Lei
October 10th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
Hello Lei,
It is very difficult to tell, but I’d bet this is a case of bed bugs. Did you happen to recently get back from a vacation and if so, where did you stay (woods, hotel, etc?)
Are there any stains on the mattress?
Regards,
Jim.
October 10th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
We actually just got back from Vegas now that you mention it, we stayed at Treasure Island. There aren’t any stains on the mattress at all, so this concerns me. To this date, I have not seen one bug! I’ve had the bite marks for about 5-6 days now and for some reason, they begin to itch/swell every time I go outside in cool weather. Hydrocortisone seems to help with the itching.
October 10th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
I have been looking for information on how long bed bug bites last once a person is bitten, and if there was a medication/cream that people use to help quell the itching.
Thanks for all that info previously printed, though, for I’m going to be armed with it the next time I go to a cheap hotel.
October 10th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
It is now 3:30 a.m., and I am awake with fear at the Hampton Inn/Mobile, Alabama. Having checked in yesterday, and arising yesterday morning with no itch or symptoms, I began to itch furiously about 9:30am. I am suffering with horrible allergic reactions to these bites, and thought I only had 2-3 on my arms. However, when returning to the hotel tonight, I noticed them on my chest, and bottom extremities as well.
I don’t see anything on the mattress, but plan on finishing my research, packing up, heading home, and leaving my bags and clothing in the garage upon arrival. I will also plan on washing and drying on high heat any articles of clothing from the trip, including spraying my luggage with a household pesticide.
I can’t believe that these bites are as painful as they are and I didn’t even feel the bite. I am also notifying the front desk of my findings and hope that they’ll investigate and based upon their findings, treat the room for any future, unsuspecting guests.
October 10th, 2008 at 2:10 pm
Discovered these bloodsuckers yesterday. Caught one and compared to pictures from the internet and confirmed they are indeed bed bugs. I have declared war on them and have discovered their camps and bases. Operations launched and ammunitions of quarters have been ordered. Figure out that a lot of unused linen around the bed had been housing them. Will be cleaning a truck load of linen tomorrow and see what happens.
October 10th, 2008 at 2:10 pm
I find comfort in reading that other people are bugged in bed by these quiet little beasts. I grew up in California thinking that bedbugs were an imaginary thing like fairies and the Easter bunny, but last summer I realized they are all too real.
Since then I’ve ripped out all the carpet in my Brooklyn apartment and have spent many days sealing up the cracks and holes along the walls and floors. I have a bedbug graveyard taped to the wall. As for the living that remains, it’s impossible to track them down; it’s like an ant in a library. I just hope they are a curse that’s about to be lifted.
On a scientific note, I have lately encountered a few baseboard dwellers that look a bit like a bedbug, but with a bulby back, more like a spider. Wondering if anyone knows about these guys, dark brown, reddish, but not with the flattened football body like a bedbug. These guys are more bulby and I wonder if these might be bedbug eaters, the good guys, and that’s why I haven’t seen so many bedbugs lately or maybe they’re pregnant bedbugs?
Like life, the mystery abounds…
p.s. stayed in a cheap hotel in fort stockton this summer, and my goodness, the lone star state might have the biggest, baddest bedbugs in the union!
October 10th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
Bed bugs are driving me insane! I have not only disposed of my old bed but changed my mattress twice. I have also completely re-decorated my room and cleaned it from top to bottom.
Running out of ideas on what I can do, even thinking of selling up!!
October 10th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
Couldn’t send photos, because my camera’s broken, but I can describe the bites pretty well. They’re like mosquito bites, only in clusters or rows (I have a nice L shape going on my right foot…), and itched real bad. I picked up a tube of AfterBite at the drugstore today, because that worked for my mosquito bites at a friend’s, and it helped somewhat, though they still itch a bit.
Trouble is, the only bugs I’ve found (and I have found a few of the same kind around the edges of my mattress) look nothing like the pictures of bedbugs. They’re small and oval-shaped, but kind of bristly-looking on the main part of the body.
I spent the weekend at a friend’s in Massachusetts, and the morning after I came back had bites on my feet and lower legs that really itched. The next morning I had more. I have no idea where they could have come from so suddenly, and I still don’t know if they’re really bedbugs or not. Anyone have any suggestions?
October 10th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
Hi, I think i have bed bugs but iIm not sure. my parents had them, and i told them that the bugs in my bed look a lot like bed bugs, but they keep telling me i dont have bed bugs because we cant find dark spots on my mattress, and the only adults that i have seen have never looked swollen like the one in the picture. i wake up with bug bites that look like mosquito bites on the back of my arms and some on my back, but i don’t know if that’s all from my bed or if its from being outside. is there any way i can find out whether or not i have bed bugs?
October 10th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
I am a flight attendant and I also got bit by bed bugs in downtown Des Moines Iowa (Fort Des Moines) My bites started to itch the next morning on my wrist and later that day I had many more on my arms. The next day I had bumps on the sides of my knees and they started to ooze. I even had one on the bottom of my nose. I have been to the company clinic and they just say I was bit by an insect. I am seeing my doctor tomorrow and i am curious to see if he can identify these marks (I have pictures to show him too). Also, any legal advice?
October 10th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
Hi Sally,
We don’t give legal advice here, but there have been a good number of lawsuits from people bitten by bedbugs and later ended up with an infection.
Send us a picture and we’ll take a look and post for everyone to see, plus, you’ll have it documented then.
Regards,
Jim.
October 10th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
Hi, I’m new here but I believe Lei’s bites look like flea bites. Fleas get everywhere, I know for fact. We moved into a new house and on the first night there had to sleep on the floor, twenty minutes after we went to bed, we were covered in them. They had lain dormant in the carpet, and the vibrations of our feet had hatched the eggs etc.
We self bombed the entire house with the canned bombs, and we continually vacuum up with our kirby vacuum, to get dead fleas eggs etc. I believe the last tenants did not have such good hygiene habits so managed to infest the house with human fleas (there are three types of fleas dog fleas, cat fleas and human fleas, the fleas usually prefer they’re own type (cat fleas like to feed on cats etc, but will still feed on dogs or humans if there choice is limited). Thanks
October 10th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
No photos not sure what is biting me but i itch like hell NOTHING makes the itching stop it fells like I’m constantly being bitten all over my body when I’m in my house when I’m in other places it itches but not as bad. When I’m in bed it is just unbearable haven’t slept at night in 4 days i end sleeping at my friends just to sleep during the day. Small reddish bumps EVERYWHERE
October 10th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
Help, I need help killing these bed bugs! They won’t die, no matter what we do and how we do it. We have cleaned and we have sprayed, what else can we do? Someone please tell me because I am one of those ones that are allergic to them and look horrible.
Please help…thanks
October 10th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Weird, my roommate discovered bites about a month ago. He never saw them and I never got bit, yet found bed bugs in little clusters on my mattress zipper. If I do get bit, I don’t have any reaction. The bugs I found I would squash and they are full of blood. I also see some strange stains on the wall that look blood colored, little track like dots.
Anyway, I lost my roommate over this and I have tried to clean/spray/seal all aspects of these in my room and am a little scared to get a new roommate and how that could pan out if they are still around. This is flipping my life upside down because I can’t afford this apartment by myself and probably couldn’t afford the high rates charged around here anymore.
My renters insurance doesn’t cover bed bugs and am so unorganized having had my whole apt bagged. I can’t find anything and don’t have a mattress to sleep on. This may lead me to a city hostile.
October 10th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
Hi everyone, I recently saw a report on the news about bed bugs that, ever since, has literally had me feeling like things are crawling on me. I know, I’m a slightly paranoid, but to everyone here with the bed bug problem, I have some suggestions.
1. Wash all linens (including pillows) regularly in HOT water, use chlorine bleach on white sheets and pillows and non-chlorine bleach on colored sheets and dry everything on your dryer’s hottest setting for about an hour. I wash and change my sheets every Saturday.
2. Boric acid! Put boric acid along baseboards in rooms with beds and linen closets. You can put real sticky traps (not double sided tape); I’m talking about the sticky traps meant to trap mice and rats. Put them under beds and in corners, when the bugs fall/walk onto them, they are done. I use them in my basement to trap crickets, but tons of tiny bugs have been caught also. I buy boric acid at Home Depot (approx. $2.00 for a large cylinder) and sticky traps at Wal-mart (approx. $3.00 each).
3. Steam clean and vacuum carpets. You’d be surprised what can live in carpets that are not maintenance regularly. The best vacuums on the market are Dyson and Rainbow (Rainbow vacuums are expensive $1500-$3000), they pick up everything, it’s incredible. I run the vacuum every day.
4. Wash mattresses with bleach solution (1 part bleach/2 parts water) and damp towel or sponge. Don’t drench the mattress, just enough to see the mattress is wet and rub off top soil and dirt.
5. Vacuum mattress with hose attachment. So obviously vacuum before you wash the mattress. lol
6. Put rarely used clothes, linens, pillows, ect in air tight bags, like the space bags sold at Target and Wal-mart. You insert objects and suck the air out with a vacuum flattening the objects which, creating more storage space, killing bugs that might make it into the bags (no air equals no life) and eliminating future bugs from getting in.
7. Seal the bottom of box springs. Box springs come with that thin fabric on the bottom to keep the wood from being exposed. Seal it off completely with strong fabric and a strong adhesive. You might want to treat the wood first if you find the bugs living in there. Since you don’t sleep directly on the box spring you can treat with a house hold pesticide and/or boric acid.
Once you get your home clean and bug free be careful about the places you sleep at outside your home and the people you let sleep at your home.
If everything else fails…
Throw the mattress, box spring, sheets, ect in the dumpster. Hire professionals to clean and buy new stuff.
Good luck to everyone, I hope this helps someone.
October 10th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Several years ago we stayed at the YWCA in Quebec City which was obviously infested — blood spots and bug parts appeared on the sheets. The YWCA said ‘it’s only you.’ I thought I had gotten rid of all bedbugs that came back in our luggage by vacuuming, laundering and pesticides, but we still get bitten occasionally. I have never seen a bedbug in the house and can’t find their dark spots anywhere, but the bites usually appear overnight and are in rows (see photo of below).
I’m putting out sticky traps to try and catch one. If I do find one, I’ll quarantine our beds by steam cleaning the frames, encasing the mattresses and box springs in vinyl zippered bags, laundering all bedding, and putting the bed legs in bowls of mineral oil. (I’ve been doing my research.) There’s a great folk remedy for the itching: In the bath or shower, use water just as hot as you can stand to treat the bites for a few minutes. It itches intensely for a few seconds, but then there is relief for many hours.
October 10th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
Hi, My husband and I are being bitten regularly. Our bites are exactly like all of the photos, although for me they are always on the upper leg/lower torso. We have absolutely no evidence, though, in our room. No blood spots, no sightings, nothing. I started the process of dry cleaning, bagging, encasing, etc – everything recommended on all of the bed bug sites – before we call in the professionals, and found the bug below in the folds of our comforter.
Is this a bed bug? It doesn’t look like any of the bed bug pictures, but it’s the only bug we’ve seen. As a description, it is 1/4 inch in length, tan with black around the perimeter of its flat “shell” and another black strip down the center. The shell has little ridges on the lower half, perpendicular to the stripes.
It does not stick at all to sticky tape, and when I pressed on it ever so slightly under the sticky tape, it squished, oozing a grey fluid (no blood), and died. (Note that the back end of the bug is usually just rounded. It looks a bit distorted in this photo from being accidentally squished.)
Any thoughts on what this bug is would be greatly appreciated!!!
October 10th, 2008 at 2:25 pm
Hey everyone,
Thank God for sites like this, at least were not alone. I had a problem about 4 months ago with bed bugs. I only found 1 but had been bitten several times. I have a really bad reaction to the bites. Aside from the unrelenting itch, the area around the bite swells about 10 times the size of the actual bite.
When all this happened I disposed of the mattress and box spring and had an exterminator come in and spray. The linens and pillows also were thrown away. I did not, however, put all my clothes in plastic. I wash all the washable clothes in hot water but the rest just stayed in the closet. I had the exterminator come back a month later and spray again (I was paranoid) but all was well. Until a few nights ago I woke up with about 10 bites on my arm. Here we go again!!!
I can not find any evidence of bed bugs. no blood stains, mattress is in perfect, brand new condition. I checked every fold, every crevice, but I know they are somewhere. I called the exterminator back and he said “I really don’t think it is bed bugs because it has been too long since the last time” Ok! I don’t think I am imagining the bites on my arm. so he is bringing over the sticky pads to see what we can find.
I have slept on the couch since the bites and will do so until I am free of these bugs once and for all. I will also tell you I live in a four bedroom house and no one else has ever been bitten. My boyfriend sleeps over quite a bit and he has never been bitten.
Strange, very strange. Does anyone know if this is possible that 4 months can pass and then bitten again? HELP!!!!
October 10th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
Katherine, that is not a bed bug. I unfortunately know almost everything about them and I’ve never seen a bed bug that looks like this.
October 10th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
My poor baby!!! I will love you forever if you can help me. My two year old has been waking up with bites for about two weeks or so. They are swollen and perfectly round, very similar to a mosquito bite that is a day or two old. Sometimes there is a pink area around the bite that is not raised at all but is encircled with a darker, almost red line and I’m wondering if they are bed bugs?
If you can tell me how to send pictures I will be happy to. Here is the other thing, I recently (about the time the bites started) moved her to a toddler bed. She still has the same mattress as before, but the bed frame was in the attic. I have also realized there is bat feces in the attic right around where the bed was stored. Have not seen bats yet and don’t really want to look for them…yikes. We also have mice. Not a lot we can do about that (that I know of) as we live on a farm and they never seem to really go away. Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Sara
October 10th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
Hello, i learned a lot bout these bugs the hard way because my friend brought in a bed from the garbage. All this time i thought that “don’t let the bed bugs bite” was a joke until some months ago. Now I get these bumps that has a head on it with yellow stuff coming out because he got bit by them so much.
I use to wake up with bites all over my neck, back, legs, and everywhere else. The only way i got rid of them is by kicking one of my friends out with the bed, also i got rid of all furniture because these bugs love to travel. I ended up getting air beds. i don’t know how long bites and itching last because i was getting bit every night, but after everything was gone it took about 3 to 4 days for the itching to stop and 5 to 7 days for the bites to leave.
PLEASE DON’T SCRATCH or you will get those boils and let me tell you, those hurt real bad!
October 10th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Hi, it’s Swasti. Two months we shifted to new apartment and after couple a days we had get bitten buy bed bugs, we thought it was an allergy, but we saw bedbugs and informed to house owner. The owner did steaming to carpet and after two days he use professional bedbugs spraying, after that, we didn’t get eaten by bed bugs. About a week later, I saw one crawling in my bed which I liked and again informed to house owner and again was sprayed by bed bug professionals.
Do you think need another spray or it will work? So far, we have not been eaten, but yesterday I was vacuuming the room and I think I now have an allergy, but I never had allergies before the spraying.
Please help.
October 10th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
So I was researching spider bites, allergies and whatever else I could come across to try to figure out what I have. That’s when I came across this site and believe I may have gotten bit by bed bugs. This looks like a nightmare!
The first bump was on my knee. We camp a lot so just brushed it off. Now for about 5 days or so I have been noticing more and more by the day. I have at least 30-40 spots on my body (feet, ankles, legs, fingers and even a few spots behind my ears now!). I would have to say they are almost clear with little bubbles (that itch like crazy and when I give in to itching, do sometimes break and leak a clear liquid…no pus). It seems to be just one and gradually get a small cluster in a spot (about 2-6 “bubbles” gathered).
What do you think? My husband works third shift so sleeps during the day and has none of these. My baby (who sleeps in the room next to ours) had a bump/bubble a few weeks ago (again started as one bite and ended up being a little cluster). I had/have no clue what she had, but only one spot. She’s 17 months, but didn’t seem bothered by it. After a week or so it almost got a scab on it and came off. Any ideas? Does it look like I’m in for bed bugs? Any help would be greatly appreciated!!! Good luck to you all too!
Also – I searched my bed and came up with nothing. Not the best at laundry, but did just put new linen and blankets on the bed hoping it would help, but it didn’t.
Since I came down with the bumps, I have gotten a nasty cold (sinus, sore throat, tight chest, terrible headache) and a slight fever comes and goes. Since I submitted the last entry, I was reading more info and these symptoms were present in other things. And even more odd, I have been really stiff! I thought I was just being a wuss, but could this be something? I plan on making a call to the doc, but currently I’m pretty PO’ed at them (they don’t seem to be able to solve anything I talk to them about…how hard is it to diagnose migraines? to tough for my clinic…but they are looking for my $$$$)!!
Anyhoo, anyone else find some of these odd, seemingly unrelated, signs/symptoms? I had taken some allergy medication to help with the cold symptoms and the antihistamine seems to really help with the itching. Bath seemed to itch more during, but felt okay after. Looking forward to others responses…if any.
October 10th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
My ex and I share custody of my 14 year old daughter. About a month ago, his wife called me to say that her youngest had chicken pox, and since my daughter had never had them, I should be on the lookout. Two days later, my daughter had a horrible oozy rash all over, and was itching like crazy. I thought it was chicken pox because she hadn’t had them and I thought my ex had been to the doctor about it.
As I was taking her back there that day, I told them they could treat her for the chicken pox, and they said it wasn’t chicken pox. They said the doctor had no idea what it was except that it was an allergic reaction to something.
Yesterday, his wife called to tell me that they found out what it was. They had gotten a used couch and just discovered that it was completely overrun with bedbugs. My daughter is allergic to the bites. Now I’ve gotten bites that are almost like mosquito bites, but they itch really bad. I’m worried that my daughter brought some bedbugs with her from there. They said they threw the couch out, but I don’t think that completely took care of the problem and it will keep coming to my house now. I need help.
October 10th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
I don’t know much about bed bugs, but I’ve been getting some suspicious bites on my legs recently that itch a lot. They are usually in little groups, just like bed bug bites are supposed to be. I cant really look for blood stains though, because I have a water bed.
Basically what I want to know is: Can bed bugs live in a water bed? I don’t see why not. It would be easy to squeeze between the bladder and the wooden frame, but I don’t know.
P.S.: once they find a bed, do they wander around or just stay there?
October 10th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
have been getting bitten since May when I got back from a road trip. I had had to spend a total of 4 nights in motels on that trip. I never thought to check the beds!
The bites in the picture above, have been getting more and more lately, and look like large mosquito bites that itch for far longer than one. I have been spaying these bites with rubbing alcohol. It helps for awhile but I do find myself waking in the night just to spray the bites.
Finally, yesterday, I showed my husband what I’ve been finding in the bed for the past week. See the pictures below.
This looks like termite poop only smaller and more brown in color. I have a waterbed also so have not been able to ’see’ blood stains.
I am going to try to do all of these little tricks everyone has been saying to find out for sure if this is what’s going on and try to control them. Throwing the bed out is not an option at this point. (It’s less than a year old, and we all know how expensive waterbeds are!) We are moving soon so we can break down the waterbed and clean it as much as possible. I’m hoping this will take care of the problem. I don’t have carpets but I am concerned that the bugs will get into the wall sockets.
Let me know what ya’s think?
October 10th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
* Here is what I use for dealing with the intense itching of bedbug bites: household ammonia, straight, on a cotton ball, paper towel or tissue. You have to hold it on the bite for a few minutes, you don’t get instant relief, but after a little while it stops the itching. For me, the itching sometimes doesn’t come back at all, or if it does, it’s not as bad and not until the next day.
I wish I had as good luck getting rid of the bedbugs as getting rid of the itching!
October 10th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
To Sue, Post #33.
I believe that little brown poop is not from a bed bug, but actually flea waste. Take a few of them and break them in half and if it looks like blood, then chances are it is flea poop.
Good luck!
Cindy
October 10th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
I keep getting bit by something in my bed every night, every time I wake up it gets worse, what can I do? I’ve tried everything, from spraying it down with bug killers to frebreeze to even plastica sheets, it’s crazy, I might be allergic to them or something, they are starting to bruise over.
October 10th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Sue:
It’s possible that those are fleas… my experience with bedbugs is that they leave a trail of bites, if you have fair skin like mine you realize that they find a vein and follow it. if your bites are more random, it might not be bedbugs (but I am not an expert).
October 10th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
The best ointment I’ve found for healing scarring from bedbites is Brave Soldier Antiseptic Healing Ornament (can also use bacitracin or neosporin). My skin showed significant improvement after just one day. Others ointments which helped include CVS Scar Cream, Dr. Blaine’s Scar Care and PreVenin-AT Advanced Scar Therapy. I usually do not use antiseptic soap, but I discovered it does help heal the bed bug bite marks, so I’ll use it until I run out of the small bottle I bought and then go back to normal soap.
October 10th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
Hi – I’m with ya all! I have over 100 bed bug bites currently and I’m so itchy i feel like I’m having panic attacks! the doctor put me on steroids and antihistamine and cream but to no avail. I am very itchy! I stayed in a hotel which i obviously was a midnight buffet!
To no surprise, the general manager said that there is no evidence of bed bugs in that room (OF COURSE THERE WOULDN’T BE!). Never even apologized, how rude! Anyhow, I’m sending along some pics for you all and i am seeing an attorney. These things are gonna leave NASTY scars!
October 10th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
Yesterday I spotted the first one, climbing on the wall in the dining room. It was big about 1cm or more and rectangular. I sprayed some ant killer that I had at hand, it took off and started flying in circles. Finally I smacked it with the slipper, it was full of blood…
Today 3 more in the same area, climbing on the wall in broad daylight. So you think these are bed bugs? Cimex lectularius, Does it really fly?
I don’t see any bite marks, no signs in the bedroom so far. How can I establish what it is?
Thanks
Catalina
October 10th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
I’ve done a lot of reading on the web about this – Catalina, bed bugs can’t fly, so whatever you sprayed was not a bed bug!
Meanwhile, I’ve been getting covered in bites lately, but I’m not sure if they’re mosquito or bed bugs. (Which is why I’m doing so much reading.) Most of the bites aren’t clustered, they’re just random. They’re on my arms, legs, and face. Since I got the first round of bites, I’ve been sleeping in socks, pants, long sleeves, and covering all exposed skin with mosquito repellent. Two nights ago I was exhausted and fell asleep wearing short sleeves and no spray, and got covered in bites again. I’ve checked my mattress and haven’t seen any signs of bed bugs. I’ve also seen a couple mosquito (I think) flying around.
But right now I have something like 30 bites – and although they’re not in long lines, a lot of them are close to each other. Some of them are really itchy and even painful, all of them are red and raised, some are big welts, some are small.
I’m going crazy trying to figure out what these are! I have included pictures below:
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
October 11th, 2008 at 8:26 am
Katherine, that photo looks more like what we call Silverfish. They are frequently found in houses, are silvery grey and kind of wiggly, they like the shade and damp so are often found in bathrooms and kitchens. Silverfish have those large antennae, and they do not bite people.
As for bed bugs….we have had isolated incidences with them, but only affecting our youngest daughter. I never thought at the time of bed bugs…but after reading the accounts here, I wonder! We just assumed it was a rash or something, and bedbugs may explain the fact she has had a chicken-pox like rash three times in her life. I can’t remember now if she always got these rashes after we had been to a hotel or something like that, or if we were at home. In any case, they do not seem to be infesting our house.
Thanks for the stories!
October 11th, 2008 at 8:27 am
I have had bites for as long as I can remember. I have kind of ignored them, since no one can seem to figure out what they are. I have hundreds of tiny scars from years of this. Never really thought they were bedbugs. I don’t have pictures–I will have to take some. I have several bites that are healing now, that I have had for three weeks, and still itch. Got them on my wrist, ankles, and some where your underwear covers. Too close for comfort, ya know? I guess my brain has tried in a way to suppress constant thought of this for if I focus on it too much, I will surely go insane! Sometimes, I don’t notice bites until I am out somewhere and start itching. It’s so WEIRD! and ANNOYING!
October 11th, 2008 at 8:28 am
I would like to know if i have a beb bug in my home and has been treated for over a year, now i have decided to bring some of my cloths that has been in the basement for one year into my room, but i have had problem with my landlord accusing me of bringing back the bed bug into the building.
Please i will like to know if they have been in the basement for that long can they be alive after one year, please kindly help me with my predicament am likely to be evicted because of this situation.
I will be waiting for your reply thanks.
October 11th, 2008 at 8:29 am
I have been looking at the Bedbug comments, We have sprayed a few times just in case it was something in the bed, my hubby did find and kill a few spiders what were lurking under his cloths which he just drops on the floor under the bed. He does not do that any more.
If its bedbugs why is my hubby not being bit, really strange, my husband never gets bitten like me, but i always have a bad reaction to any bites, mosques or others. I do store in plastic boxes lots of materials which i have collected over the years cause i am a sewer, under the beds with lids, but not sealed, also books in loads of cardboard boxes not sealed.
Does anyone think these places are harboring things, my skin is crawling at the thought. I am scared to check because of creepycrawly things. Maybe just burn everything i am keeping, what do you think, am i being over reactive?
Please help.
October 11th, 2008 at 8:29 am
I have been bite by a bed bug :( fortunately, i got rid of them and here is how! I had bites on my neck, feet, legs, arms EVERYWHERE!!!!!!! i itched all the time. I had heard that bleach helps get ride of them so only a week later, my worries were gone! :)
October 11th, 2008 at 8:31 am
For years I’ve had bumps and itched. I also have many allergies and have moved often. I’ve lived in a great many hotels and motels. Now that I’ve read this article I’m going to search my bed for the telltale signs. I don’t itch so bad during the day. When i crawl into bed within 15 minutes my skin is crawling and i swear something is biting me. I look and find nothing. I’ll use the tips to detect them and get back to ya’ll. It would be nice if my constant itching is not ‘in my head’.
October 11th, 2008 at 8:32 am
I am wondering if any one gets once in a while. I got bit about a month ago on my arm. It looked like about 10 bites. now my boyfriend stayed over and he got bit on his back. I thought bed bugs bite more often. I am really freaked out! I have searched the mattress and box spring but nothing. It is only 6 months old. I have 3 sticky pads down on the floor and no bugs. Could these bites be from a spider?
I do have high ceiling in my room and there are spiders I see every once in a while. My bites look like mosquito bites but larger with an extremely intense itch. They take much longer to go away and when they are almost gone the skin has a dry patch where the bug was. And in some areas where the bug bites were there is still a darker area that marks the spot I was bitten.
Please help if you can!
October 11th, 2008 at 8:32 am
My Granddaughter has bed bug bites all over her body. What can I do to get rid of the bugs and help heal the bites?
October 11th, 2008 at 8:33 am
I initially got on this site looking for pics of spider bites for my husband, he has one on his inner thigh, and we were trying to identify what it was that bit him. Then I happened upon the bed bug link and here is my story.
Back in Feb 07, my husband and I bought a box springs from a local thrift store. Ours was one of those cheap ones, and had been broken for a while. We did not think much about it, since we would not be directly sleeping on it. It was not long before I was covered in little bumps. All over my arms, legs, hands, anything that was not covered by clothes. I would have literally hundreds at a time. I was pregnant, so I went to the doctor and she told me it was a “crazy pregnancy rash” that would go away after the baby was born. She gave me a prescription for a topical cream to relieve the itching. I had so many of them, that it took almost the whole tube to cover them all.
The end of April, I went into premature labor (2 full months of itching…with no idea what was causing it) While I was in the hospital, they put me on antibiotics and several other meds to try and stop the labor, and the bumps went away. I thought it was because of the antibiotics, but now I realize that I was sleeping in a “clean” bed.
My baby came early, at 27 weeks, so after 2 weeks in the hospital, I went home. Woke up the next morning with about 20-30 bites on my arms/legs. I would wake up daily with more “bumps”. Not knowing what it was, we tried changing laundry detergent, soap, everything I could think of. I thought I was having an allergic reaction to something.
When I went back to my doctor for my 6 week checkup, I showed them to her and she put me on steroids. The bumps went away, the itching stopped. It was like magic. Then, after the 14 day round of steroids, they came back. I called my doctor, and she phoned me a different type of steroid, and set me up an appt with a dermatologist. It was July before I could see the derm, so by this point, I had been itching like crazy for 5 months.
When I saw the derm, she took several vials of blood – to check for any kind of infection, then determined – in her expert opinion – that I had an old fashioned case of the ‘hives’. Since I am nursing my daughter, there was very few meds I could take, so she put me on some antihistamines to try and do whatever, and told me that basically I had to deal with it.
About 2 weeks later, around the first of August, my husband (he had been in the same bed as me the entire time, and never had any on him at all) anyway, he woke up with a bug on his hand, we stripped all the sheets off the bed, and raised up the mattress and box springs.
Inside, there were literally hundreds of bed bugs. All different sizes. He threw both the mattress and box springs in the back yard to burn. We started sleeping in the LR. The next day I started doing research online and determined for myself they were indeed bedbugs.
There is only one exterminator in the area that treats bedbugs, and that was going to cost somewhere in the thousands. My husband and I are now in the process of moving. We are taking each thing out one at a time. Washing in hot water and drying what can be washed and cleaning everything else by hand. My daughter had a co-sleeper bassinet attached to the side of our bed. We have a small (8′) pool outside, so we put it in the pool to try and drown any bugs that may be in it.
I have since done more research, and found that anything that you cannot wash, you can sit outside, sealed in black plastic, for a minimum of 4 hours in the hottest part of the day. The bugs cannot survive the heat that is generated by the sun and the black bags.
I currently have a recliner wrapped in about 4 black contractor bags on my grandmother’s patio. This was a complete night mare for us. I have been itch-free now for about a month and a half.
It was weird, though, how the bumps would look. Some would swell up like mosquito bites, while others would get a clear liquid filled head on them.
I would never wish these pests on anyone.
October 11th, 2008 at 8:34 am
My grandson attends a day care center. He came home today with a red welt on his lower back and what appeared to be a bite in the center. There was only one. The welt is not raised. He did not appear to be itchy.
The kids sleep on cots for their naps. The sheets are supplied by the parents. Have you heard of bed bugs in Day Care Centers and can there be one bite rather than a group of bites?
Thanks, Ruth
October 11th, 2008 at 8:35 am
HELP!!!!! I lived in a new state and rented and had bites all over my body for many nights and my landlord had an exterminator come and inspect. He barely looked at the room and bed when he said you don’t have bedbugs. Then he sprayed for regular bugs. I asked why i had been bitten and he said i don’t know but its not bed bugs. I kept getting bites. Now I have moved away out of state to a new place. I did not bring my furniture, I sleep on an air mattress, I have washed and dried all of my clothes and inspected everything.
After 4 days of living in new place i have bites again, i searched and found possible white eggs in a cluster on the bedroom wall baseboard. I wiped them off with a paper towel and they came off easily. I flushed them. These are my questions ans please answer them as bedbug person because i notice that you answer some questions but not all of them. PLEASE help!!! I appreciate it.
My questions are
1) Can the eggs come off that easily and what size are the eggs?
2) at what point of not getting bit will one know that they got rid of bedbugs?? How long of not being bit?
3) are there any pictures anywhere of what the nymphs look like with the naked eyes and not enlarged 100 times? DO bedbugs leave little dots of brown or black lint looking things on the sheets and if so, do they always have blood or do they sometimes not?
Thank you so much and I look forward to the answers.
October 11th, 2008 at 8:35 am
Can bed bugs appear “fuzzy”?
This morning I noticed what looks like a bed bug (based on photos I googled after) on the carpet of my bedroom floor in a house I’ve been renting for just over a month. Its body was identically structured to that of a bed bug, but the main difference was that it was all fuzzy. I read jmosk’s post on Sept.24th in which he describes a similar insect.
I have not noticed any bites on my body. I inspected my mattress, bedding, headboard, foot board, box spring (inside and out), baseboards and nightstand and did not find any other bugs, eggs or excrement spots.
Fuzzy bug
Is the picture above that of a bed bug? If so, why was it covered in what looked like beige dust/lint?
Thanks for your help!
October 11th, 2008 at 8:37 am
I recently stayed at a hotel in West Yellowstone and received over 500 bites on my arms, legs, neck, and head.
I am now paying for this in the form of extermination fee’s and doctor fee’s. I’m not sure what else will come later.
If anyone knows how I can protect myself from other costs please let me know.
October 11th, 2008 at 11:16 am
I’m so happy Ross posted bed bug pictures, I awoke this morning feeling real itchy, especially my ears and head and thought it might be my meds even though I never had problems in the past with them. As the day worn on I started feeling itchy all over and went to the lady’s room at work only to find my whole torso looking like Ross’s arm and head. I haven’t been anywhere except to work .
My boyfriend brought in my firewood yesterday, I think too early but I couldn’t say no to an offer of throwing in 5 cord of wood. I called him and told him to get my dogs out of the house and bomb the heck out of it. My dogs are well protected from biting critters but I wonder if they would still hitch a ride? Last year I picked up something on a plane, when I got to where I was going, I infested my sister.
An elderly Mexican friend told us to use boiling water and a certain cactus juice, no luck finding the cactus so we nearly gave ourselves 3rd degree burn with hot water, worked great for her she was fine in a few days, I was not and I did the hot water thing for longer. She’s darker skinned than I, I’m very fair skinned, fair skinned seems to have more problems.
October 11th, 2008 at 11:20 am
My name is Kimberly I am 9 months Pregnant. I have been seriously bitten i thought first thought it was maybe Chicken pox then I thought it might have been measles. Then considering that I was Pregnant, I thought it might have been stress bumps the doctor says that Pregnant women get weird rashes. I started to get more man they itch like crazy i was going insane. I didn’t think bed bugs because i never had to go through with bed bugs before recently I was staying at my Boyfriends sisters house.
I used to sleep in the kids beds and barley getting bit but, I was getting to the point were I couldn’t walk upstairs so I had to sleep down stairs on the futon in the Kitchen. In the kitchen it was hot so i kept the door open for awhile and the next morning I woke up to find Mesquito bites they were fluidly like and I was itching like crazy again the bite had changed they didn’t look like Chicken poxs they looked like the mesquito bites. So i didn’t think so much about them and I was really thinking man I was really getting bit buy mesquitos. Well My boyfriends sister noticed that everyone was getting the same bites. She was sitting up stairs and noticed that there was a weird shaped bug on her bed she killed it. She had told someone about it and she said they are Light brown, flat shaped body, a small head, and they move real fast, that person told us that it was bed bugs man we kept looking there was nothing well they apartment complex sprayed there house for roaches a every 6 month thing the complex does and then they started to notice a lot of bug they moved the couches and there were tons of bugs eggs and left over shells .
They look like Sue #28 (Bites) and Sue#33 are the bugs man they are so nasty I now went to my house i was really careful about bringing something in the house well I went back to my house and now my Mother has spotted a bug she thinks it may have been a bed bug. Bed Bugs are a serious matter and very hard to get rid of u can use any spray they get stronger on a lot of sprays. They are every where you pretty much got to throw everything away and exterminate the house.
Wash all your cloths in hot water and Dry your shoes in a heated dryer. Well If anyone has any Ideas to let me know how i can get rid of the bed bugs in a way where i can afford it would be well appreciated thank you.
October 11th, 2008 at 11:21 am
My nightmare began around the end of Aug. I started to see the bugs before the bites. I know that’s odd but I get up at 4:00 am. So I was able to make my bed an island early on. They still get me but not as much as they would have. I think they are getting the poor dog. I try to keep him away but he cries.
My daughter was the one that seemed to be bit the most. My bites are no where near as bad as some of the pictures I see posted here. They look the most like Emily’s but fewer
Everything I own (in the bed room) is in plastic bags. My cloths are not up here any more. My bed has a mattress cover and a sheet. I cant use my blankets they are dark colored and I cant stand not knowing if the bugs are on my bed. I burn two 100 watt lamps 24 7. There is diatomaceous earth scattered all over my room. Mostly around the bed.
Bug spray doesn’t kill them any more. I am using drione dust, gentrol and anything else I can get my hands on. I also have an exterminator. He’s pretty useless but I am stuck in a contract now. Even he has bedbugs! He told me he can’t get rid of his!
After all I have done the little bastards are still alive and kicking. They are now nesting up by the ceiling. I forgot to mention I also caulked every crack I could find, Bought a steamer and steamed EVERYTHING even the furniture. All the bottoms of the furniture are covered in Vaseline and nothing is touching the wall.
I cant sleep. I lay here crying watching them and killing them all night. I cant even sleep in the day now. It seems they no longer care if its night or day. All I can do is pray now. I pray they stay only in this room. I would rather they bite me then my kids.
I THINK they are gone from my daughters room. She has no more bites and we haven’t seen one there for about 3 weeks. I got her a loft bed I think that helped. My other daughter has a metal loft bed in her room and she never had the bed bugs. I thought I would mention that because it really seems to help. The diatomaceous earth is the newest thing I tried and I THINK it might be helping. Even if it does look like it snowed in my room.
I was wondering, do any of you think you will ever be able to sleep in the dark again? I know I wont. I always feel like there are bugs crawling on me. I have my moles ripped apart because I had it in my head they were bites. The lack of sleep is really making me lose my mind. I am hoping someone here can tell me, how do you know when you are winning? I will go a few days only seeing 4 or 5 then a week later there are 20 climbing up the walls.
What else can I do? Is it true that in a few weeks when it get cold I can just open the bedroom window and freeze them to death? I feel like burning the house down.
Jackie
Notice:
Diatomaceous earth is also known as DE, TSS, diatomite, diahydro, kieselguhr, kieselgur and Celite) and naturally occurrs – it is a soft, chalk-like sedimentary rock easily crumbled into a fine white to off-white powder.
Diatomaceous earth consists of fossilized remains of diatoms, a type of hard-shelled algae. It is used used as an insecticide, due to its physico-sorptive properties. The fine powder absorbs lipids from the cuticle, the waxy outer layer of insects’ exoskeletons, causing them to dehydrate.
Safety Concerns: The absorbent qualities of diatomite can result in a significant drying of the hands, if handled without gloves. The saltwater (industrial) form is dangerous to breathe and a dust mask is recommended when working with it.
The type of hazard posed by inhalation depends on the form of the silica. Crystalline silica poses a serious inhalation hazard because it can cause silicosis. Amorphous silica can cause dusty lungs, but does not carry the same degree of risk as crystalline silica. Food-grade diatomite generally contains very low percentages of crystalline silica. Diatomite produced for pool filters is treated with heat, causing the formerly amorphous silicon dioxide to assume its crystalline form.
October 13th, 2008 at 6:41 am
I got bite by something in a motel room on sat night in Fresno, California. in Oct. it started out like a lot of red ink spots then by Tues it started to bother me they got bigger and got pus in them. then by Fri it swelled my leg got 2 blood blisters and bites kinda look like a flea bite then they connected together now it looks like rigimortis set into my shin of the leg but still can feel my skin.
I have about 100 bites on the right leg and 10 on the left leg including the feet of both legs 2 bites on the stomach and 2 on the right arm. i have been bite by flea’s before but it doesn’t do this to me i went to the hosp. sat morning one week after i couldn’t take the burning pain anymore it was just really bad now its been 8 days and i still look like i have rigimortis in my shin and the bites are still there all it feels like now is an infection and small amount of pain the dr put me on anitbiotics and steroids but i don’t think it’s getting that much better.
What do you think i might of been bite by, bed bugs?
October 13th, 2008 at 6:42 am
I’m a 29 year old female I was dealing with a guy that told me he had bedbug in his house unfortunately I let him sleep ova and apparently he wasn’t alone. a couple of weeks later I noticed all these bite marks I immediately threw my mattresses away and bought an air mattress in the meantime.
I have a younger son that is 1 1/2 he sleeps with me and him till this day are getting bite. I have little dots everywhere so many scars front scratching everywhere especially on my behind. I have been to the emergency room 3 times already. first time they gave me and my son steroids and benedryll and send us on our way it didn’t work, then I went they said it was a skin infection and they gave us antibiotics and a different type of anti itch cream, my son got worse he started getting what looked like boils.
He has them on his hands neck leg he even has one on his neck and five on his head. Now I was scared because of that boy in Brooklyn that died recently of mrsa (staph infection) so I went again I made them take blood and it came out negative for mrsa.
So now, they said its scabies they gave me a one time application of a cream for me and the baby. It has been almost a week since the application and so far, it is just getting worse. I am not sure what other options I have.
If you would please give me some advice, I would appreciate it. Thank you
October 13th, 2008 at 6:42 am
Mine looks like a mosquto BITE and it kind of stings like sort of a bee but only when i touch it and feels tingley when i dont touch it and i only have one but i need to know what it is or hopefully was HELP PLEASE I WANT TO KNOW is a little bit redder than my skin BUT NOT a lot ans its pretty big thanks :)
October 13th, 2008 at 6:44 am
Am I glad I’m getting the hell out of here. It’s a HUD owned bldg. but Marquette University bought it in a 50 million dollar deal so they’re throwing everyone (blind, disabled, sick, poor) out. And just in time. The “mgr” of this bldg. (looks like he might be a relative of the bed-bug) came by last week with a kid and a spray can to look for bed bugs. They didn’t find any but might have dropped some off from one of their other stops. Nasty minute maggot like creatures don’t seem to care if you’re conscious, they bite like alligators. This will give those students something to study.
October 13th, 2008 at 6:46 am
Hi there…
Question on these bites…I didn’t find any evidence that these bites where caused from a bed bug. They are just peppered around my ankles
and a few on my wrists. I noticed I was being bitten when I recently took the thick sleeping bag from the camper and used it…
I have now put it outside….freeze whatever was living in the sleeping bag, with the help from Wisconsin winters.
Yes, they itch something terrible, and find that I wake at night….wanting to itch them. Seems like I get new ones…
I noticed that this condo unit….sure does have a lot of spiders…
spider bites, spider mites, bed bugs or something else?
Please help….
bitten in Wisconsen
October 13th, 2008 at 6:46 am
I went to a cabin and got bed bug bites. It was not pretty so make sure you check before you sleep!
October 13th, 2008 at 6:47 am
I just wanted to update and tell you all I haven’t seen a bed bug in more then 2 weeks now. I haven’t had a bite in weeks.
Don’t give up! you can win!
I hope i never see another bed bug again!
October 13th, 2008 at 6:51 am
Thanks for sharing the pictures Jackie and thank you for the follow up. I’m Glad to hear that you are no longer having the problem! The multiple bites look like bed bugs, but if you have not been bitten since and you have not found any sign of them in your room, then it was probably something else.
October 13th, 2008 at 6:51 am
We’ve been dealing with bedbugs for about a year now. I thought we got it beat. Havn’t seen a trace for about two months. we bought matress covers, emptied all the rooms, treated with boric acid, even patched and painted the walls,but tonight my son found one. In the couch. I just want to cry. This is becoming a full time job!
October 13th, 2008 at 6:52 am
Sally (#15) –
I stayed at the Fort Des Moines in October while on business and got bed bug bites all over my stomach. I was upset but got truly upset when I developed a staph infection from them. Call the Fort and let them know what happened to you. This MUST stop! They claim they have no bed bugs, but you and I don’t know each other and have very similar tales. –Amy
October 13th, 2008 at 6:53 am
I’m suffering the most from Bed Bugs! I slept on my grandmothers couch and when i woke up i was itching like crazy. now I’m just washing and putting ice on every single bump i have. The bites look horrible and i have to go to school everyday…. What i should do??
October 13th, 2008 at 6:54 am
I moved in to this trailer and noticed that i kept on getting bites and finally got exterminator here and he told me they were bed bugs and we seem to be killing most of them but not all they seem to be more since he has sprayed what do i do I am really scared of any kind of bug. I cant even sit on my couch with out them crawling all over me my husband seems not to be bitten by them its like they pick on me what do i do there has got to be a way to get rid of them all and soon .
October 13th, 2008 at 6:57 am
A few months ago I let my son’s friend stay at our house for a couple a weeks. At the time he had this really nasty rash on his body, he said it was some kind of reacting to something. About a month or so after he left, my son started showing similar symptoms. A week went by and the rash spread uncontrollably all over his body. He couldn’t quit scratching, nothing helped.
I made him a Dr. appointment, the Dr. tells us it’s his nerves and prescribed him some kind of anxiety pill with antihistamine in it. We proceeded to take the medication as prescribed. Only his rash got really bad. So I took him back to the Dr. He said the same thing again. Only I made the Dr. prescribe him some kind of antibiotic cream.
After awhile it seemed to start to go away, but now my 2 year old daughter is now showing the same symptoms. Do we have bed bugs? I’ve looked for the signs that are mentioned but I don’t see anything what am I not doing right? I don’t have any photos believe me I wish I would of kept a diary of it all.
October 13th, 2008 at 6:58 am
Hi there,
I’m so glad I’ve found this site. I’m very, very down. I live in London and less than a month ago I moved into a lovely three bedroom flat which I was hoping to make my home and my clinic as I’m a Sports’ Physio. To cut a long story short, I got bitten, bitten and bitten again. Told my Landlady who promptly called a Professional Pest Control & he sprayed my flat. But the problems did not go away I got bit again, he came back & re-sprayed and promised they would go. Here are four pictures of the bed bug bites I have:
I have read every bit of info on bed bugs & doing everything I was advised. I don’t know what else to do? How do I know that my Landlady used a reputable Pest Controller? He said I will get bitten now & again and seemed to think that’s normal. But I’m allergic & its draining me, especially with my job its very debilitating.
Please, please can you help me? What are my rights as a new tenant? Is it possible to ever get rid of bed bugs? If so how and who should I call to properly spray the flat? Please help me, I’ve come to the end of my patience!
October 13th, 2008 at 6:58 am
I went to California about 2 months ago. About 2 days after we came home I started to get this rash that really itched on the top of my legs and my stomach. I scratched them so bad that I have scabs. They started to spread all over my body. I now have them everywhere but my face and feet.
I have been to my regular doctor and a dermatologist and even to the hospital to try and find out what they are from. All the doctors just stare at them? And say I don’t know what it is but here is some cream for it. Which of course doesn’t work. Then I got a staph infection on my shins from scratching so much and they gave me meds for it. But that has gone away. I’m still getting new ones and the itching has gotten so bad that I could jump out of my skin.
I have tried every kind of itch cream that there is out there but nothing works. I have a hard time taking a shower because the water feels like acid on my skin. I can’t wear a coat or anything heavy because it makes me sweat and I itch more (and it was 23 degrees here to day). When I was with my in-laws today we were talking about it and someone said they heard that a lot of people were having trouble with bed bugs and that I should check my bedroom. My husband and I checked our bed tonight but didn’t really find anything that we could see.
Tomorrow I am going to take my room apart and see if I can find anything. Does this sound like anything that anyone else is experiencing? Especially with the water on there skin and the heat making it worse?
October 13th, 2008 at 6:59 am
Ok, I was wrong :(
The bed bugs are not gone. I saw more this morning. They are living in a crack in the ceiling.Or shall I say WERE living a crack in the ceiling. What I don’t understand is why i have no bite marks.
I killed the one and it was full of blood. Do they always leave a mark? Do they always make you itch? I am puzzled.
Jackie
October 13th, 2008 at 7:07 am
Hi Jackie,
Bed bugs are not easy to get rid of and if you found them in the crack in the ceiling (which is one of their favorite hidding places), then chances are they are around your bed frame and other areas (see Bedbug Checklist above).
To answer your question: You may or may not react to their bites and the reaction may change from time to time but over the long haul, your body will become sensitive to their bites and you’ll start to react more severely.
Keep us posted!
Best regards,
Jim.
October 13th, 2008 at 7:08 am
As a qualified Aromatherapist, I’ve found a few things that have helped me out with the bites…..First dab Essential Oil of Basil with a cotton bud on each bite, this will cause the ‘poison’ the bug has deposited to surface, if possible lance with a sterilized pin (flame heat/wipe clean), then dab with tea tree oil & finally lavender oil seems to stop the itching for me…..I’ve also found that bed bugs seem to hate lavender oil…so I’ve started putting it everywhere. I’ve had no bites for a few days…..I’m hopeful …
October 13th, 2008 at 7:09 am
I wish I had taken pics, but at the time I didn’t know it was bed bugs. I found out after being treated for an allergic reaction. I washed my clothes because the Dr. said maybe it was my laundry soap… in that process I washed my sheets and there is where I found a lot of ‘fed’ bed bugs. I must have been there ‘dinning place’ for at least 1 week. A week after I found the bed bugs the Dr. done blood work because my knees, ankles and wrists we hurting and swollen. The blood work confirmed I now have LYME disease. No one wants to say it came from the bed bugs, but I am not convinced… I have been fighting Lyme now for 6 weeks… I hope that the dr. can fix my problem and that someone will conciser that it is possible that bed bugs now carry some blood diseases.
October 13th, 2008 at 7:12 am
I was very silly, I moved into a new house November 1st and 6 days later I was lying with my 7 month old son on my bed and I noticed a bug crawling beside our heads. I quickly got a Kleenex and killed it. To my surprise it had blood come out I thought what kind of bug bleeds I looked it up on the internet and sure enough it was a bed bug.
I called the health department and they confirmed it was indeed beg bugs. We found a couple on my mattress anyhow I had my place fumigated that day threw out my bed box spring that someone had given to me and took all my laundry down stairs. I am loaded with bites and I just had my second fumigation on Friday Nov 23rd now I noticed that my 7 month old has bites and don’t know what to do.
I am trying to vaccum everything what if they got deep in my couches I even found one in my sons blanket it was dead though its weird I have not noticed any bites on my 17 month old nor the kids dad only me and now my 7 month old.
I’m going to try your tips on killing bed bugs. I hope this works!
October 13th, 2008 at 7:13 am
Bit of a strange question here. I’m in the act of attempting to identify a bed bug problem. Being bitten but not so often that I can confirm it yet. But one night out of one of the bites there was a yellowy-white thing sticking out…looked like a spear of rough skin. I’m wondering if this was an egg sack? I know that sounds stupid but I don’t know what it was as I don’t eat in my room or anything. Look at pictures though and egg flasks seem too rounded to be able to penetrate skin. Any thoughts/experiences with this? Many thanks xx
October 13th, 2008 at 7:13 am
I found an insect that resembles this bug a whole lot and the bites I’ve been having are very similar to the pictures on this site but, I found an infestation on my indoor palm plants and the plants are covered with little white eggs the size of ants which I’ve heard bed bugs have.
I have been to many websites and none of them ever state that the bed bugs dwelling can also be plants. If anybody knows of this please post info as it would be very helpful to my family curiosity.
October 13th, 2008 at 7:14 am
lei’s picture reminds me of the bites i got earlier this year around knees and upper legs, upper arms, stomach and groin; according to the dermatologist, and confirmed by the vet, my cat had transferred his ear mites to me. i was itching and scratching in a frenzy, particularly at night and the single treatment of crotamiton creme followed by lotrix creme for 15 days cleared it up. i found this site today because I have started itching again!!! think it might be dust mites , the cats are ok. just got woolies and cords out of cupboard and wearing them since yesterday, they were washed before being put away, but i wonder if they might have picked something up during the hot humid summer months.
October 13th, 2008 at 7:14 am
We have a person at work-that have them bad. What can the co-workers do to prevent them to have it…We don’t want this.
October 13th, 2008 at 7:26 am
Hi Becky,
I would worry too! Bed bugs don’t like the light, so they will seek dark places. If they are on the person, say in the fold of their cloths or most likely, their briefcase or boxes, etc, the bug (it only takes one to make thousands in a matter on months!) could travel from the transport object to the closest dark area.
First thing I would do is help the bug infested person understand their problem but pointing out (in some nice way) the tips killing bed bugs I have posted on this site.
You can use some sticky tape around the edge of your office area and try to capture it – although one visitor pointed out that sticky tape doesn’t seem to work. If you try this, just make sure to get the tape made specifically for bugs.
I would check every day before I went home that I didn’t have any hitchhikers and if I did find bed bugs, I would bring it up to management, then write a letter reiterating your finding and concern.
If you end up bringing one home, you’ll have proof that it was most likely caused by an employee at work and the company may end up paying, especially if they didn’t act on your findings. Getting rid of bed bugs can be very costly!
Let us know what happens!
October 13th, 2008 at 7:27 am
I’m totally losing it. I’m pretty certain bed bugs in my car. I spend a lot of time in hotels and am afraid I’m tracking them everywhere.
Can you kill them if you microwave your clothes?
Do they sneak into books?
I’m thinking about sticking the hair blower nozzle in the suitcase with the zippers open just far enough to get it in and then blasting the thing on high for about 15 minutes.
Will that start a fire?
I’m creating welts from scratching where there are no bites.
Thanks.
October 13th, 2008 at 7:33 am
Hi June,
Make sure you use my bed bug checklist before you stay at a hotel! They would di in the microwave, no question about that, but if they just finished a feeding cycle, they will explode in the microwave and create a big mess, so I would advise not to microwave them.
They usually do not get in the books – check out my bed bug FAQ section to discover their favorite hiding places.
Using the hair dryer in that fashion may start a fire, however, most hair dryers have a safety feature that will shut it down when it gets too hot, so I don’t think that will work.
You can see bed bugs with your eye, so shaking the suitcase and visually inspecting it should do the trick.
Don’t scratch the bites! There are some great tips here on reducing the itch, check them out and go from there.
Most important, be aware – that checklist will save your skin :)
Best regards,
Jim.
October 13th, 2008 at 7:34 am
We’ve (my boyfriend and I) just moved to room that we are renting and after just 2 nights I saw few little spots on my left hand (it was the same day that I’ve got a new job at a medical records). 3 days later my both hands were all swollen, covered in red bumps.
I’ve managed to count about 48 only on my left hand (from fingers to the wrist) and 26 on the right one. It looked really horrible. We’ve found about 10 of bed bugs and killed them. 2 days later I was fired because nobody believed me that my hands are covered with bite marks – everybody was afraid that it’s some kind of rash that they can be easily infected with.
I’ve went to see the doctor today, he’d phoned them and told them, that they can’t get infected by that but they found someone in my place :( O!! and the doctor was little strange, he told me that he suspected that these are not bedbug bite marks (although I’ve told him that I’ve even saw one that was biting me) but that I have Scabies!!!!!!!!! funny man :)
Well, I’ve got rid of the bedbugs now by spraying the room, and steam vacuming the bed. Now I’m washing all the clothes and linen, ironing them and putting them into the plastic bags – We’re moving out in a week :))
October 13th, 2008 at 7:35 am
Maniana,
I worked in the medical records department a long time, had a terrible reaction to the the dust mites that love to hang out in file rooms. Also , i did get scabies but from a fellow employee in the file room. Yuckie !
October 13th, 2008 at 7:37 am
Hello, I have been trying to figure out what keeps biting mea and suspect bed bugs. I have had 6 of these bites in the past 6 months. They are itchy, then they scab up with a black center. It is about nickel sized, sore, puffy and not draining.
I am looking for help on how to treat these so they don’t leave scars and red marks, AND I need to figure out what is biting me, so I can kill it!
Thank you!
Liz
October 13th, 2008 at 7:50 am
I think that I may have bed bugs at night while am asleep I feel something biting me whatever it is, is leaving my skin red. It is leaving a black mark on me after the bite. The bites itch like the dickens and I need to know how they look on black people.
October 13th, 2008 at 7:51 am
My 21 year old son has not changed his bed linen for over 4 months,regardless of endless telling.
My question is can he get any form of bed bugs/spiders?
October 13th, 2008 at 7:55 am
Hello Susan,
The bedbugs are not going to come from not chancing the sheets, but if ever there is one in the area, they will gravitate towards his bed. We shed a lot of skin and excrete fluids as we sleep and bedbugs can detect that.
If you were to take that sheet and throw it into a room with hungry bedbugs, the bugs would be all over it (thinking that a food source must be near!).
I’d encourage him again to change his sheets!!
Good luck!
Jim.
October 13th, 2008 at 7:56 am
Wow, it has been a nightmare, I have had my place treated twice by so called professionals and then we bought stuff from the pesticide store..(large jug, aresol and powder)
we have wrapped mattresses and washed everything, for the hundredth time…do these things die…geez…we have done everything as I said 3 times in the past 1.5 months…then, I found one crawling over my daughters pillow..also, I threw out my couch and a dresser too…what is going on!!!!!!!!!!!!
October 13th, 2008 at 7:59 am
Oh my God!! Finally i am not the only one!!! I thought I was crazy!
I have been sleeping on the same mattress for three years now but in the last 6 months I have suffered from various bites on my arms ankles but most often my bottom!!! The only consolation I have so far is that they haven’t bitten my face.
I am black and they turn red at first then bruise if I scratch too hard. Black and blue bruises. I already have extremely sensitive skin i already use fragrance free and dye free soap and detergent, no perfume or fragranced lotion just to give you an idea of how sensitive I am!
I thought they were mosquito bites because i do have allergic reactions to them but soon realized they couldn’t be, because of the severity of the reaction and the # of bites(so, many) I just don’t know what to do. Then i thought they were Japanese beetles, (which look a lot like ladybugs), but they bite,because I did see a couple of those in my bed. Now I don’t see those anymore but I am still getting bitten they welt up, and come to a head with pus in them.
They itch worse than any bite i have ever experienced. My skin is becoming scarred up, been trying to use cocoa and shea butter to retone my skin.
At least I now know what is bitting me and how to kill these bedbugs. Thank you!
October 13th, 2008 at 8:00 am
The guy at the hardware store said a bed bug bite could take 14 days to surface/show once bitten. Is this true or do the bite signs show immediately. I am treating like crazy with powder/sprays but all of a sudden we had bites start appearing. I can’t find this answer anywhere.
Renee
October 13th, 2008 at 8:08 am
Hello Renee,
From what the California Department of Public Health Vector-Borne Disease Section says, a bed bug bite may not show for up to 14 days!
Everyone reacts differently to bed bug bites, but if a reaction does occur, it usually happens by late morning.
Great question and thanks for asking!
Jim.
October 13th, 2008 at 8:11 am
I have bugs in my bed but I am not sure if they are bed bugs. First off, I don’t think I’ve come up with any bites. I just come across these longish, thin bugs lumbering across my sheets occasionally or under my pillow. I’ve found them in my laundry hamper as well, and in my backpack?
I’m totally confused and really hoping these aren’t bedbugs as I have NO money to be dealing with an infestation. I’m wondering if it is some kind of moth infestation? I am currently dating someone and spending many nights outside of my apartment so my bed is rarely slept in. I wonder if this could be a factor?
I will try and take a picture of the bug and send it in. Again, no bites that I have noticed, so at the moment, I am stumped.
October 13th, 2008 at 7:18 pm
In June 2008 we rented a beautiful condo in Fl, I started to see blood stains on the bed, this is your first sign of bed bugs. I’ve been exterminated 3 times in 6 weeks and continue to get bit, my husband is itchy but not bit, I’ve froze all our clothes 2 times, vacuum regularly and do the wash in hot water/hot dryer, many many times.
Can’t wait to move out of here,unsure if I’ll make it to June!!!!
I’m going to purchase an online repellent see if this helps.
October 13th, 2008 at 7:24 pm
I recently moved into a townhouse after having my things in storage for about a year. Since I moved in, I’ve discovered bites throughout my body and normally in small groups. I called in a professional exterminator who inspected my mattress, box spring and all corners of my place and confirmed that it wasn’t bed bugs but highly suspects spider mites.
From the various comments I’m reading, spider bites and bed bugs seem so similar that I’m still somewhat questionable on what it really is. I vacuumed my mattress, box spring and every corner of my house from ceiling to floor hoping that it’s a good start will definitely be picking up a zippered mattress cover tomorrow.
I’m still paranoid to sleep in my bed!
October 13th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
My Mom had had this weird possible bug bite on her back for months now. It has a hole in the middle of the bite. When you squeeze it worm like pus comes out, and of course, it hurts her.
There is always a mound of pus under the skin. When I put hydrogen peroxide on it, it does not bubble what so ever. We don t know what to do, it even hurts her to wear a bra. Help!
October 13th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
Hello Ronicca,
I can’t determine from your description if it’s an infected bed bug bite or something else, perhaps a spider bite.
Regardless, it’s infected and you should see a doctor, especially with the worm like pus you describe!
Personally, I would not take any chances with Mom!
Keep us informed!
Jim.
October 13th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
I’m scared because I got bit by something (i’m almost sure it was @ school but i don’t know if it was a bed bug or something else) the bite is a red circle (VERY small red circle) and a little white head. Sort of like a pimple but not as swollen.
Please tell me what you know!! Should i tell my mom to take me to the doctor? Do you know any home remedies? I put neosporin on it and put a band-aid on it. Just as my friend and science teacher advised me. everyone tells me its not bad. What do u think??
October 13th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
Hello Aldana,
Can you explain more? Does it feel warm to the touch?
If it’s just one bite, I’m guessing that it’s not a bed bug, but something else. Put some triple antibiotic ointment on it and check it every few hours. Write back if it gets worse!
Jill.