Black Man:

Were are all the black people at???

I don’t see any bed bed bug bites on blacks? I’m black!

Bed bugs are prevalent in my neighborhood and here in Mexico its crazy!!!!

I would like to see some bite marks from darker skinned people! Thank you!

Update: Here are pictures of bites on black skin

Sarah::

Hello, my name is Sarah.

Bed Bug Bites on a Black Female

The entire side of Sarah was bitten by bed bugs that turned into red welts

I came across your website looking for bite information on black people. I’ve been waking up with these bites for about 4 months or so. I think they are bed bug bites but I am not sure.I’ve tried looking for them and washing my sheets, but nothing is working. No one else in my family has these kinds of bites. They hurt when touched and sometimes have pus in them.

I’m desperate for answers, Ive been researching the possible explanations, but nothing is working.

Bed Bug Girl::

Hi Sarah,

The bites at the top right are grouped together like those of bed bugs, but hard to tell for sure. Are the bites on just one side? If so, that’s the side of the bed you want to concentrate on. Have you tried using a mattress encasement? I can’t tell you how many people report being bitten and couldn’t find the bugs only to later report they finally found them and in great numbers. Also, I list on this site a bed bug trap you can set up (costs less than $10) to see if you can catch any.

If you completely encase the mattress and still are being bitten just as bad, then look hard at the frame of the bed – if it goes away, then great – they will die encased in the mattress after about 9 months – yes, they can survive that long without feeding on you!

Diana Rosas

Help! i moved into my new apartment 2 months ago the first 6 weeks nothing about two weeks ago i started getting a few bites here and there > didn’t think much of it Its been hot so i thought they were mosquitoes but the last week or so i get bit every night and its in 2s or bites of 3s its only happening in my room .my husband wasn’t getting bit at all but a few days ago he got a few bites to I have never heard of bed bugs til i started research on line .nobody else is getting bit just me and only in my room .help me figure it out please!!!!!!

Jim

Hi Payden,

Hard to tell from one bite. Usually you’ll have more than one bite and they will be close together if it’s a bed bug – I’m guessing that it’s not a bed bug. Check out BadSpiderBites.com and see if any of those pictures match your bite.

Payden

Bedbug Bite on PaydenI think I may have a bed bug bite.

On August 6th I woke up and went and ran errands. I didn’t notice much of the bite until I came back and it was itchy. I looked and it was red and swollen, and itchy. My skin has started to peel off a little, and the itch creams aren’t helping.

I found the bite on my foot. It is like a little bump. Now it is a bit better but still itchy and red. Could it be a bed bug bite?

Ricky

I am wondering if I have bites – but I have nothing to compare my bites to on your website since everyone here is white and I am a dark skinned black!!! Do you have any photos of bites from black people?

John

I just moved up to a new bedroom that has been sitting dormant for a little while. I’m temporarily here working, so i’m staying in a very small back bedroom. After sleeping in this bed less than a week, i noticed 2 days ago that i have clusters on both of my feet, and i’m pretty sure it’s a bed bug. Yet i can’t find them anywhere?? Am i just not looking in the right spot? My bites look identical to every picture i’ve seen of bed bug bites, only it’s been on my feet only. I sleep in long pajama pants and a long sleeve shirt, so maybe that’s the only place they can bite?

Mixchigan

OMG, i was bitten by a bug 2 weeks ago thinking it was a spider, but today i found a bug just like one of the ones pictured above.

There must be more, How do i get rid of them? Should I burn my matress?

crystal

What about ‘Orange Oil’ for getting rid of bed bugs?

I heard about it in California as a pest control product/

all natural, etc….

If the tea tree oil seems to work in the bath as one woman stated then maybe orange oil might as well and there must be ways to apply it on a large scale as it is already in use commercially….

Orkin might not mention it if they do not use it….could be patented and used by franchisees…

orange oil pest control

Jim

Hello Isabella,

That is not a bed bug. I can’t tell for sure what it is from the picture, but it doesn’t look harmful.

Did you find just that one or where there more?

Isabella Kolosa

Isabellas bed bug
Hello, I found a bug that looks pretty scary and was wondering if it’s a bed bug?

If it’s not a bed bug, then what is it?

Is it harmful?

I’ve included a picture of the bug, just click on it to see an enlarged version.

Thanks,

Isabella

LN

Bedbug Bites on face and neckIs it possible to have bed bug bites without any itching and without a welt?

I’m *very* allergic to mosquitoes, so I would assume that the anti-coagulant from bed bugs would also make me itch, but I’ve found one small, red, hard raised bump on the back of my hand and two on my face and I’m panicking a little that they’re bed bug bites.

They do look like the bumps on Ross’s pictures, but there are so few of them and none in the three-bite configuration that people mention a lot. Should I be worried?

Nicole

Help! I think I’ve been bitten by bed bugs too. I travel a lot for business, and just came back from Texas. I searched online b/c I thought I had a spider bite. After looking, there is no question it was bed bugs (which came to mind when I saw the link and thought of my travels). I am disgusted. This web site has been great. I went to the hardware store today to buy the diatomaceous earth. My left back/shoulder must have 10 or so bites. They have been there for 3+ days and are getting worse. They hurt and I swear my muscles in my back are sore too. I think I found a bed bug on the wall today. I am going to call an exterminator tomorrow as I put it in a plastic zipper bag to show the company, and see what they say. I’ve torn apart my bedroom and sprinkled the earth everywhere. Can you help me to find a reputable exterminator who is experienced in treating and eliminating bed bugs if I need to call a company? I tried to take a picture, but my camera won’t focus on the bug or my bites on my back.

Emily

Hello,

First of all I can sympathize with each one of your stories. Let me start from the beginning. My fiance when we first started dating, lived in one of the most disgusting places I’ve ever seen and ended up almost dying from staph because his roommates wouldn’t clean and wouldn’t let him clean.

Then they were all evicted and we loved each other so we decided hey, lets move in together. About a month later we kept getting bites on the backs of our arms…only there. Went to the doctor they said I was having an allergic reaction to something gave me a corticosteroid cream. Took us 2 more weeks to figure out that there were bed bugs living in the chair in our living room. So…we threw out the chair.

Actually when we realized this it was midnight and went to leave it outside good will and we watched a guy sneak up and steal it….karma came back to bite him in the bottom. Anyway, we were fine after that for like 5 months. Didn’t have them on any of the other furniture nothing. One night in January after having the heater on we woke up one day with bites all over our arms and upper bodies. Took us not long this time to figure out the bed bugs were back.

After looking up state laws we called the apts. cause pest control is their problem and they also owned the apts. where my fiance used to live. They said they would spray. So they did. Fine for a few weeks and then tons of bites again. About this time we took the bed apart and realized how bad it was. So we threw out the bed and had them spray again…lived on an air mattress while I had bronchitis.

One night i notice movement on the wall. Apparently, they had crawled all the way up to the ceiling and were living behind pictures. I started scrubbing EVERYTHING and we were moving anyway in a few months so I started packing. stripped the room bare and the pest control guy sprayed again…then we put down food grade diatomaceous earth and after a few weeks they were gone. (We coated the mattress box spring and bottom of the actual mattress in it too when we got a new one). Hadn’t seen them since.

I will tell you though. It does make you paranoid. I have definite mosquito bites on one foot and i immediately checked my bed. gl to all of those out there oh and remember put gloves on when handling food grade DE it isn’t toxic but will dry out your hands….also our roommates busted our vacuum vacuuming it up b4 we all moved out so make sure u dump it frequently. OUTSIDE of course :-)

Katlynn::

Just a couple days ago I noiced a few bites I have. 2 on my side, one on my back, and one on my bellybutton. They all have a small dark middle in them. The area around the bite is huge, you can feel them through my shirt. They itch pretty bad and if you squeeze them a bit some pus comes out. Can anyone tell me what it might be?

Jim::

Hi Michelle,

Yes, people have reported that the reaction to bites can be delayed and appear hours later. If you do have a bed bug infestation, use our bedbug checklist found at the top of this site in the menu bar to help you locate them.

Let me know if you find anything, will you?

Michelle::

Do the marks from bed bug bites appear hours after the bite? My 2 year old seems to have hives off and on lately. Today he had only a few spots when he woke up, but later in the day, he was covered in spots. Is it common for bed bug bites to appear later on like that? We have seen a few bed bugs and are taking measures to control them, but no one else in the family is getting marks like this. We aren’t sure if it is from bed bugs or from something else.

Smoky Mountain Problem::

I recently stayed at a (privately-owned) cabin in the Pigeon Forge area which I rented through HomeAway. The night prior to that, we stayed one night in a (nicer) hotel in Gatlinburg.

About day 3 in the cabin, my husband and I noticed bug bites. We didn’t think much of it because we had spent several hours the previous evening outdoors. Neither of us developed “welts,” so at least we are not having an allergic reaction. I emailed the cabin owner and she said that her pest control company checked it out and there were no signs of bed bugs. I am kicking myself because I ALWAYS check the mattresses and I didn’t this time because the cabin seemed so clean and well-kept.

I have not seen any actual bugs yet. We vacuumed everything, and have the suitcases sealed in plastic bags now.

Tiffany::

I had a question a few months back about bed bugs in a place I worked at temporarily and whether or not I could have brought them home with me. The good news is that I didn’t! The bad news is that I had another encounter with that place and now I’m a little worried all over again.

After my first encounter my company got an exterminator to come there and treat it. It was inspected and given the seal of approval by the exterminators that it was bug free! When my boss called me and asked me to work that location again he assured me the problem was taken care of so I agreed to go there….BIG MISTAKE.

I was there on Monday and while I’m sitting at the desk I feel something on the back of my neck. My natural reaction was to swat it off of me and so I did but I didn’t see what it was nor where it went. I thought nothing of it as there are a lot of bugs in that place and my boss assured me there were no more bed bugs.

The second day I was there which was today, I was about to close up at about 3:30pm. It was real cloudy out and so it started to get a little dark in the office. I was sitting there at the computer with a book I was reading right beside me. That’s when I noticed a bed bug scurrying along the desk toward the book. I immediately freaked, jumped up, ran outside and called my boss. He told me to just go home for the day but I could tell he didn’t really believe that it was a bed bug so I ventured back inside and trapped the one on the desk in a bottle to show him.

While doing so I turned around toward and old, dirty upholstered chair and there was another one crawling from the seam. At this point I was on the verge of a heart attack as I am afraid of ANY bug let alone a BED BUG!!!!! Luckily, I was smart this time around for the MOST part and I left my purse in my trunk so not to provide a venue for them to travel to my home (just in case my boss was wrong about their eradication) but for a brief period the first day for about 2 hours I did leave my purse on my desk while it was bright and sunny outside (hence, the source of my worries) but aside from that I only carried my book, my phone, a bottle of lotion and my car keys with me inside.

So after seeing the second bed bug, I grabbed my keys and phone only (left the lotion and the book) and went outside to wait for my boss because he was on his way to see the bugs for himself. When he got there I showed him and he took pics and got rid of the old, dirty chair (I think that was the main source of the problem) and when he threw it outside one of the wooden pieces on the bottom of the chair broke off and there were MORE bed bugs in it….yuck!!!!! So now it’s just sitting outside waiting to be thrown away. I have a few questions….

#1: Are the bed bugs going to stay in the chair until tomorrow when it is thrown out or will they just make their way back into the office or into a car that’s parked about 50 feet away? I’m asking because I have to go back tomorrow but I told my boss I am not willing to go inside the office so I will do my work from outside and during down times I will sit in my car which I’m going to park as far away from the office as possible.

#2: What are my chances that in that brief period of time (2 hours) that I left my purse on the desk, that a bed bug or two made its way into it? Keep in mind it was bright and sunny outside (I know they are nocturnal) and I didn’t see any that day.

#3: The guy for whom I’m filling in for has brought them to his house also and has an infestation there so he could be transporting them back and forth….what can my company do about this if anything? It’s costing them a fortune to keep treating the office only for him to still have them at home and bring them back to the office.

Your answers are much appreciated

Shayla::

I had bedbugs but it was by chance that I discovered them. I received a mattress and boxspring from my ex. I never slept on it until after having it for 6 mos. I had no idea that it was infested with bedbugs. I received bites 2 weeks after sleeping on I didn’t think anything of it because I live in the South and i get mosquito bites year often.
There was a story on my local news station about a school that had bedbugs and I realized that is what I have. So I stripped the mattress and the bed skirt I found small blood stains.

I threw the mattress out that night and washed my sheets. I ordered some bedbug spray online and I have been spraying the carpet. I either times sleep on the couch and on my air mattress and no longer have a traditional bed. I don’t have any bites. I still spray the carpet. I was lucky I only had about 10 bites, but I have a few permanent scars from the bites.

My advice that I give to anyone don’t buy any used furniture or take it!! Even if it is a close friend. If you have to please get it cleaned professionally!!

If a bed is infested with bed bugs, I’d throw it out…the entire bed and buy spray or get an exterminator!!

Good bless you…pray about it!

Ann W::

Last Sunday I started itching on my chest, arms, legs, stomach, pretty much all over my body. I had changed by bath soap and thought maybe that was it. I was also taking Cipro for an infection and thought maybe that was it. So on Monday the Cipro ended and I went back to my old soap. The itching continued. I Then on Thursday I woke up with these spots/bites all over my upper chest.. I’ve notice more mostly on my chest, stomach area. I thought maybe it was a spider bug bite, THen I was wondering if it might be bed bugs. I was freakin out. I tore my bed apart didn’t find anything. I called Terminix and thank God they had someone who came out yesterday. He couldn’t find anything and said most likely it was spider bites.
Oh I forgot to mention last weekend I took down some wallpaper in my bedroom and he said maybe that disturbed them. He asked me if I had been anywhere lately and I told him no. He said I didn’t have bedbugs. Then after he left I got to thinking I did stay at a Courtyard Marriott the 4&5 th May. That would have been a month ago. WOuld it take that long for the bedbugs to bite me. I didn’t get any bites at the Marriott.

Last night I put the tape around my mattress like some people had said and nothing was on it this morning. I again tore my bed apart and nothing. I have one of those Select Comfort beds so there is no typical box spring/mattress. Needless to say I didn’t sleep much. I had the TV on most of the night until around 4 this morning. I dosed on and off and kept checking for bugs through out the night and nothing. This morning when I got up around 5:30 I was itching like crazy on my upper chest. Rubbing my Tshirt over the area. Then a short time later I looked in the mirror and there was bright red blood splotches on my Tshirt. It was fresh not dried blood. I took it off and there was nothing nor nothing on my bed. I don’t know if it was from rubbing my self raw or a bed bug????

I don’t know what to do? I’m going to be gone for a week on vacation and I’m concerned now about staying with family. If I have bedbugs (even though Terminix says I don’t) could I bring them to them?

One more thing I just thought of. A couple of weeks ago I purchased a new bedspread. It was in a sealed zipped plastic bag. It didn’t look like it had been opened…could bed bugs had been on that.

Any suggestions would be appreciated…or comments. Do you think I have bedbugs???

Ann::

Have three questions. Am getting systematic now about narrowing in what the heck is biting me. Travel a lot, stay in a lot of (nice) hotels.

Have had recurring bite episodes on my body, for past 4 months. Sometimes on back, sometimes stomach, sometimes inside of knees and elbows, once on left hand. Not always but often in the bfast-lunch-dinner pattern.

Will have 10 to 30 over the course of several days, very itchy for 5-7 days, fade in 7-10 days. First time round, did the hot water / hot dryer / vacuum/ bedbug-proof mattress & boxspring covers routine, and thought i had won. But 2-3 weeks later, bitten again. Rinse, repeat, 4 times since late winter/early spring.

Landlord is super cooperative and willing to call in pro exterminator.

I am a fastidious house-cleaner, there isn’t a lot of clutter, bedding does not touch floor or wall, bedframe is antique metal, clothing always put away, cleaning lady every two weeks, frequent vacuumer.

Living in northern CA bay area older ranch rental house with wall-to-wall carpeting in most of house after 25 years in NYC with wooden floors. Moved here last summer, no symptoms or sign of bed bugs until after living in home for 6+ mos.

Bought crawl-up interceptors on internet and put under (metal frame) bed yesterday, intending to capture whatever this is before having exterminator come. This morning, a few pinpoints, and a spider.

Went to dermatologist yesterday, she did a biopsy on stomach bite, and ordered a full blood work. She ruled out scabies, hives, mosquitoes, but says it could be bed bugs, bird mites, rodent mites, or something else.

Landlord did inspection of attic and basement crawlspace 2 weeks ago, found very old mouse nest, blocked up some holes, and laid down poison. He is coming back today to do another look-see.

Neighbor has a chicken coop, about 30 feet from house on side where my bedroom is. But the actual chickens don’t come over to my yard.

Landlord and I have decided together to wait on any further action until (a) collected a specimen from the interceptors, and (b) have labs back from the doctor.

My three questions:

Have never been able to spot ANY “dirt”, eggs, or bugs anywhere, having searched very diligently. NOTHING. Is this unusual, and could it tilt in the favor of a mite not a bedbug?

Having 4 months ago gotten (expensive!) mattress and boxpring and pillow covers, and bought new pillows, and thrown away all the pillows that couldn’t be washed, should I now take them off and wash them, since the problem isn’t going away, and I can’t find any evidence of bugs anywhere, to see if there is evidence inside the covers? OR, should I not remove the covers for 12-18 months after putting them on, on the theory that there could be bugs trapped in there and it can take that long to die?

Why has my 12-yr old son, who sleeps in his own room of course, never gotten a single bite in this period, nor have any of my overnight guests, who sleep in the guest room?

thanks so much for anyone patient enough to read all this, who has a POV, for answering, esp you Jim. What a generous guy!

Tiffany::

Help me! I just started dating a guy who has bed bugs I never knew of such a thing until I found a bug on me and looked up bugs. I care about him so I am going to tell him.

Shaun::

Bug bites on neck from paranoid bugger
I guess i should start with the pictures…do they look like they could be bed bug bites? if you need more detailed info let me know.
thanks,
a paranoid bugger :/

Rena::

Bedbug Bites on Renas neck
Hi,

I was hoping that someone might be able to identify this bug bite.

I think it’s a spider bite but am not sure.

You can click on the image and it will enlarge.

Thank you.

Jeremy::

Bug bites on Jeremys left armBug bites on Jeremys right arm
Hi Jim. Here are a few photos of some of my bites. I had tons of them all over my body – from my neck to my butt.

My forearms were definitely the most severely attacked!

Thanks for your help,

Jeremy

ileana::

It’s been almost a week and I’ve been waking up to multiple bites all over the body. I know they are not flea bites because i react to flea bites in a VERY different way. and i know flea bites have sort of like a water bubble that forms on the center of the bite. But anyways, My kids have been sleeping in my bed, along with my husband, and they ( thank God) don’t get bitten. Do bed bugs like something in specific?

Bed bug bites on IleanaI looked all over my bed and couldn’t find anything that looks like a bed bug. I’m pretty clean and tidy so i have no idea where these bites come from. now, i did purchase a solid wood used bed bunk frames,( no mattress), for my children the weekend before i started getting my bites. could it be the beds came with bed bugs? I’m happy to find that the product DE is helpful to getting rid of bed bugs. I’m having some problem finding it here in my town, i live in a very small town and I’m afraid I’m not gonna find it here and I’m desperate. i want this itch to be gone!!!. if any one knows of a website that sells it at a reasonable price. please let me know.

By the way, Caladryl is a very effective product at reducing the itch from bed bugs. you’ll get immediate relieve.

The picture that’s along with this comment are my bites. They are on my right side of my thing.

Bed Bug Problem??::

Hello I have some skin problems for some time,one of them is a mild form of solar urticaria with minor skin changes in summer,then a bit dry skin and some skin sensitivities in general ( to rubbing etd…)

I am an ex-messie (my bedroom was often dusty in the previous years) and although I now clean it more regularly it seems a bit messed up still.
I had depression for some months and wasn`t very able and motivated to clean my bed every week,but I wasn`t abroad for a long time now.

And I just wonder why I get bad urticarial rashes from time to time without intense artificial light or long sun contact,no actual skin dryness or rubbing.

And it happens when I GET UP in the morning from bed,but sometimes starts also on evenings when I am still awake and on my bed in my room.
Sometimes I also wake up because of the itching.
These are some kind of red spots in a line or row,sometimes there are only a few but sometimes big local areas of my skin are affected.

And they are often on areas where I lay on the bed,like the ankles,feet,arms,hands,waist
Most of the spots are small,some few also look like allergic swelling and they are itching.
There are not only rows of three,also five or six such bites and sometimes I see a little bit in the middle of one,but most of the time I see nothing than the spots.
The spots always last between some hours and usually remitt within the day,but sometimes they are there for one day or even a bit longer….

My doctor always treated it with coritison creams as urticaria with unknow origin like the solar urticaria and it is like an allergic reaction.

I read about bed bugs some days ago in the internet and I really saw some little brown insects in my bed sometimes,but never thought much about it.

And I have also noticed a strange smell in my bedroom some time ago,it smelled like something burnt but also a bit sweetish like raspberries.

Do you think I could have bedbugs and what should I do next?
I don`t live in an own household.

Yours

S.L.

Cabin Nightmare::

Grosses Out:….. Where did you stay because we just returned yesterday the 16th from Gatlinburg and all four of us were bitten and my bites look just like yours? I called the cabin place and of course they said there were no sign of bed bugs….yeah hello people, you looked in the middle of the day. You wont see them. My bites keep appearing so now I am thinking I have brought them home!

Grosses Out::

Bedbug Bites on Back?We stayed in a cabin in Gatlinburg, TN from May 6-9th, today is May 12th and I woke up this morning with a ton of what looks like bug bites on my back.

Could it be bed bug bites just now showing up?

My son is covered in bites but I thought it was mosquito bites, another girl that was with us has bites on her torso.

Ugh I’m beyond disgusted!

nathan::

Bed bug bites on Nathans armJust noticed these bites this morning. I’ve also been to the river, so It’s a possibility they’re mosquito bites—although they itch more than any bite I’ve ever had.

I have about 10-15 on my right calf/behind my shin and several more in various other locations (upper arms, thigh, etc)

Do these look similar to what you guys have experienced with bed bugs?

emily::

also, if i had bed bugs and i slept in my moms room, would they travel to her room? how would they know where i am?

Chris::

One more thing – when we were getting bitten by bed bugs, my son happened to have hydrocortisone ointment 2.5% because he has eczema in some spots and I’ve always had to put this ointment on for him since he was born. I put some of the ointment on his bites, and they stopped itching him and cleared up pretty quick. The healing was so noticeable that I put some on my own bites – wonderful stuff if you have bed bugs bites! Just a tip!

julissa::

guys i am scared what do i do so bed bugs can stop biting me plsssss help! im scraed

Megan::

so i went over to my boyfriends place a few nights ago to spend the night, the next morning i woke up to find my side covered in bites, i knew right away that it was bed bug bites since i had delt with it before like a year and a half ago but the thing that i need help understanding is that he has been living there for quite some time and from the amount of bed bugs that were around, they have been around for some time as well yet my boyfriend showed no signs of bits or itching like i was. Now the question im asking is that, he is black and i am white, do bites look diffrent on diffrent skin types? and how are you able to tell? this would be so helpful to know what is going on!

Shirley::

Just got back from 5 days at Silver Legacy in Reno. On second morning found blood spots on sheets and found three bedbugs. Security is the place to call when this happens. They immediately moved us to another room and comped us two nights and are mailing us comps for two more nights in the future. We were able to catch two of the bedbugs to give hotel security. Room was to be checked that day 4/20/10 by exterminator. We sealed our clothing that might have been infested in plastic bags and laundry is being done as I write. We had not put our suitcases on the bed or floor of the room so we are hoping we escaped with bugs riding home with us!

mother2baz::

In regards to charity: I had the same problem. I am 7 mnths pregnant and they love my smell. I am having severe reactions to these devils. My son was attacked too. I took him to the doctor and they referred a dermatologist. They gave him cortisteroid cream called Triamcinolone Acetonide. I put it on me because my doctor wouldnt do anything for me. All of my sores started healing within an hour. They didnt go away yet but they are healing up nicely. I am still getting bit. Rubbing alcohol is good too. You need to get a professional exterminator to fumigate your home. I am in the process,… I just found out that I got infested by buying a very nice looking used sofa and loveseat. I threw it away yesterday. Sprinkle Borax all over your carpet and in laundry. I heard Diatomaceous Earth (found in garden section) will run them away. Put all clothes in bags and seal until worn. Buy bed bug spray also. Hope this helps you. I know how you feel. Ive cried several times due to this.

Charity::

Ok where to begin, we moved to the house we are living at now 3 years ago when we moved here it was filthy we had to clean and clean and paint and clean. I have had bites on my lower legs some on arms, hands higher back, tummy and the worst is my scalp.

Here is a picture of the bites (click to enlarge).
bedbug bites on charity

I have been to the DR and seen many different doctors and each had different opinions on what i had, everything from scabies to dermatitis to dandruff to acne. these sores are so itchy it almost is enough to drive anyone mental. I have spent hundreds of $$s on lotions, creams, shampoos and nothing i mean nothing has helped.

I live on benadryl its the only thing that sorta gives me small relief for short period. After reading and viewing photos of other stories i am almost convinced its bedbugs does anyone else suffer from bites on there scalp as well as there body? I tend to itch more at night time this is why doctors thought it was scabies but after over treating myself and my family we came to the conclusion that wasn’t it, I’m surprised i didn’t make us all sick as the treatment for scabies is toxic.

We have a new bed its only few years old and nobody seems to be suffering as much as i am. I am the type of person that when my kids came home from school with head lice i would go absolutely insane and compulsive with cleaning to the point of making the kids take there clothes off at the door when they got home and directly jumping into the shower.

I have tried everything now, if this is bedbug bites from what i read they can live almost anywhere and they can live without feeding for up to a year how on earth would you get rid of them without throwing absolutely everything you own either away or in bags i am literally going insane!

Please if anyone can help in anyway with any info it would be greatly helpful.

Liz::

Hi all…
I was on Puerto Rico last week, staying at the Wyndham Rio Mar. I was outside at dusk and felt painful bites on my legs, and immediately put bug spray on and felt nothing after – no itch, no pain.

Bedbug Bites on Legs of Liz

I Didn’t see anything on my legs. This was Wednesday. Thursday I awoke, and nothing… No visible bites, no itch. But then Friday I woke and there are bites all over my legs. Thinking they were sand fly bites, I started researching. But i read that they do not bite past the ankles usually, or jump more than 14 inches or so. Since I also have a few random bites on my arms (2) and smack dab in the middle of my back (1)

I am now concerned about bed bugs. We left the hotel before I could look in the bed, so I can’t investigate that way. Please look at my picture above, I think I see the discernible patterns of both 3 bites and linear bites, but my husband thinks I’m nuts. They were hard to see, so I circled them in pen to try to ID a pattern.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks

Kim::

My 8yod has many bites. I’ll take photos and check couch mattress although she slept on the couch. Please let me know if there are reports of bedbugs here, but do not publish hotel name YET: Comfort Suites, 505 Live oak, San Antonio, Tx

Ironically, we were just at the TexMed Clinic for an ear infection and I specifically asked the Dr about the marks on her cheek. She suggested it was an Oak allergy, and of course, this allergy just developed.
Thank you so much 2:20am in BEAUTIFUL San Antonio

Cindy::

I have a bed bug problem. Most of the bugs are too small to be seen, but, it has been confirmed by a pest control co that we have them! problem is, they can’t get rid of them!

We are renters, so, we can’t just try another co when management insists on using this one. Every time they treat or we spray, the bugs get real agitated and attack us even more. They are throughout the apartment and not just nocturnal. I found a juvenile one just hanging out on the wall in the hall middle of the day.

Also, my bite marks are not typical. They are just these tiny red dots the size of a pen tip or small purple welts that are just slightly larger. Also, I can feel the bites as they happen! Everyone says you can’t feel the bites, just the itch that happens later, as an allergic reaction to their saliva. But I do feel them and it is having a very bad effect on me. I am a nervous wreck. I am already stressed about being unemployed, having trouble with getting unemployment, and now I have these bed bugs that are becoming increasingly aggressive and large in #.

They are in my clothes, pooping,too. I feel like I am cracking up. I am cranky, yelling at my sweet husband, swearing like I never have before, struggling in my faith in Christ, terribly anxious, etc. This has never happened to me before. I don’t know what to do. The pest control company doesn’t know what to do except for the same thing which isn’t working!

The only good thing is that the bite marks are only noticeable when up very close and if you know what to look for-so, I can still show myself in public without looking like other people do when they’ve been bitten. Also, my bites don’t really itch. I can just feel the actual biting as it happens. No one else (to my knowledge) has ever felt the bite like this. The only other option to get rid of these bedbugs is to fumigate the whole place, which isn’t really available.

Even if we do get rid of these things, we have been told by pest control, that they will just return, because we live in an apartment building and unless the entire building is treated, they will just hide elsewhere until it is conducive for their return. Management will not pay for this unless everyone complains. We can’t move, either, until our lease is up, which won’t be until the fall. Any suggestion?

Marty::

I was sitting on my couch the other day when i noticed a rash like outbreak on my skin near my elbow….i didn’t feel anything at the time..2 mins later i had it behind both hands…again i didn’t feel any bites..there’s quite a number of marks too, like hundreds of them….is there anyway to get rid of these marks?

bed bugs suck! (hey they really do)::

got bed bugs from the motel 6 in orange. thought i was allergic to my laundry detergent at first . they have been massacring my lower back and ribcage for a week.

I found something that works for the itch:
childrens benadriyl anti itch gel (not the spray it isnt as good tried it)
it says: Immediate cooling soothing itch relief stops the urge to scratch , for kids 2 and up, for insect bites and poison ivy, oak and sumac.
active ingredient is : camphor

they weren’t kidding. it burns at first but in a min. it really cooled off and helped the awful itching.

these bites feel like no other itch from any bite Ive ever had and last longer than any bite too.

I read tea tree oil works for keeping them from biting. I’m gonna try that too in case they’re still around.

Hope this helps you too!
PS. I’ve had insomnia ever since I’ve been bitten. I’m sooo tired and itchy.

ave::

I woke up yesterday with some itchy bite marks on my upper leg and thigh, but didn’t think very much of it (I have no idea why). Today, there was even more. Again, didn’t think very much of it until I went to visit my parents and mentioned it to my mom who mentioned it could be scabies or bed bugs. Absolutely disgusted with both ideas, but after research.. I think she’s right with bed bugs. Ugggggh.

Now I’m scared of spreading it to my parents’ place!

kelly::

I recently stayed in a hotel for one night. I did not receive any signs of bites from the hotel. I returned home and 4 days later large welts/bites appeared on both forearms and across the back of my neck. During day 4-day 7 I received a few new bites. It is now day 11 and no new bites. I called the hotel and they did not seem surprised. I do not notice any signs of bugs in my home and have been washing sheets and checking daily.

Is it possible that the bugs were in the hotel and my bites appeared in a delayed response? Does this ever happen? I’m really hoping they did not come home with me!

Rhiannon::

I used to work at a resort in Airlie Beach, Australia… First time i ever encountered bed bugs, all 200 rooms had them. They replaced all beds, then the bugs re appeared, they were living in the cane side tables and bed heads as well as any other cane furniture.

They are so horrible, as i was a housekeeper, we used to have to close rooms down for a few days sometimes but vacuuming visible bugs and then spraying all areas where they were with straight methylated spirits used to work quite well. It smells but worked even better than the commercial pest control companies that we had in as it was something we could do on a daily basis.

Not long after myself and several others quit, the resort got rid of all their cane furniture, things like side tables and table and chair settings and all ensemble beds. Bedbugs are such horrible little vultures! They are like lice, without a host for a certain amount of time, they will eventually die.

Deanna::

I rented a rather old house last year and cosmetically it looked fine. In the winter months nothing besides mice a few warf rats and could hardly wait til my lease was up!

In July I had a bite, it is still raised from there it looked like hives and then went away. I thought. I have never heard of bed bugs, lice, etc etc, we never grew up with these sorts pf things in the north. I guess in today’s world it is common place.

I found this site because there is one distinctive thing raised bites with it looks like 2 pin prick bites at each sore other wise it reminded me of mosquito bites, Most were raised some were flat but what hit the spot was the pattern they leave. I have got bites in rows of 2 and 3 ,also clusters of them in places.

I have long nails and I know I should not scratch but I did. This happened on one buttocks, then around my abdomen, then on the other buttocks and both ides of my back and down my spine. The scars are bad and are brown,some are fading I hope they all do.

This will floor you, I have seen 34 doctors been tested for all sorts of things and not 1 doctor knew or had a clue as to what it is. I have great pics on my I Phone, if I knew how to send them to this site I would because I had emotional distress thinking it was some sort of disease.

Sometimes they bleed a little But the rows are the pattern of bed bug bites. I never had any sort of bugs and do not know if that house had them in it. I got mattress covers and this new house has all parque floors. I can not see that good but I still found no bugs. Already 2 of these bites appeared on my buttocks. One way I stopped all itching and got them healed was with hydrogen peroxide, I also got hibiclense to wash with so none got infection and Tea tree oil as a repellent, I read somewhere they hate the smell of that.

Did anyone elses bites get scabs? some of mine did. Tell me how to get the pics on here because this really shows bite patterns. I also know if you use a hot hair dryer on your mattress, iron it well the heat kills them.

Well God Bless us all from living through this nightmare. ah THE POST before me yes staph, you can get it from scratching, I uses Hibiclense it is for bacterial germs The small micro bacterial that can cause staph germs, First off I did ask the Lord to help me, I have well over 300 bites!

David::

Most of the pictures posted on this site look more like impetigo than “bed bug bites” — might want to look into this if your “bites” look like the ones posted here… especially if amber colored, fluid filled blisters appear…

Thanks for the help David!

For those of you unfamiliar with impetigo, it is a common skin infection and usually produces blisters or red sores often caused by bacteria that enters the system through a scrape or insect bite. It happens mostly with school age children and can be treated with antibiotic cream or oral meds although it usually clears up in about three weeks.

What does MRSA look like?Areas most affected are the hands, forearms, mouth and nose. Appearance in the form of small blisters – or – large blisters. The blisters break fairly soon after forming and leak for two or more days, then develop a yellow crust. Although usually not painful, they do itch.

Technically, Impetigo is caused by streptococcus (strep) or staphylococcus (staph) bacteria. Methicillin-resistant staph aureus (MRSA) is becoming a common cause.

Ava::

Hi folks, thought I’d share a picture of what my uninvited guests have been doing to me.

Bed Bugs have bit Ava on neckWe first discovered the bugs at the beginning of this year, after my son had been being chewed on for the better part of 6 months. We visited several doctors, were told that it was scabies, fleas, NOBODY suggested bedbugs, and it wasn’t until my son got up in the middle of the night one night complaining that his skin was crawling that we discovered his bedframe and mattress were completely covered in them. They have since migrated to my bedroom also, and I am also suffering badly from the bites.

Unfortunately, I cannot afford the prices that the exterminators charge, and my landlord says it’s not his responsibility because the bugs weren’t there when we moved in 5 years ago (which appears to be true). I am trying at home remedies currently, we have laid boric acid down today, hopefully this will help.

I have found that tea tree oil helps to negate the itchiness of the bites when applied directly, and I have also noticed that the bugs don’t like the smell of eucalyptus oil, so have been putting that on my pillow before going to bed at night, and have put a few drops in my hand cream.

Jen::

Hi Jim,

two weeks ago my husband and I spent the weekend at the crown plaza in Niagara falls and didn’t notice anything unusual about the room and didn’t get bit by anything that weekend. Two days ago, I was bit once on my left knuckle of my index finger, which I assumed was a spider bite but last night I was bit five times across the knuckles of my right hand (almost in a perfect line). Do you think it’s bedbugs? the bites look like tiny mosquito bites and they disappear after a couple of hours or so so I’m not sure…
Also, do you think I should hire a professional immediately or do some of the self-help approaches mentioned in this thread? your advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

Jen

Hillary::

Hi there! I was wondering if you could take a look at my pictures and give me your opinion on whether or not they are bug bites.

I have never been allergic to anything, and I’m positive it’s not from any soaps or cleaners we use. After finding your site I asked my dad to wash my bedding in case these are are Bed Bug Bites. However, when I told my mom that dad was going to wash my sheets she said she had done them about 2 weeks ago. These appeared about a week and a half ago. They’re not itchy.

Bed Bugs bite Hillary

The pictures are not very good, most of them were on my chest area so it was hard to get good pics, but these are pictures of the clusters on my sides along my ribs and neck. There are some random spots on my back and stomach too.

Any thoughts would be appreciated,

Hillary

Jim::

Hello Vanessa,

Those look like bed bug bites or a bad reaction to flea / mite bites, but it’s hard to be sure from the picture. You said you look for signs of bed bugs – are you doing an in-depth check or just looking on the sheet? See my bedbug checklist at the top of this page (menu bar) and make sure you’re looking everywhere.

I can’t count the number of times people have left messages thinking they checked everywhere and weeks later found an infestation – see those five pictures next to one another at the top of this page? The person who found those had been hunting for a long time before she found the source – what gave the bed bugs away (and a telltale sign) was the unusual smell. Have you smelled anything unusual lately?

Dust mites don’t bite, but there are other type of mites that produce bites that look like bed bugs – here is an excellent resource: idph.state.il.us/envhealth/pcmites.htm

Have your tired cleaning up the area real good (dusting, washing all the sheets and pillow cases with hot water, etc? Have you looked around with a flashlight early in the morning (4 – 5am)?

Let us know what you find out!

Thanks,

Jim

Vanessa::

Bed Bugs bit Vanessa I have pinkish / red spots on parts on my body. Its winter so I know they aren’t mosquito bites.

I get very itchy at night but every time I check my bed for bugs, I see nothing. I am vexed and have spots all over my legs. The picture to your left shows you what they kind of look like. The spots are extremely itchy. I am also getting a few spots on my hands. Any information will help.

Thank You,

Vanessa.

Patty::

hi i was wanting to know if joy from the entry on bed bug bites in march 2009 would let me know if she ever got any feedback on her issue…… you said that there were odors from your house and especially the kitchen and bathroom area? i have similar situation and have been waking up with 3 small red for about 2 inches apart in my chest area. They go away in about 2 weeks but then return in a different line but in the same area….. i loved all your questions cause you had all the same concerns i do, i just wanna know if you had any feedback ? thanks patty

david::

I have itchy flesh colored bites on my skin and I’m wondering if its bed bugs?? Also my arm is swollen!! If this is bed bugs why doesn’t the person i share a bed with have these bites?? I’m super confused someone please help.

nicole::

Hello again Jim and thank you for this site might i add. But the itchy swollen welts will appear for like 10-20 min and then disappear like it was nothing ever there, on my hand my thighs and my arms in certain spots, and i told you before that on Dec 13th I was at a hotel but later on when i was at home is when when i noticed that big itchy welt on my thigh. The welt vanished within 20 minutes then appeared on my arm and then the other arm and my hand while i was at home, and at work but they all went away with in 10 min.

Even though they itched i didn’t really have the urge to scratch them just wondering what caused them and why did they appear and were they from bedbug bites??? Do bed bugs travel with you or on our skin? i was hoping that they were hives because i read up on hives and they are the exact same symptoms, red, itchy swollen welts. lol i just pray that they aren’t from bedbugs and i didn’t bring any home!

Jim::

Picture of bed bug bites on James hands I’ve included two pictures that show where the bites occurred on my stomach and on my wrists below:

The latest bite was on my right wrist and this happened two nights ago. At the time of biting I felt nothing in my sleep. The bite occurred next to my watch band in both cases. This area still itches and has developed small blisters on the area. These bites have occurred over a period of about two months. On the stomach There is one in the center, one on the right side and one smaller near the left hip. I need to know if these bites are from bed bugs or spiders. Thank you in advance for this information.

nicole::

Hi Jim, or any 1 who is reading this, i was at a hotel on Sunday December 13th, 2009 and when i got home that evening i noticed a big welt like rash on my thigh it was itching and i started scratching it and noticed that it was indeed a rash i thought but like all the other stories it was itching and looked like a welt.

I have never seen anything like it but within 10 minutes it disappeared, then a few more popped up on me, itched and became welts and within 10 minunted or so they fade away, so this is the 3rd day and i was hoping that it wasn’t bedbug bites from an hotel and hopefully i didn’t bring them home with me!

Can you tell me once after you get bitten how long does the welt like rash stay on you? could it be that i got bitten by the bugs and my body just reacted to it later?? I’m just hoping its not from bed bugs, because I saw them Sunday and Monday; they would stay on my skin for about 10 minutes then vanish as if nothing was ever there!

Genny::

I slept at a hotel and immediately the next day i woke up with bites all over my body! The bites came in sequentials of 3 and I immediately notified the hotel manager. She informed me that there has never been an incident of bed bugs before and they found no signs of bed bugs in the room. But of course, she offered to do my laundry and dry cleaning and change my room.

Well the next day, I changed room (in the same hotel) and when I walked in the room, they had my clothes folded on the bed! How pointless. So I check the bed that night before sleeping and didn’t see signs of any bed bugs. Woke up the next morning and again I was covered with bites in 3s! Either the hotel room was infested as well or I brought them from the other room! So I change hotels and am okay for 1 week.

Before traveling back home, I bought a new luggage and washed all clothing and rubbed down toiletries with rubbing alcohol. 4 days after I return I see bites again!! UGGGHH. I checked my bed and my clothes and haven’t seem any sign of bed bugs. Whats happening to me? Should I hire an exterminator?

scott::

I am on a 2 month contract for work . After a few days i awoke with , symptoms on my ankles and feet, next day i awoke with arms neck and face covered in bites and swellings.

I went to doc and was diagnosed with scabies, bed bugs, given a script .The employer i have a contract with sent me home and so far i have lost 4 days of work. They are sympathetic but understandable will not let me return to work until i am cleared by doctor.

I moved to another hotel but am loosing pay and am incurring bills due to this attack!!!!!!!!! what steps can i take towards the motel. This entire experience is terrible, but i am an adult i cringe thinking this could happen to a baby or child !!

Charice::

Hi,

I am not sure whether or not i am suppose to write the comment here with the pictures or not, so i will just send the pictures in hope for some answers.

Bedbug bites on Charice's feet

I am living with bed bugs and my daughter seems to be getting bit the worst. She usually has a cluster of 3 or 4 bites but today i noticed her foot was covered in really hard bumps, they are red, sore, look kind of white on the tips and are very sensitive to touch.

These bug bites are very itchy as well but i’ve advised her not to itch. This camera has a very low quality but I am hoping someone can identify from them whether or not they are bed bug bites or some kind of rash. thanks.

BugmanKevin::

Hey Jennifer,

Those bites look exactly like what you would expect from bed bugs. Check the area where your feet lay and I’ll bed you’ll find them nesting close by!

Kevin

jennifer::

Photo of Bed Bug bites on Jennifers legs

Hi, these are on both legs, clustered around the ankles on the back of my legs.

VERY itchy, and when the first itched just a very small amount of pus was in them. We stayed in a very high end hotel on thanksgiving weekend and these appeared on the 11th day after our first night in the hotel. This is day 3 for the bites and my husband who sleeps in the same bed has not had any bites yet. In the hotel he slept in another bed (had children with us!) I think these fit the description of bed bugs, what do you think?

wayne g::

Started seeing some “rash” on my lower torso a few weeks ago. they would itch and then stop and go away after a shower so bug bites did not enter my mind at first. like so many mentioned i could not see any signs of bed bugs in my bed.

After reading these posts i checked a spare bed room. what is amazing i rented this room to a student from Saudi Arabia. he left his mattress in the room and it looked clean so i left it in the room; mind you he has been gone for over a year. after checking the mattress i found all of the signs of bed bugs. i just experienced them a few weeks ago so now the war is on.

The mattress was thrown away and i am going this evening for mattress covers for my mattress and i will try the boric acid someone mentioned around the base boards. luckily i can vacate my apartment in 30 days if the problem is not resolved. never dreamed this could happen to me!

Renny::

December 10, 2009 at 10:47 pm

Image of Bedbug bites on Renny's arm

Hi, I think I’ve been bitten by bedbugs to after reading articles from this site. Here are some pics of the bite that I got on my arm.

I’ve been suffering from it for 3-4 days.

It’s itchy (but I don’t dare to scratch it) and hurt (the skin area feels so dry). Every time i look at it, it brings me goosebumps. I’ve been trying to find the cure to it. Any suggestion? Appreciate it so much.

sandra skaggs::

Do bedbugs live in your hair? If so how do you get rid of them?

Amanda::

Hey guys. I have bites all over my body, mostly on my legs, we had bed bugs before in an apartment in April, but we threw everything except our clothes out and moved back to my husbands grandmas house for the time being, we washed all of our clothes of course. When we were in the apartment i was the only one getting bit and i am the only one getting bit now.

We haven’t had any signs of bed bugs again until a few days ago when i started getting bites, i thought it was ants, but i looked them up and they dont bite. is it possible that we brought them from the apartment, and they just haven’t fed for so long? we have looked everywhere for any signs of them or the stuff they leave behind, like blood stains or their shells and stuff. If its not bed bugs what could it be, and if it is did we bring them to his grandmothers house?

please help us.

Jami::

I have researched bedbugs for hours now. I believe my 2 year old son is covered in bed bug bites. I am a single parent with a 4 year old as well. Most nights we end up in the same bed (my bed).

Myself and daughter have no signs of any bites which leaves me puzzled. My children stay with their grandparents sometimes, but no one in that household has any signs of bed bugs. My children are in daycare which leaves my wondering if that is the source. The daycare, of course, claims they have no signs of bed bugs but I am not sure if they would tell me the truth. The kids take naps on a mat with there own blankets. The blankets are not brought home because the daycare states that they wash them every Friday.

Could there be BED BUGS AT DAYCARE?

tyleshia::

I work at a mental health home in Philadelphia and I’m getting bit by bed bugs while washing clothes and making up beds. What can I put on the bite marks to stop the itching?

Misty::

Gosh, I don’t have any signs of bedbugs, besides the bites, nothing in my bed, not any part of it, box spring, frame, nothing. But the bites are present. My husband and our child, live in one of the basement rooms in this house, my brother in the other, and my mom and dad have the rest of the house.

We had a problem this year with the dogs and cats bringing in fleas. We got that taken care of by fall, except I was the only one left being bit. I was freaking out. Big huge red hive like bite that are extremely painful. They itch like nothing I have ever felt, it will wake me up in the middle of the night burning and itching so so bad, and I am a heavy sleeper!

The whole household, said I was crazy and they there is nothing biting me. Thank God my husband got bit the last 2 nights, cause now I know I’m not crazy. Does any one know why they itch and burn so much? or why it feels like you are burning your skin off when hot water touches these bites?

I couldn’t help but laugh last night when my husband swore they were nesting in his hair. I told him to use lice shampoo if he was that worried about it, he did, but still got bit last night after doing so, and his hair is not long maybe a 1/4 inch. Once he got bit, that’s when they became real to him, but they been REAL to me for a month now!

Anyway, the big question I would like answered is why do whatever I am being attacked by bed bugs, do they choose certain people? Is it a temp thing, scent, or sight?

Keshia Johnson::

I just found out that i have bed bugs and it appears we must of had them for awhile without knowing. They are everywhere mostly eggs and larva in the bed mattress and under the couch in the kitchen cabinets. I did find some that was mature in my kids room in there mattress, but i threw that out. I didn’t know i had them until i watched a documentary on bedbugs on TV….

My questions: is this a problem I can take care of myself, or do I need to hire a professional? Considering we must of had them for awhile for them to spread over the house? Please, Please, Help!

Dawn::

Here are some facts about bed bugs:

*Bedbugs can live ANYWHERE, on anything, but typically will nest on a wooden, or fabric material close to where humans sleep.

*They are attracted to the carbon dioxide we breath out.

*They can live up to a year without feeding, while the female continues to hatch 1-5 eggs each and everyday.

*If you have only 3 adult females in your home laying for instance 5 eggs each per day, in six months time they will lay 2700 eggs!!!!

*A bed bug feeds by spearing the skin and inserting a tube with which it pulls out the required blood, and therefore the victim will rarely know they are being bitten as they are usually asleep

*After feeding – which may be as long as ten minutes – the Bed Bug leaves behind a red mark which might swell and will irritate continually, bringing irritation and discomfort to the sufferer.

*Bed bugs have 7 different stages in their life cycles, starting from their egg up to their adult hood! Each stage they do have different colors and appearances so it’s good to know what all stages look like so you can keep a better eye out!

*They BEST way to protect you mattress & boxsping (especially if it is particularly new) is to spend the extra money (it’s not cheap) on zippered mattress & boxspring covers! This will lock in any living bedbug and/or eggs that remains in. They can’t crawl through them or bite through them they are 100% stuck in there. Eventually they will die, but keep in mind they have been known to live over a year without feeding… so when I say “die in time” I mean a good year or more!

*If your living with a conjoined wall with your neighbor, such as a duplex, or apartment (etc..) then be very aware of the signs of bed bugs. If you neighbor catches them, chances are in time your will too! Then can very easily crawl through heat/air vents, cracks, floors, in between the walls!!! So make sure you IMMEDIATELY contact your landlord & MAKE THEM call in professionals!

*Bed Bugs do NOT fly!

*Bed bugs do generally climb up walls, or live on metal or plastic objects. However they can depending on if the infestation is bad enough!

Be very cautious of used furniture your buy!!!! This is the most common case of getting the infestation! Check extremely thoroughly for signs of bed bugs, or their shelling. Also clean extremely thoroughly so if any eggs are there they won’t hatch! Make sure you check underneath EVERYTHING, that is where the like to nest/lay their eggs the most!

Use common sense, and DO NOT take in mattresses, boxsprings, suitcases, etc.. that were in the TRASH!

Dawn::

My husband and I have been having horrible bites on us for the past couple of weeks. We have been so confused to what it could be because they were spaced out so far apart in time & we would only get 1 or 2 at a time and we had just bought a brand new $2000 mattress & boxspring! Also our son’s was not getting any bites, and his room is attached next to ours.

We did research and came to the only conclusion that it has to be bed bugs. Before doing any research, I thought only “filthy” places get them, but boy was I wrong!

We got in contact with out landlord about this situation, and they told us the people that live above us (we live in a triplex) were complaining of the same problem. A pest control company immediately came over, and told us they knew what the problem was from. Our neighbors attached onto the side of us, a couple of months earlier had bought a used dresser. Their son was complaining about bug bites, so his mother one night went into his room with a flashlight, checked on him, and sure enough he was covered in them! (GROSS!!!) They took full precaution over there, got rid of their furniture & the pest control company came in, and spayed their whole house down!

Now stupid as they are, didn’t bother to spray down the whole triplex! They bugs can very easily climb through the walls, cracks & vents… (which they ended up doing!)

My husband and I spend the INTIRE day literally 15 hours cleaning our entire house from crack to crack. Vacuumed & Lysol EVERYTHING! Bagged everything else. The pest control is coming to spray the entire place tomorrow. & we are praying that we can save our new mattress & boxspring by getting it thoroughly cleaned and buying covers for them!

We know we don’t have a bad infestation, because there is NO evidence ANYWHERE of any (and we checked many places many of times!!!) We also do not get bit very much. I do know that female bedbugs can day anywheres from 1-5 eggs A DAY! So a little problem can certainly turn into a BIG problem in a very little amount of time. So if you suspect in ANYWAY that you have bed bugs… CALL A PROFESSIONAL IMMEDIATELY!!!!!!!!!!!

Jeanette Barnett::

I lived in a apartment that had bedbugs really bad. I told the landlord who did nothing. Wow me and my kids live there and my 16 month old son was bitten and had a horrible allergic reaction that lead to him going to the hospital. He was giving some ointment and then was to see another doctor for more tests. We have now moved and he doing so much better….. ”Thank god”

tony::

hi
i was woken up in the middle of the night with a sting on my inner thigh. i got out of bed and looked at the area stung with nothing there. the sting was very painful. a few days later i notice a small rash about 10mill wide. only one bite. could this be a bed bug bite?

help::

Hi,

I was recently staying in an unclean hotel where I experienced itchiness and crawling sensations on my sleep. I discover a flat brown object, but after ‘thorough’ inspection I believed it was nothing. Now I have developed itchy pink bumps all over my body.

Do you think I have bed bugs? If so what should I do?

Bobby Annoyed::

2nd time I have had to deal with bed bugs.

The first time I got them from a Vegas hotel.
This time, I got them a ranch I stayed at. We have advised the ranch, I hope they exterminate!

Its about 5am and I work up about an hour ago with more bites… three in a row.Anyways, I just caught one and have ziplock bagged it alive. I hope there are no more, or no eggs.

This one looks like a stage before adult

Ive got about 30 all over my arms and legs combined.

They are annoying itchy and take forever to heal. i would trade for a mosquito bite any day.

The swelling will be there for about two weeks from previous experience.

Brittany::

i have bites all over my legs. ive been sleeping on an air mattress for a while now…do they have bed bugs in them?

JL::

I get so fed up with doctors who shoo their patients away with “these are spider bites”. That is hooey! Spiders do NOT crawl out of the woodwork to feed on you at night. But lots of other things actually do!

Chances are your bites are:
1: mosquitoes if it is the season

2. fleas if you are getting mostly ankle/foot bites, remember if you have been out of the house for a while, your return will trigger the larvae to pupate and hatch…and then feed on you.

3. bedbugs, which hide in crevices in the walls and mattress, out of the light, during waking hours. So small you may not see them even if looking hard for them.

Bites can turn into sores, and rashes if scratched, and those can both get infected with bacteria. So while the bites themselves are just itchy and unsightly, if mismanaged they can turn into long term miseries requiring treatment.

Anne::

I was getting bites about once every 10 days–usually 2, but sometimes just one. My landlord sent the exterminator and he couldn’t find anything in the inspection, but did go ahead and spray around the bed, vacuumed, etc.

I got bed bug covers for the mattress and boxspring and did all the laundry. A couple weeks later bitten again. Had the exterminator back–still nothing found, although he treated again. Then, a couple of nights ago, developed a couple of bites on my collarbone, two more on my arm, while sitting on the couch.

The next morning I finally found a live bed bug on my bed –killed it. Later that day a couple more bites popped up. The exterminator came back, treated again. I had sealed most of my belongings after washing into locking plastic bins, but I’m washing them again.

A friend who had a problem lent me her Packtite it heats up to 130 degrees for 4 hours so you can heat treat things that can’t be washed, like shoes, purses, etc. I threw out my couch pillows and throw rugs. The exterminator treated my couch and I sprayed the seating areas with alcohol after a thorough vacuuming. Of course threw out the bag. Vacuumed everywhere.

Tonight, developed another bite mark under my arm. I’m going crazy!!! Will they still come out for awhile after treatment? How long do I give it before I pitch everything and move far away?

john m::

I rent a room from a boarding house. $600 a month. The rande lodge Groton CT. When you report the bed bug problem to the manager you receive a eviction notice and are forced to move. I would like to know where to report this.

CT Health Dept / CT Housing Authority I am unable to find the correct Dept that takes complaints

nancy cavanaugh::

i was told that if you spray lavender tea tree oil on your mattress, it will kill bed bugs. needless to say, after coming home from the Holiday Inn, i washed everything and sprayed the tea tree oil on the mattress and all over the house. we will be taking a spray bottle with us when we go on vacation.

nancy cavanaugh::

my insurance company arranged a stay at a local hotel for me while our house was being repaired due to water damage. my husband stayed home with our pets. i developed a rash on my chest after a few days, went to Kaiser and the doctor confirmed that it was due to bed bugs. I contacted the manager who told me he checked the room, didn’t find anything, and was going to rent the room. I’m wondering what the best way is to approach this. so glad i found this site!

lily::

I just came back from a 3 day trip to Miami, and I have 3 small bites, I am worried it is bed bugs do I need to treat everything I brought home as if I they are bed bugs?

One on ankle, one on finger, one on collarbone, small bites not overly itchy.

If they are bed bugs what are the chances I have a brought some home.

I am freaking out reading all these stories. Help!

Angel::

Hey Jess,

What I think you have is a case of bedbugs because I went through the same thing as you, before I actually found a bedbug. I itched through my clothes so I thought it was the soap I was using. Before I can give you any real advice I have to try a couple of things myself first.

The first thing I am going to do is have this black mark on the back of my leg checked out at the hospital. I am going to get rid of every cloth material I have, including some clothes. I am doing this because event hough I have washed my clothes I still itch bad with my clothes on as if something small is biting me. Also I am going to Med X to buy some body lice shampoo.

After all of these things I will let you know how things went in a couple of days. If anyone can help with how to get rid of bedbugs 100% please do.

Your help and concern for others is more than appreciated.

Angel::

Thank you Ross for the bedbug pic. My daughter and I were making the bed together and found a bedbug! I could not believe it! I thought I was itching due to an allergic reaction to soap or something. I could not sleep in my bed so I have been sleeping with my children successfully without any bites or itching but you cannot be to careful.

With that said, I will get rid of everything in my house carpet, furniture, beds, linen, and pillows. What else can I do? Does anyone know if a tiny black mark on the back of a leg would have anything to do with a bedbug? I am going to the emergency tonight to find out if it is related to bedbugs. I will let you all know if it is.

Thank you all again for sharing your personal stories with us.

Debra Dunbar::

I just stayed at a motel in Dayton, Ohio called The Travels Motel. They have a bad case of bed bugs! my advice is don’t stay there!!!!!!

Jess::

I have been noticing little bumps, normally several next to each other, all over my body. I have them on my stomach, back, arms… Recently i moved into a new apartment. I have also recently gotten a new kitten. At first i thought they were flea bites, but after investigating my kitten there is no evidence of fleas. We have seen quite a few spiders in our apartment, but would a spider bite regularly and over layers of clothing? I have researched this all day… Could they be bed bugs? And how do i know for sure? Please help!!!!!

Leah::

So I moved into a new place and everything was great. 2 and 1/2 weeks in I bought a coffee table and 2 end tables off craigs list. I started noticing bites after that. Could not figure out why. I bought hard wood solid furniture with glass. There should be no problem. A few days after I had a few bites on my neck and a rash on my chest and back.

I’m Still trying to figure it out. Went to a doctor who agreed the welts on the neck were bites ( just not sure from what) and the rest is looking like rash or exposure. So thought I’d be proactive and protect myself either way. The Diatomaceous earth that is non toxic to spread around your home is something I got. I went to a pet store to get it and they only had 4 pound bags. Well I better get a garden cause that’s alot of stuff.

Anyway different articles have different write ups on how to use it. Always wear a mask was the same all the way through but that was it. So you take the ‘food grade diatomaceous earth‘ and spread it around contaminated areas.

Some articles said to put it sound your bed frame and keep your bedspread off the floor so they could not use that to get up and force them to crawl through the dust. You are to leave it out- one article says overnight another to leave the house for 3 hours then come back and vacume. But are you suppose to wear a mask when you vacumme? I didn’t think so but I have a bagless vacumme and my sinus cavities and throat got irritated when I used the vacumme and no mask.

Took another look and it talks a bout the vacumes that have paper bags and wonder if they keep the dirt from escaping into the air better than bagless. Need more info on this dirt cause the bag I bought at a pet store had no precautions or real directions. I know if I’m going to dust to wear a mask, but how long until the air is ok? Do I have to leave for awhile after treating for bedbugs? Wear a mask while vacumming. Also one site said you should put a little of the diatomaceous earth in the vacume bag to kill them. Is that ok or will it get in the air

Emily::

I recently have been bitten by what seems to be bed bugs, see the picture below.

Picture of Bed bug bites on Emily's arm

I have washed all of my clothes and linens and they are all in dark, plastic garbage bags. I read somewhere that placing the bags in your car could help with making sure anything left will die…is this true?

I don’t want to spread them any where else, but I also don’t like the idea of living out of plastic bags for the next two weeks. The exterminator is coming tomorrow and I’ve looked all over for signs of bed bugs, but haven’t found any.

The doctor said that the bites are from them and we’ve previously had an outbreak of bed bugs like a month ago in the dorms where I’m staying. I have pics I can send if you’d like them.

Thanks for any info you can give.

Amy::

Bed Bug Bites on abdomen by Amy

These are pictures of my fiance’s abdomen.

These showed up yesterday. Any idea if they are from bed bugs? We looked in the room but only found one random dead bug, that quite possibly isn’t even a bed bug.

I would post a pic of that but while I was trying to pick it up without touching it, it disintegrated. :(

ang::

I have bites but they do not itch, at all….how do i know i have Bed bugs?

Andrew::

Picture of Bedbug bites on Andrew's arm
I would like you to investigate: Powell Hotel
28 Cyril Magnin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 398-3200

Stayed 5 nights in October 2009 in this horrible hotel and got covered in terribly itchy bed bug bites which caused a great deal of distress (especially when I was unaware what was going on to my body), effectively ruined a very expensive and potentially rewarding holiday, affected my income (stopped work for a while) and subjected me to the risk of hepatitis B and risk of carrying this bug to my home. Picture of bites on my arm below:

Management have been indifferent to my mail!!!

Jessica::

I have been getting bit by something for a few months now. It first started at the end of summer and I just thought I was getting bit by mosquito so I ignored it.

I get horrible reactions to bug bites (the bite turns into the size of a grapefruit the swelling gets that bad) But once summer was over I still have been getting the bites. They usually are in rows of three and its only once a week that I get new ones. They are very painful, itchy, red and warm to the touch and they swell pretty bad.

Then I found out my niece who takes care of my daughter has bed bugs in her home and I wondered if they got on my daughters backpack or clothes and I brought them to my home. However I have been searching and cleaning everywhere and yet I have not seen one bed bug and I am the only one that is getting bitten.

If I do have bed bugs wouldn’t they be biting my husband also? And I only get three bites in a row and not a bunch like others I have read. Do I have bed bugs?

thevoiceofpower::

If any one is being affected by bedbugs as far as sickness and disease go PLEASE LET ME KNOW. The government and board of health is refusing to treat bedbugs because they say it does not pose a health problem BUT I have read enough post on this web site to see and hear that there is a clear risk of attracting an illness from these bites so report it so that I can help build a case to fight back and get the voice of the people heard and responded to.

Sharon M.::

Why do I wake up with welts on my thigh? I’ve checked my bed for bed bugs and haven’t seen a thing. I spray, cleaned and disinfected my mattress and nothing.My husband also shares the same bed with me and he has yet to experience anything. He says he’s fine and cant figure out why I am the only one to experience the welts. Please help me…I am running out of ideas and so frustrated from lack of sleep of waking up with welts again and again.

Carly::

I’m renting a room in an apartment. We’ve had bed bugs since about June. The apartment has been sprayed about a dozen times but we still find them. I use to get bites EVERY night from June through August. I thought it was never going to end and then one day they just stopped.

I haven’t gotten any bites. The other day however I found a small bug, filled with blood, but dead on my bed. And I found what I think is a shell on my bed. I’m wondering if you can stop being allergic to bed bug bites? I used to react like crazy.

I’ve had dozens and dozens of bites that would always itch so bad it would drive me crazy. When it stopped I assumed the bed bugs had left my room finally, but could it be that I’m just not reacting? I’m going to be moving soon, and I would really not like to take these things with me.

Victoria::

I slept at this hotel and woke up at six with no problems what so ever then at eleven had dime size welts all over my arms that were extremely itchy.

When i got home i put my suitcase in the closet and haven’t washed those cloths since, there sitting in the hamper. i went to the emergency room after three days when the swelling wasn’t going down and he said he couldn’t tell me anything but that they were bug bites.

Now a week later, i still have tiny bumps but no more new ones. should i have taken more precautions with my clothes?

mandy::

There have been 2 times where me and my little one has been bit by something, perhaps a bed bug. My foot started hurting and when i looked at it there was a big bump so i squeezed it and puss came out and a black thing and it looked like it wanted to go back in to my skin.

Today, my little girl started screaming and so i cheeked her back and the same thing happened and there is a little back mark in her skin and she says it hurts a lot so if there is an answer please get back to me so i can figure how to get rid of it.

Lee Shaw::

hi guys, I wanted to let some of you know that they apparently come out at night time, when you’re asleep, there’s a company here in Australia that has released these special cylinders to go around your castors so when the little buggers crawl up your bed at night they don’t get far, they get trapped in a special glue and die in it. apparently they leave the bed when not feeding and hide, if this is true, invent your own way of controlling how ANYTHING Could crawl up those castors onto your bed!

[bed-bug-bites]

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