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Bedbug bites can leave serious damage on the skin. While most bites shouldn't leave permanent marks, they can scar if you pick, scratch or irritate the bites. Thankfully, there are ways to treat bedbug scars and marks. From topical remedies to more intensive treatments, you have a variety of options when it comes to removing bedbug scars. Be persistent in your treatment plan and you'll see the scars fade over time.

Chemical peels

Laser treatment

Rub a scar treatment cream or ointment onto the scars. Onion extract is a key ingredient in such topical treatments. You can find such creams in most drug stores and pharmacies. You'll need to apply the ointment to the scars twice daily for at least two months before seeing results.

Apply silicone scar treatment sheets to your scars. Available in drugstores, these sheets must be applied to the scarred area and left there for several days. Once you remove the sheets, the scars will be lighter and less noticeable.

Use a circular motion to massage your bedbug scars. Repeated massage will help to break up scar tissue so that the scars fade more quickly. It also encourages circulation so the skin can be better nourished.

Talk to your dermatologist about skin bleaching cream. Often, new scars are pink, red or purple in color. Bleaching cream can help to lighten your scars so they better blend in with surrounding skin. While there are bleaching creams available over-the-counter in most cosmetic and drugstores, you can get higher strength creams via a doctor's prescription.

Get chemical peels. Chemicals will react with the top layers of your skin, burning them away. While it will take a few days for your skin to heal, it will appear smoother and less scarred once it does. Chemical peels are available in different strengths, ranging from light to deep. Your dermatologist will be able to advise you on the appropriate strength for your scars.

Try laser treatment. A dermatologist or licensed practitioner will use a laser's light on your bedbug scars. The light will break up scar tissue and rejuvenate your skin, making it smoother and less damaged. With repeated treatments, you should be able to completely get rid of your bedbug scars/

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Originally posted here:
How to Get Rid of Bed Bug Scars and Marks | eHow

How can I treat a bedbug bite?

Bedbug bites should go away within 2 weeks. In the meantime, you can try an over-the-counter (OTC) hydrocortisone cream or lotion on the affected skin to relieve the itchiness and swelling. An OTC antihistamine pill or cream called diphenhydramine (brand name: Benadryl) may also relieve itchiness caused by bedbug bites.

Its important to avoid scratching your bites as much as possible. Scratching can damage your skin, which makes it more likely to get infected.

If an OTC cream doesnt relieve your itchiness, you may need to ask your doctor about a prescription-strength medicine to treat your symptoms.

If your bedbug bites become infected, talk to your doctor. You may have an infection if the skin around your bites becomes red and swollen, you have a fever, or your bites blister or become sores. Your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic to treat your infection.

If you have a severe allergic reaction to a bedbug bite, see your doctor right away.

If you have bedbugs in your home, wash all of your pajamas and bedding in hot water and dry them in a hot dryer, or freeze them for at least 24 hours. Vacuum all of your furniture, especially your mattress and its seams. If your mattress is infested, either replace it or cover the mattress and box springs in plastic covers. Fix any cracks in your furniture. Fill and seal any cracks or holes in the walls or floors.

If your infestation is severe, you may need to contact a pest control professional. Ask questions about what chemicals they use, and be sure to keep children and pets away during spraying.

The rest is here:
Bedbugs | Treatment

Although we have a ton of pictures and their associated stories throughout our site, many people still ask what do bed bug bites look like; below you will find a sample of pictures of bed bugs and their bites. We have a ton more pictures of people bitten by bed bugs, just visit our Bed Bed Bites link in the menu bar above.

Although small in size, you can do a quick inspection to make sure you dont have something similar, such as when staying at a hotel. They dont hide in plain sight and this end of the mattress was covered and facing the wall.

Below, youll see a picture submitted by Ross showing exactly what bed bug bites look like. This happened during a stay in a cabin at Yellowstone National Park and was not limited to his head, but also over his entire body!

Whats most disturbing about these images, are that these people were attacked in the middle of the night and never felt a thing! The bed bugs injected their own form of anaesthetic into their human victiums and simply feed until they were full!

You can also see a bad reaction to bed bugs as they made a meal of Julios arm and below, you can see the bed bugs and damage they can do!

The image below is from Monica and serves as an excellent example of the bite pattern of bed bugs!

A special thank you to Ross, Monica and Afraid to sleep at night for sharing these pictures with everyone around the world!

If you have a bed bugs photo you would like to include, please send me an email with the picture attached to badbedbugs@gmail.com; this not only helps you, but helps others figure out what bed bug bites look like and possibly identify their own bites.

Sandy::

For about two months now Ive had incredibly itchy skin and random marks all around my body. Im often woken in the night because the itching is so intense. Ive been to the doctor and they suggested it might be scabies but Ive only ever got a few marks so think its more likely to be bed bugs.

I have been staying in two different beds, could I have brought the bed bugs from one to another? Ive never seen the bed bugs and have a mattress protector. The itching and lack of sleep is driving me insane! I now have several red dots on my body, some have a black spot in the middle. Is this the result of a bed bug?

Michael::

A few months ago I noticed a bug on my bed as I was getting reading to go to sleep. I had never seen a bug like this before. I killed it and have not seen any more since. Seeing these pictures of bed bugs on your site, reminds me of what that bug looked like. I dont experience any itching or redness on my body however. It is possible that there was only one bed bug or am I wishful thinking? Once you see one, does it mean there may be several more or eggs that may have been laid?

Susie Thomas::

Hi! My name is Susie Im up now trying to figure out what can you do when your neighbors are very nasty and Chicago Housing Authority (CHAange) wont evict these residents. Ive lived here for 17 years and never had beg bugs until they relocated residents from other developments without inspecting the units they were in. Before I moved into my unit my furniture was sprayed before I can into a new unit, now they have stopped spraying because of lack of funds. What can residents do to get nasty neighbors to clean up?

Laura Emily::

For the last several months I was getting red welts all over my body. It seemed to occur after spending the night at my boyfriends house. I questioned him, but he advised me he thought they were stress hives. The welts appeared two more times after that.

I saw a physician and a dermatologist, both of whom were clueless! Finally, I had the boyfriend come over to my apartment with his sheets. We had conjectured that I was allergic to his laundry detergent. In hindsight, this was a huge mistakehaving him wash his sheets at my houseas he later revealed he had a horrific mattress infestation of bed bugs the month following.

Two months later, I started getting the welts again. They were smaller and less pronounce. Last night, I found a bed bug. Ew! I captured it, put it in a sandwich bag, and smashed it with a spoon only to watch blood spatter all over the interior of the bag. I have brought this to the attention of my apartment complex.

Matt::

Sandy, I had a condition that drove me crazy when I was like 20 yo. It sounds quite similar to what you are experiencing. Have your doctors treat you for a Norwegian mite infestation. Its the same treatment for scabies I think (quell shampoo etc) See if the problem doesnt end with that.

Sherry::

I got bed bugs from buying a used bedroom suite from an apartment dweller. They didnt have any furniture in their apartment, so I thought they were getting new furniture. It never dawn on me that they were battling a bed bug problem nor that they could be transferred from a headboard, I only got the the wood furniture, not the mattress. I had an experience with bedbugs as a child and I could feel them bite.

I started getting really itchy bumps I thought was nerves: until I found a brownish mess on the side of my mattress and on my sheets there was also little blood spots, I thought was because I scratched my bumps too much. After closer examination I realized they were bugs and I remembered my experience from childhood.

Ive got them under control for now. By: hauling the invested furniture to the dump, treating the mattress and carpet with bed bug spray, from Lowes and also spraying 91% alcohol on everything, especially rubbing the alcohol in the seems. I also, encased my box springs & mattress with dust mite proof mattress covers.

Tyla::

My partner and I just moved into an apartment together about a month ago and within the last week Ive had my left leg bitten 3 or 4 times. The bites get badly swollen, ending up to be about 2 or 3 inches in diameter; theyre extremely itchy, hot to the touch, and burn after being itched.

I asked her if she was getting bit too and she said no, that nothing is happening to her. Our bed is up against the wall and I sleep on the side against the wall. Could this be bed bugs?

Hi Tyla,

Can you send me a few pictures? Send them to the email address located at the bottom of this page.

Thanks!

Jim

Nicole::

Can u only get Bed Bugs if you have a wooden frame? I think ive got bitten by them but ive got a metal frame and no bed bug infestation. But my bites are all over my legs and look Bed Bug bites

Hayley::

I have wooden frames on my bed. I dont see any bed bugs or dust mites. But I have recently just got bitten by one of them . The bites are all over my back my legs my arms neck and some parts of my face. I dont know what to do. I cant bring myself to sleep in my bed. If it is these horrible little creatures how do I go about gettin ride of them.

Julia::

It sounds like Hayley might have scabies which there is a cream you can put on to get rid of it. If you have bed bugs you will eventually find one on your sheets or bedding. They can hide in the walls or the cracks of the floor or even in your mattress. You should get mattress and pillow covers, and you can also spray to get rid of them. the scabies you just have to wash your bedding in hot water and then make sure to get the cream and maybe the antihistamine pill if your rashes are worsened by an allergic reaction.

Chambers::

Michael says: January 19, 2010 at 3:36 am A few months ago I noticed a bug on my bed as I was getting reading to go to sleep. I had never seen a bug like this before. I killed it and have not seen any more since. Seeing these pictures of bed bugs on your site, reminds me of what that bug looked like. I dont experience any itching or redness on my body however. It is possible that there was only one bed bug or am I wishful thinking? Once you see one, does it mean there may be several more or eggs that may have been laid?

- Micheal have you got a reasons to your question about wishful thinking on only having perhaps just One bedbug? I recently took over a different bedroom in my house and got bit by a bedbug, I did however find One, and killed it.. Im praying there was only one but I dont know how they work, am i also wishful thinking?

Kirstin::

Im a bit confused with my situation. I woke up a few days ago with five bites on my right leg, three around my knee and two on my shin.

I am thinking it was just a mosquito I ignored it. But within the next day or two I noticed three bites on my left arm, and two on the inside of my bicep. I showed a coworker who said it was spiders, but I checked over my entire room andno spiders! Now I have one more on my left arm, one on my hip and the other on my abdomen.

I checked the internet and found this bed bug site here, so Ive been checking my bed and blankets for bed bugs (in fact all my sheets are getting washed right now, haha), and Ive now vacuumed my bed and the surrounding area.

But the thing is, I didnt see anything. No feces, no bugs, no curious stains. I took some pictures of the ones on my arm, but they look kind of different from any of the images on the bed bug site. I was wondering if perhaps you could help?

Any help would be greatly appreciated, thank you!

I forgot to mention I work over nights, so I sleep during the day. I have good blinds so my room can get pretty dark during the day.

Jo::

I have had particularly itchy skin for a while on my body, even on parts of my body where I dont have eczema, and especially on my head. Though my head has been checked and theres nothing there either. A few days ago I started scratching my skin and I noticed there were two red, circular marks with lumps beneath them. The next day I found another, and my friend said they may be flea bites, but I have three cats and with past experience knew they were not. But this morning I woke and noticed three red circular marks on my right arm, but they werent itchy until I poked one. Waking up with these marks, I decided to ask my mum what she thought they may be and she suggested they could be bed bug bites, do my bite descriptions sound accurate? Also if they are, how do bed bugs get from on top of my mattress and through the sheets?

Leatha::

Sandy, If they have black dots in them chances are that its scabies.

Jessica::

Well I just started to this itch two nights ago and I dont no from what. At first I thought it was just a bug bite but so itchy and I showed my mom she says it maybe bedbugs so i moved into another room I hope it is not. and I just changed my bed sheet a few days ago. The itchiness is OK its sort of pink and look like mosquito bites. Im thinking I might have irritation but I dont no. The size vary but looks like mosquito bite. Can any1 help me . This itching started when I washed and changed blankets they were clean. Only begun when i washed my bed sheets and everything and got my summer blanket.

How long do they itch because mine dont itch for very long maybe an hr and wen I itch it it turns red but wen it calms down u cant really c it.

Update: Like is it only there fir a little while and next morning the bites will begone so is that a bedbugs

Alex::

Hi,

I woke up the other morning with a red hive type thing on part of my middle hip. I thought it mightve been an irritation spot, so I let it go, but I think its gotten worse.

It is pinkish and swollen, also pinkish around it too (it looks like under the skin). It is painful, especially when I sit down, because it hits my leg.

Also, today, I noticed a little thing sticking out of a small part of it. It was very tiny, but I continued to pull it out. After I did, this yellowish type thing came oozing out, and I had no idea what it was. It stopped coming out after a while, and I washed it with soap and water, and iced it. The swelling has gone down, but it is still pinkish and painful.

Any idea what this is? I just washed my sheets and have never experienced this before, so I dont know if it is bed bugs or not.

Jim::

Hi Alex,

This does not sound like a bed bug bite, but rather a spider bite!

wyatt::

i have just recently started getting these red spots on my legs that look like little pimples, can they be bed bug bites? ive never seen them but i do work for a furniture leasing company is it possible i brought them home? i cant figure it out please help

Jim::

Hi Wyatt,

Send me some pictures of what you think might be bed bug bites and well go from there.

molly::

recently i got this spot like thing on my arm and i havent really bothered with it but it has developed into a scanb i also have them on my bag and stomach and my chest they are oval shaped slightly red with a rough surface and i have no idea what they are?

Heather::

A few weeks ago I found a bug that looked like a tick. This is the second specimen of this bug on an all white bed-during the daytime. Sadly, many months after the first one. I didnt think much of it until I searched the internet out of curiosity. To my horror- I think we have bed bugs! Apparently, while this is an increasing problem- it doesnt seem to be out in the mainstream.

After much reading, panic and finally resignation- I decided to contact my pest control company. Based on my reading-I was not pleased with their plan of action. The guy told me they would steam treat and spray. Nothing was mentioned about what I should do to prepare or how these things require ongoing treatment.

So- I bought every product that seemed to be logical and enable me to try to get some control over the situation. This includes a steamer that reaches recommended temp, Nightwatch, a DIY kit with Mother Earth, Cyonara 9.7, Pyganic Dust, Sterifab,Bedlam and Gentrol. I also bought mattress covers and every other item that someone had used or recommended. I know that I will need to supplement my efforts with the chemical treatment and that its not the only thing that will resolve the problem.

So, I am getting ready to wage war and it feels like it may be a war. My question is- if I manage to control them in my bedroom- will they move to the living room and use my cats as a source of food? I live in a single family home. I have just completed a major renovation- bought mostly new furniture and fear that if I dont start out with a finite plan- I may make the problem worse. I simply dont trust the info I am getting in my area on the treatment of bedbugs and therefore feel compelled to do it myself armed with logic over emotion.

I would really appreciate any advice from current or past warriors who are effectively treating this issue. Tired before Ive begunHouston

Jess::

I woke up with what I thought was a rash. A curved line of little bites grouped in 3. SO itchy and so gross. The bites have no hole in the center. They are on my hip and stomach. They definitely look like bed bug bites, but Ive searched my bed and room and can find no evidence of them????

lisa::

This is for molly molly, recently i got something similar to what you have. I saw the doctor and he thinks its Pityriasis Rosea. What you have sounds exactly like that description. I myself have been looking at bedbug bite pictures to make sure he diagnosed me right though. For this condition, however, all he gave me was this topical steroid like cream which you apply thin and frequently. Good luck!

hilary::

My son has these 4 bite marks on his back there all in a shape that looks like the little dipper i recently found out my neighbor across the hall had them can i get them and what does the marks sound to you thank you Hilary

abel::

Can somebody help me out with this? i know i have bed bugs and have been bitten on my legs continuously. we had a pest control company come in to rid us of them but to no success. after a few weeks they came back. so i decided to take measures into my own hands. i sleep in the basement so my cleaning job wasnt to difficult.

I began by tossing out my mattress and everything associated with it (frame, pillows, blankets). then i vacuumed three times. then sprayed the floor with rubbing alcohol. i hit all the base boards with it as well. i showered after cleaning and put on clothes that just came out of the dryer. then i went up stairs to my computer to see if anyone has a special weapon against these bugs and as Im writing this now i feel as if Im covered with bed bugs. Is this because Im just anxious to kill these things or am i literally carrying them around? Im searching my skin with a magnifying glass and flashlight but nothing appears when i itch this worries me greatly. any advice??? anything at all would be much appreciated. thank you for reading.

Brenda::

Hi Abel,

You would see the bed bugs clearly if they were on you, however, if they had you for dinner last night, then you may now be feeling the effects!

abel::

thank you for your reply brenda. i thought i was going nuts. i took walk today and in the middle of the street i was itching on my legs and looked like a weirdo scratching them. well i hope youre right about seeing them. i read an article a little while ago stating that a boy brought up the same claims as i and the result was he had nymphs crawling all over him. he only saw them after a couple days pass. sometimes i feel as if im being punished for something.

well, thanks again.

Jim::

Hello Abel,

If you found bed bugs, then chances are that its bites from last night.

A number of people on this site found they had scabies which often show up as a bite with a black dot in the center just throwing that out there

To help get rid of that itching feeling, many claim that tea tree oil does wonders with the bites (regardless where they came from).

Alex::

Ever since the end of March, Ive been living in a trailer park unfortunately whats bad around here is that EVERYONE has ants theyll find a way into your house. Ive woken up several times to just a bite every now and then. My girlfriend woke up to a bunch of itchy pink spots all over her upper arm. The next night, I wake up and find the same marks all over the bottom part of my back.

Original post:
What Do Bed Bug Bites Look Like? - Bad Bed Bugs: Photos of ...

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Got a question that you think should be here? E-mail us and well get it posted ASAP. If its urgent, try bedbugger.com.

1. What are bed bugs?

2. What can bed bugs do to me?

3. What does a bed bug bite look like?

4. Where did bed bugs come from?

5. Where do bed bugs live?

6. How do I find out if I have bed bugs?

7. How do I have specimens identified?

8. How did I get bed bugs in the first place?

9. Can I prevent bed bugs with insecticides?

10. How can I avoid bed bugs when traveling?

11. What can I do if I just got back from a place where there might have been bed bugs?

12. Will bed bugs actually travel on me?

13. What should everyone know about bed bugs?

14. I have bed bugs. What do I do?

15. What are the legal repercussions of bed bugs?

16. What shouldnt I do when trying to eliminate bed bugs?

17. What do I do with my pets if I have bed bugs?

18. How long does it take to get rid of bed bugs?

19. What should a pest control company do for meand vice versa?

20. How do I kill bed bugs without insecticides?

21. How do I kill bed bugs with insecticides?

22. How do I kill bed bug eggs?

If you ever heard that nursery rhyme Good night, sleep tight, dont let the bed bugs bite, you know these critters bite in the night. But most of us never heard of them in real life until now.

What do bed bugs look like? Briefly: 1/4 long, oval, flat, 6 legs, and reddish-brown.

Some fast facts

A little more

More on bed bug biology (and yes, it matters): they have an odd way of making babies. Its called traumatic insemination. Males simply stab females in the side with their reproductive organ and inject their sperm, which makes its way to her eggs. Females recover from one mating, but several matings increase the chance of infection and death. Females may try to get away from groups of males and go off and hide alone to avoid being stabbed to death. If you dont find those females, theyll keep laying eggs and could restart an infestation: a good reason to get a pest management professional (PMP) involved. Good PMPs know how to find them and how to target every hiding place without harming people.

If the bugs you think are bed bugs come in the spring but go away during the summer they might be bat bugs. Bats in attics hibernate elsewhere during the winter. Bat bugs that are left behind and chill out for the winter, literally, but if warm weather comes before the bats return, they may seek another host to tide them over. In this scenario, inspect the attic and external wall voids for bat guano and bugs in cracks and crevices. Have a professional treat these roosts as well as the rooms bed bugs were found in. To prevent bat re-entry, repair all holes 1/4 or larger that lead to the outside.

Bed bugs are also known as: Cimex lectularius, chinches de camas, chintzes or chinches, mahogany flats, red coats, crimson ramblers, wall lice, the bug that nobody knows, lentils on legs, animated blood drops.

The serious negative effects of bed bugs are more mental than physical, but the itchy bites cant be ignored either.

The mental effects are stress and lack of sleep. (And then theres delusory parasitosismeaning the bugs really are gone, but you cant shake the feeling that theyre still there.) Even if the thought of sleeping with bed bugs doesnt keep you up at night, the time and money it takes to get rid of them can stress you out.

Bed bugs can be a public relations nightmare. Youd hope customers would respect a proactive hotel, motel, or landlord who tried to educate them before a problem came in, but thats rarely the case. Simply the mention of bed bugs can deter customers.

And householders worry what friends, family, and neighbors will say if their problem becomes known. Bed bugs arent associated with filth or social status, but many people think they are.

Bed bugs arent known to transmit disease. And some people dont even get marks when bit. But scratching bites can lead to a secondary infection. Resist the urge to scratch. People with health problems and children are more at risk for infection because their immune systems are compromised or they cant stop scratching.

You cant describe the bites as looking only one way. Some look and feel like mosquito or flea bites. Some people dont react at all. On the opposite extreme, others get big itchy welts that take two or more weeks to heal. Theres a myth that bed bug bites occur in threes (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), but its not true. Bites can occur singly, in clumps, or in a line. Bites can show up within hoursor two weeks later. Confirming an infestation on bites alone is impossible. You need evidence: a bed bug.

Bed bugs usually feed while people sleep, about an hour before dawn. But if theyre hungry and given the opportunity, they feed anytime. Feeding itself is painlessthe bed bugs saliva numbs the skin and makes the blood easier to drink. But later, many people react to the saliva, getting itchy bumps or rashes. After feeding for about five minutes, drawing only a drop or two of blood, bugs return to their hiding places. Although bed bugs can live for over a year without feeding, they typically seek blood every five to ten days.

The only way to know for sure what bit you is to find a bug and get it identified.

Bed bugs live off only bloodlike mosquitoes do. They probably prefer to feed on people. But if people move out, bed bugs can survive by feeding on rats or miceso control these pests, too. Theyre attracted by warmth and the presence of carbon dioxidewhat we animals breathe out. They usually feed about an hour before dawn, but given the opportunity, they may feed at other times of day or night.

Remembernot everyone reacts to bed bug bites. (Not everyone reacts to poison ivy, either.) You could get an itchy rash while your home companion getsnothing.

If you think bed bugs bit you, have a PMP do a thorough inspection to determine whether an arthropod is in your living space, or send samples to a diagnostic lab.

Bed bugs may have evolved when a close relative, the bat bug, switched to feeding off cave-dwelling humans. The ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans wrote about them. They were part of many peoples lives in the U.S. and around the world before World War II.

Then DDT came along. DDT seemed wonderful at the time. Unlike most of the insecticides sold in stores today, DDT had a lasting effecta long residual effect. Insects died when they crawled where DDT was used, even if it had been there for weeks. Though most homeowners used DDT for large pests like cockroaches, it did the bed bugs in too. When the bed bugs came out to feed, there was something there to kill them.

Modern furnishings and appliances helped too. Bed bugs dont care if a home is clean or messy. They just like good hiding spotsand food. When modern furniture came into style they had fewer hiding spots. Home appliances such as washing machines and vacuums helped keep them at bay. Bed bugs were a rarity in the US from the early 1950s through the late 1990s. A whole generation of people grew up whod never seen one.

By the mid 1970s insecticides like DDT, which were blamed for environmental problems, were on the outs. The pest control industry began to use the environmentally friendly approaches common today. Using noninsecticide traps and monitors, blocking entry into homes, and using pest-specific, least-toxic insecticides became the staples of an integrated pest management approach.

Bed bugs had been off the radar for so long they were almost forgotten. By the time anyone noticed, they were back in a big way. Right now there are no traps or monitors proven to detect a population when its still small. And since bed bugs travel on things such as luggage, souvenirs, and furniture we bring into our homes, its hard to block their entry.

Fortunately, some modern insecticides work well. Because these insecticides break down quicklymaking them safer for humansthey may not be around to kill the bed bugs that hatch from eggs laid before the insecticide was applied. Two or more carefully targeted applications are the best way to eliminate bed bugs. Leave insecticides to the professionalseven the right ones, used incorrectly, can scatter bed bugs to other rooms. It would take an extremely capable and dedicated person to learn and do everything necessary to get rid of bed bugs on their own.

Any place with a high turnover of people spending the nighthostels, hotels near airports, and resortsare most at risk. But the list continues apartments, barracks, buses, cabins, churches, community centers, cruise ships, dormitories, dressing rooms, health clubs, homes, hospitals, jets, laundromats, motels, motor homes, moving vans, nursing homes, office buildings, resorts, restaurants, schools, subways, theaters, trains, used furniture outlets. Bed bugs dont prefer locations based on sanitation or peoples hygiene. If theres blood, theyre happy.

Bed bugs and their relatives occur nearly worldwide. They became relatively scarce during the latter part of the 20th century, but their populations have resurged in recent years, particularly throughout parts of North America, Europe, and Australia.

What about in your home? Most stay near where people sleep, hiding near the bed, a couch or armchair (if thats where you snooze)even cribs and playpens. Their flat bodies allow them to hide in cracks and crevices around the room and in furniture joints. Hiding sites include mattress seams, bed frames, nearby furniture, or baseboards. Clutter offers more places to hide and makes it harder to get rid of them. Bed bugs can be found alone but more often congregate in groups. Theyre not social insects, though, and dont build nests.

How infestations spread through a home or within an apartment building differs from case to case. Inspect all adjacent rooms. Bed bugs travel easily along pipes and wires and the insides of walls can harbor them.

Before treating, you need to confirm that you have bed bugs. The only way to do that is to find a bug and get it identified.

Look in the most likely places first. We tell you how. If you find one, freeze it for identification or put it in a sealed jar with a 1 tsp. of rubbing alcohol. Then stop lookingyou dont want to disrupt the bugsand call a professional.

Have these on hand during the inspection:

Look for bed bugs in all their life stages: eggs, nymphs and adults. Also look for cast skins and blood spots. But note: blood spots, hatched eggs, and cast skins may be from an infestation thats been dealt with already. Live bed bugs are the only confirming evidence. Use a flashlighteven if the area is well litand work systematically. A magnifying glass will help you zoom in on hard to see spots. Start with one corner of the mattress and work around the piping, down the sides, and underneath. Do the same with the box spring. If you own the bed, slowly remove the dust cover (ticking) on the bottom of the box spring and seal in a trash bag. Next, inspect the bed frame. If you can take it apart, do so. Bed bugs could be hiding in the joints.

No bed bugs yet? Work out from the bed in a systematic way (clockwise or counter-clockwise) to the walls of the room. Look in the pleats of curtains, beneath loose pieces of wallpaper near the bed, the corners and drawers of desks and dressers, within spaces of wicker furniture, behind door, window, and baseboard trim, and in laundry or other items on the floor or around the room such as cardboard boxes. Inspect everything. Any crack, crevice, or joint a credit card edge could fit in could hide adult bed bugs. This routine gives you a systematic approach and increases the chance youll find evidence early on.

One last way to inspectabout an hour before dawn, lift the sheets and turn on a flashlight. It might lead to a discovery, but this method can also be unsettling.

If you dont find bed bugs but bites continue or you find blood spots on bedding, contact a professional with bed bug experience and have them inspect.

Professional inspection may be done by a person or by a bed bug-sniffing dog and its handler. Dogs have a powerful sense of smell and can be trained to find bed bugs (which do give off an odor). Theyre best used to find infestations. If used to tell whether bed bugs are gone, they may find old evidence rather than fresh. If you hire a handler and dog, be sure theyre accredited.

If you find bed bugs at home, its best to keep sleeping in the bedor try to find someone who will sleep there. Packing up to spend time elsewhere could bring bugs to an uninfested area. And the bugs could move to neighboring rooms in search of a meal.

Put specimens in small, break-resistant containers such as a plastic pill bottle or a zipper-lock bag with 1 tsp of rubbing alcohol in it. Or tape them to a sheet of white paper with clear tape.

First, look at pictures on university websites. If you think its a bed bug, package it carefully to prevent damage and send to an expert for positive identification. Bed bugs have close relatives: poultry bugs, barn swallow bugs, bat bugs, and tropical bed bugs to name a few. They too can feed on humans and act like bed bugs do. For accurate identification, send a samplepreferably several adultsto a Cooperative Extension diagnostic lab. Find your local office.

Find a board-certified entomologist.

If the critter is, for example, a bat bug, call a professional wildlife control operator to find and remove bats, then prevent their re-entry.

Bed bugs come in as stowaways in luggage, furniture, clothing, pillows, boxes, and more when these are moved between dwellings. Moving out wont solve the problem, since bed bugs will just come with you. In fact, while dealing with bed bugs its best not to sleep away from home. Used furniture, particularly bed frames and mattresses, are most likely to harbor bed bugs. Watch out for items found on the curb! Because they survive for many months without food, bed bugs could already be present in clean, vacant apartments.

In a few cases, bats or birds could introduce and maintain bed bugs and their close relativesusually bat bugs and bird bugs.

The source of the infestation determines where your inspection should start. Look through these scenarios and see which fits:

Insecticidal dusts will remain effective if not covered by other dust. As part of the IPM approach, routine spraying of insecticides is strongly discouraged. Bed bugs do not spread disease, but insecticides do pose risks. Only use them when the pest insect is confirmed and the least-toxic steps have been tried. As a preventative measure alternative to insecticides, inspect and clean regularly, keeping bed bug-hiding spots in mind.

Every traveler should learn about bed bugs. Always inspect before settling into any room. Pack a flashlight (even the keychain LED variety) and gloves to aid in your inspection. The inspection should focus around the bed. Start with the headboard, which is usually held on the wall with bracketslift up 1 2 inches, then lean the top away from the wall to gain access to the back. If youre traveling alone, someone on staff should help. After checking the headboard, check sheets and pillows for blood spots. Next, pull back the sheets. Check the piping of the mattress and box spring. Finally, look in and under the drawer of the bedside table. If all these places are clear, enjoy the night. The next morning, look for blood spots on the sheetsbed bugs poop soon after they feed.

If you find evidence, but no live bed bugs, the evidence may be old and doesnt mean that the hotel is dirty. Tell the front desk discreetly what you found and ask for another roomone that doesnt share a wall with the room you just vacated. Bed bugs are a PR nightmare for the hospitality industry. If you run to a competitor (whos just as likely to have bed bugs) it makes it less likely that the industry will become more open about this issue. Communication is key. Ideally hotels and motels would pride themselves on their bed bug programs and show customers how to inspect to keep all parties bed bug free.

If you can avoid it, dont unpack into drawers and keep luggage closed on a luggage rack pulled away from the wall. Never set luggage on the bed.

Download and print a copy of NYS IPMs travelers cards.

Launder your clothes before or as soon as these items are brought back into the home. If you found bed bugs after moving into a hotel room, you could ask the hotel to pay for launderingand for steam-cleaning your luggage. The hotel may refuse, but its worth asking. Regardless, once home you should unpack on a floor that will allow you to see bed bugsstay off carpets! Unpack directly into plastic bags for taking clothes to the laundry. Suitcases should be carefully inspected and vacuumedfreeze if possible.

Its unlikely that a bed bug would travel on you or the clothes you are wearing. You move too much to be a good hiding place. Bed bugs are more likely to be spread via luggage, backpacks, briefcases, mattresses, and used furniture.

Adults are , reddish-brown and flat. You can see them without magnification.

They like to hide in cracks and crevices.

Inspect sleeping areasif you find a bed bug, STOP looking and contact a professional.

Do-it-yourself pest control could make bed bugs to spread. Launder and freeze when possible.

Live bugs or eggs may drop off while moving things from one place to anotheritems with bed bugs should be sealed in a bag before moving them.

Avoid used furniture and items left on the curbthey might have bed bugs!

Tell your friends! Not warning others robs them of the chance to avoid bringing bed bugs into their homes and businesses.

Step back a minute. Because several different kinds of insects resemble bed bugs, specimens should be carefully compared with good reference images and sent to a professional entomologist.

Next: make a plan. Well tell you how. You want to get rid of bed bugs, limit your exposure to insecticides, and minimize costs. Dont get rid of stuff and dont treat unless you have a plan. A big part of your plan: hire an experienced professional. Trust us, itll save you time and money in the long run. Youll still have a lot to dojust leave the insecticides to the pros. Working as a team with a professional is the quickest way to get bed bugs out of your life.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is the way to go for pest control. Its cost-effective, it works, and it lessens reliance on insecticides. Note: IPM doesnt mean no insecticides. You should call a professional dedicated to IPM so the least amount of insecticides can be used and still work.

Here are the basics of bed bug IPM:

Inspection: ALWAYS inspect. Proper identification helps you know what to do and where to target your efforts. Along with looking, you should write down what you do and see. Use this reporting form to track what youve done. Having a history will help if more people become involved.

Educate yourself: find out about bed bug biology and behavior to become even more effective.

Cultural and Mechanical Control: This makes your home unwelcoming to bed bugs, blocks them from feeding, or at least makes finding them easier. Dont skip these steps and go straight to insecticides. Examples:

Biological Control: No known biological control agents target bed bugs well enough to keep them at bay.

Chemical Control: Insecticides supplement but dont replace your work. Get a pest management professional (PMP) involved. Licensed PMPs know what products, in what formulations, should be usedand where. PMPs know how to be selective and effectivefewer insecticides used and best results. Any insecticide used should be labeled for the pest and location where it is being used. Many products are not labeled for mattresses.

Hire only professional pest control companies with licensed PMPs who are affiliated with a state or national association. This helps ensure that the company stays up-to-date on the current practices and only uses legal insecticides. PMPs are trained for sensitive situations: people who are ill, children, pregnant women, pets, and more. They know how to properly apply insecticides. They also know best how to find bed bugs. PMPs will not use illegal insecticides. If you use insecticides but they dont work and then you still have to call in a professional, overall insecticide use will be higher. Plus, what you used could drive bed bugs into new areasmaking removal a longer and pricier process.

Monitoring: This involves inspecting regularly to be sure:

The question, Whos responsible for a bed bug infestation? has no clear answer. Its hard even to identify whos technically at fault because bed bugs can enter a space in so many ways. Landlords and property owners do have legal obligations to provide safe and habitable accommodations for tenants. Bed bugs may be an unacceptable condition. Tenants have an obligation to cooperate with owners and landlords. This includes preparing the apartment so the pest management professional can easily inspect rooms and treat if necessary.

You are legally liable if you misapply an insecticide or apply it without a license to the property of othersincluding common spaces in apartment buildings. In most cases, landlords, owners and building managers cannot legally apply insecticides unless they are licensed to do so.

Laws are changing and every situation is different. Local health departments and law offices have the best answers to legal questions. The only thing thats for sure is that bed bug problems wont just work themselves out. Left untreated, they will spread. The best way to cover all bases is to inform all who are potentially involved early onmanagers, neighbors, friends

And take steps to solve the problem:

Landlords and tenants should make sure bed bug work is specified in their lease. For example, an agreement that requires tenants to do thorough preparation for bed bug treatment and to leave the living space while a pest management professional (PMP) works can go a long way if bed bugs arrive. The PMP should visit all rooms or units that share a wall (including directly above and below). Everyone needs to cooperate. Having a plan ready can save time, frustration, and money.

If you are a landlord, inspection should be done often with the permission of the tenant. Some tenants will not view bed bugs as a problem. It can get ugly if their infestation spreads to other units and unhappy tenants report that they have bed bugs. Inspect often to find infestations before they spread.

Safety is always the #1 priority. Bed bugs arent known to spread disease. Dont put yourself or PMPs in danger on account of bed bugs. Anyone who inspects apartments must be cautious of sharp objects or weapons under mattresses or in furniture. Always look with a flashlight before touching.

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FAQ List for Bed Bugs - Cornell University

Filed Under Bed Bug Bites, Bed Bugs Info | Comments Off

If youve been bitten by bed bugs, dont panic upon seeing all the swollen red marks on your body. Instead try to relax and expect some allergic reactions to happen. If the reaction is mild (in my case I nearly fainted due to difficulty in breathing), you probably dont need to go and see a doctor for a treatment. Instead, simple medicines such as calamine lotion and anaesthetic cream can do the job.

There are 2 ways to use calamine lotion to fight the bug. The first way is to apply calamine lotion before going to sleep. Ive tried this before and it worked brilliantly. Bed bugs somehow hate the smell and the chemicals present in calamine lotion. Apply the lotion to the exposed part of your body such as your face, arms and legs. Although you still can be bitten, chances are the number of swollen marks will be significantly reduced. When I applied this method, I always checked the following morning to find any marks on my body. The most that I found was one or two bites, thats it. Much much better than finding the whole body full of red swollen marks

The second way to use calamine lotion is of course apply it to the swollen marks when you realize that youve been bitten by the bed bugs. Applying calamine lotion on the marks will reduce the itchy feelings so you can hold yourself more from scratching and making it worse. It helps to reduce the swelling of the bitten area. Youll feel less irritated and it takes less time for the pain to go away. I of course prefer prevention than cure. So if you know that your place is infested with bed bugs, itd be better for you to apply the lotion before going to bed rather than letting the bed bugs bite you and treating the bites afterwards.

Some people suggested washing the bed bug bites using antiseptic soap and water to prevent infection. I dont prefer this method to treat the bites as it made my skin felt more irritated when making contact with water and soap. Id still prefer calamine lotion over soap to treat the bed bug bites. If you still want to use soap, do it at your own risk. Youve been warned!

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