In this article, we shall see how to check for bed bugs in your living space. Bed bugs are small parasitic insects. They are around the shape and size of an apple seed. These wingless insects have brownish and flat, oval-shaped bodies that become swollen and reddish after feeding. But while it seems like they cannot fly, bed bugs can crawl at an astoundingly fast pace.
There is a common misconception that bed bugs are too small to be seen with the naked eye. While this may be true for nymphs (bed bug hatchlings) adults are not that hard to spot. They can be found in the cracks and crevices where they hide. Nymphs are approximately the size of the head of a pin and are white or tan in color.
Signs and Symptoms of Bed Bugs:
It is not easy to distinguish a bed bug bite from a rash or other insect bite. So how will you know whether your living space is being invaded by a bed bug infestation? The clue is in the way the symptoms show. You must pay attention to see if you,
- Have red patches on your skin, arranged in a rough line or cluster.
- Have blotchy red marks, located on the face, neck, arms, and hands.
- Wake up with itchy areas on your skin, which weren’t present when you went to sleep.
If these signs start to pop up particularly around the time you got a used bed or some used furniture, it could indicate that you have a bed bug problem. To confirm an active infestation, you would need to carefully observe the parasites movements. But despite being flightless, bed bugs are surprisingly fast on their feet. So other signs to look for are:
- Fecal matter of the bed bugs – dark or rusty spots on porous materials and dark mounds on nonporous materials.
- Blood stains (in the form of small spots) on the pillows and bed sheets.
- Egg cases, shed skin, or fecal stains in the areas where they are likely to hide.
- A sweet, yet unpleasant, and musty odor from the bugs’ scent glands.
Where Can Bed Bugs be Found?
Bed bugs tend to live off any warm host that can provide them with nutrition, be it animal or human. And yet there are many types of bed bugs. The common bed bug, scientifically known as Cimex lectularius, is found worldwide. These insects are typically found to adapt well to human environments. They hardly ever appear on animals or birds as they prefer to feed on the human host. These bed bugs are transported by unknowing people, most often in their personal belongings like purses, gym bags, travel luggage or other items which they keep close to areas where people sleep. But other types of bed bugs can migrate from animals to people. So it is more common to find bed bugs in a house that has many nests on its roof.
Bed bugs are not known to transmit diseases to humans. However, their bites can cause skin irritation which ranges from mild to severe in certain people. The risk of coming across the common bed bug increases when you spend time in places that have a high flow of night-time guests. Some examples of places like these are hotels, hospitals or homeless shelters. And given their odd yet flexible shape, you may find them in the oddest places. Check for bed bugs in the cracks in walls, under the carpet, in the gaps of floor boards, behind electrical switches and boards, inside electrical outlets, etc.
Ways to Check for Bed Bugs:
Before you employ remedies to get rid of bed bugs, you must first confirm a bed bug infestation. The only way to do this is by checking the sleeping area thoroughly. But before you do this, you must ensure you are equipped. Wear latex or medical gloves, because bed bugs draw blood from other humans. And if you smash one you could get that blood, along with any diseases it carries, on you. Other tools that you will need are a torch with a strong beam and an old credit card.
1. Check for Bed Bugs while Traveling
A bed bug infestation has nothing to do with the cleanliness of a location. You can pick them up from the finest hotels. It is important to check for these parasites when spending nights in places that have a high turnover of night-time guests. Here is an easy way to remember how to check for and prevent bed bugs while traveling.
- Remember the acronym S.L.E.E.P.
- Survey – Survey the surfaces for any signs of an infestation. Look out for tiny, dark, or rust-colored spots on the bed sheets, mattress seams, and bed skirts.
- Lift – Lift up and look through all the bed bug hiding spots, like underneath the mattress, behind the headboard, the bed frame, underneath and behind all the furniture. Bed bugs can typically be found within a 1.5-meter radius of the bed, so make sure to comb through these areas.
- Elevate – Keep your luggage elevated off the floor, and away from the bed and the walls. You do not want to risk these bugs hitchhiking a ride back home with you. You can do this by placing your luggage only on the provided luggage rack.
- Examine – While repacking, examine your luggage carefully and again when you reach home. And till you have finished examining them, keep your luggage off your bed and furniture. Store it in a closet or other area far away from your bedroom.
- Place – Once you are back home from traveling, place all your clothing from your luggage in the dryer. Turn on the dryer to the highest setting and tumble the clothes for at least 15 minutes.
2. Check for Bed Bugs at Home
It is trickier to get rid of these parasitic insects in your home. Bed bugs multiply at a fast rate. And under the right conditions, these creatures can survive for up to 300 days. When you are at home, follow these steps to inspect whether you have a bed bug infestation.
- You will need to de-clutter the infected room. Bed bugs are tricky creatures to find and will hide in any small place. Discard old papers and boxes that you no longer require.
- Remove all the bedding and check for bed bugs carefully. Look out for dark or rust-colored spots that could indicate their excrement. Make sure to examine the bottom of the box springs and the seams in the wood framing.
- Inspect the entire area surrounding your bed, including inside books, on the edge of your carpet, and even in electrical outlets.
- Check all the curtains and under all the carpets and throw rugs.
- If you have bought any second-hand furniture, inspect them thoroughly before bringing them into your home.
- Check to see if there are any cracks in the walls, or peeling wallpaper. If so, then repair these with plaster and glue to get rid of places bed bugs can hide. You can also check for bed bugs under small spaces like under the refrigerator.
- Inspect your house regularly, after a move-in, a trip, or when guests stay overnight.
- These creatures tend to cluster together and they give off an odd, sweet yet unpleasant musky odor. This is one way to identify whether you need to check for bed bugs immediately.
3. Check for Bed Bugs in Bed
As the prime feeding location, this is the place to immediately check for bed bugs. You will need to be thorough while checking. And so you can follow these steps to ensure you have checked well and there are no bed bugs.
- First, examine the linens and sheets. Remove all the bedding till the last sheet. Using the credit card, run it over the sheets and flash the torch to check for blood stains and signs of excrement.
- Continue onto the mattress below and repeat this process. Check also for egg cases and discarded skins.
- Now check the seams of the mattress. Use the credit card to scrape out any egg cases or skins. Also, make sure to check any buttons or tags. Run the card along these to chase out any bugs hiding here.
- After inspecting the top of the mattress, it is time to flip it. Watch for any fleeing bugs. And while you’re at it, examine the springs and the bed rails too. Repeat the inspection on the bottom of the mattress.
- Pull the bed away from the wall. Shine the flashlight on the wall behind to see if you can spot any fleeing bugs. Examine that wall for blood stains or stains from bed bug excrement.
- And finally, make sure to examine the underside of the bed frame. This is because bed bugs can hide in the seams between the wood pieces or in the holes for the screws.
4. Check for Bed Bugs in Furniture
One way for bed bugs to appear in an otherwise infestation free home is through secondhand furniture. Bed bugs have no problem traveling from 5 feet up to 20 feet from their hiding places to feed. Follow these steps to check if you have bed bugs in any of your furniture.
- Check for bed bugs in any upholstered piece of furniture thoroughly. Follow the same steps as with the mattress. Remember to flip it over and look at the underside. Also, check the seams of any decorative cushions and pillows.
- Other than the bedroom, remember to check the other places where people sleep, like a fold out couch. Especially relevant places to check are cribs and bassinets.
- Inspect nightstands and bedside tables. Move them away from the wall and check the wall behind for stains. Pull our any drawers and slip them over. Remember to check under the tables. If your nightstand has hollow legs, check for bedbugs that may be hiding inside.
- Examine the chest of drawers in your room as well. Take out the clothes and shake the drawers over a white sheet to catch any bugs, skin, or excrement. Check the underside and the seams of the drawers.
- Check all the objects in your room – lamps, clocks, television sets, desktop computers and so on. Look inside, under and around all these objects.
- Another place bed bugs love to hide are in pets’ beds. If you have a pet, inspect their bed thoroughly to check for bed bugs.