Once thought to have been eradicated in the United States, bedbug infestations are now on the rise. With what seems like a bedbug epidemic, you may be wondering: “How do I know if I have bedbugs?” Good news is if you’re only wondering if you have them, you probably don’t. But if you suspect you have them, then you need to find out for sure so you can take the necessary measures to get rid of the nasty little bedbugs.
Although they are difficult to see because of their minuscule size, and mostly come out at night, there are still many ways you can determine whether or not you have bedbugs in your home. And remember, even though you have thoroughly looked for bedbugs and didn’t see any, that doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t have any of the insects.
So if you suspect you have bedbugs, but aren’t quite sure, here are some surefire signs to look for. And if you discover you do have some, be sure to visit our resource page on what you can do to combat bedbugs.
Neighbors, Family or Friends Have Bedbugs
If you live in an apartment and your neighbor has bedbugs, then there’s a good chance you may too. Bedbugs don’t just stay in one place. They are notorious for attaching themselves to clothing or luggage. It could be something as simple as a bedbug climbs up on your shoe, you go home, and the bedbug crawls off your shoe. And voila! You have bedbugs.
This isn’t just true of a next-door neighbor, but also true when you visit friends and family too. And it’s not just shoes they’ll attach too. Bedbugs can crawl onto or into any article of clothing, or into a purse, suitcase, computer case, or gym bag. They can also climb off clothing or other items in a car and then crawl onto the car’s passenger.
In fact, one of the unfortnate aspects of utilizing ride sharing is the possibility of obtaining bed bugs in the car. Just take a look at this news story by ABC on treating ride sharing vehicles (examples of ride sharing include taxis, limos, Uber and Lyft).
If you discover someone you know has bedbugs, take extra precautions. And keep reading to look for other signs to see whether or not you have bedbugs.
You Notice Dark Stains on bed sheets and pillowcases and even walls
If you find your bedding, mattress pad, mattress or box spring are littered with dark stains, then you may have a bedbug problem. These dark stains are caused by bedbug fecal matter, or poo if you want to get less technical. When a bedbug feasts, if voids out earlier meals to make room for the new blood. This causes a dark stain on your bedsheets or mattress and can be easily determined by wiping with a wet rag. If the stain smears, then it’s probably the excrement of a bedbug. you will need to treat the bedbug infestation, but a first good step, is to get a bed bug protection case for your mattress.
And it’s not just bedding material where they relieve themselves, you can also find stains on walls or under wallpaper.
You Find Small skin shells or flakes on your bed
When bedbugs are ready to grow, they will shed their skins leaving behind a small, nearly identical representation of the bug itself. The biggest differences being it will be see-through, a little lighter, immobile and doesn’t bite. If you’ve recently been infested, you may not find any skin shells, because adults do not go through any additional growing stages, therefore, fully mature adult bedbugs do not shed skin.
A lot of people never actually see a bedbug, but they will find the bedbug’s casing, because unlike the bedbug, casings can’t hide or move. Therefore, a skin shell is much easier to find and diagnose that you have bedbugs. Places to look for these skin casings include: mattress seams, behind headboards, along baseboards and anywhere that has a tight quarters like where walls meet floors or ceilings.
You Find Small Eggs or Empty Egg Shells
Similar to the skin shells above, you may also notice small eggs or empty eggs shells in your room. Bedbugs eggs are really small. They come in at about 2.5 mm. And when they hatch, they leave behind little egg shells.
To identify a bedbug egg, look for oblong white (or semi-transparent) eggs. They most resemble a grain of white rice. You most likely won’t see just one egg, but a cluster of eggs together. They might be a little sticky to the touch.
Unlike other insects, like flies which can lay 500 eggs in a day, bedbugs only lay a few eggs at a time. Usually one a day, but a female can lay up to five in a day. To find a cluster of bedbug eggs, look into cracks, or around seams of furniture, or anyplace that is hidden and private. The gestation process of an egg is not a long one, as eggs typically hatch within a week.
You Smell A Weird Musty Odor
Bedbugs release strong pheromones into the air that can have a strong, musty odor. And the more these bloodsucking insects you have in your home, the stronger the odor will be. The musty odor is similar to the odor of a stinky locker room, or a bunch of damp towels. So if your room is clean (and not full of dirty laundry as this may be what you’re smelling) and you notice an offensive musty odor, then you may have bed bugs.
to Locate BedBugs, Look Where Bedbugs Hide (or Sleep)
Bedbugs don’t have a favorite place to hang out. You can find them in virtually every corner and seam in your room. Bedbugs love tight little spaces that they can crawl into and hide. And because they are so small (full-grown about the size of an apple seed and the width of a credit card, younger bedbugs are even smaller), they can fit almost anywhere. So if you are looking for bedbugs be sure to check the seams, piping, tags and buttons on a mattress. Same for a box spring, but also check underneath in the springs and around the edges where the wood meets the fabric. Also, look in the cracks of the headboard and footboard, and the bed frame. If your room has other furniture check the seams on the chairs and sofas, between and under the cushions, and in any and all crevices the furniture has. Other places to look include wall outlets, underneath loose-fitting or torn wallpaper, behind photographs and paintings that may be hanging on the wall. Also be sure to check any cracks you may have in your walls or ceilings from foundation shifting, and the rails from your closet. That sounds like a lot, but bedbugs are really good at the game of hide and seek. They’re terrific hiders, and in the middle of the night, they’re great seekers.
You Find an Actual Bed Bug
The most obvious way of determining you have bedbugs is you find an actual bedbug. Bed bugs are tiny, but not microscopic. Adult bedbugs are about the size of an apple seed and are oval shaped with a brownish-red color that turns deeper red after they feed.
Spotting bedbugs are a lot more difficult than spotting cockroaches or ants. These little bloodsuckers feed at night, usually when you are in your deepest slumber. And when they feed on you, they release an anesthesia so won’t feel the little bite, so waking up and catching them in the act is very unlikely.
To make matters worse, finding them is difficult as they can live almost anywhere. Usually they stay close to your bed, because they need to be able to quickly get to you (and bedbugs do not jump like fleas or fly like mosquitoes).
You Have Bedbugs, Now What?
Don’t despair. You’re not alone. There are many things you can do to get rid of bedbugs, but one of the keys is to have patience. They’re not going away overnight. We have discovered a lot of methods for getting rid of bedbugs and for keeping them away. For more resources on how to kill them and prevent them in the future, see our recommended resources page.
We’ve assembled some of the best techniques we’ve discovered for dealing with bedbugs organically.
And lastly, don’t fall for these DIY myths. They do not kill bedbugs
