There is nothing fun about dealing with bed bugs.
Luckily if you’re suffering through the nightmare of an infestation, know you’re not alone.
Bed bugs are one of the most commonly reported pest infestations.
In fact, 97% of pest professionals say that they have treated bed bugs in the past year (2020).
Unfortunately infestations occur every day all across North America.
The general public might feel that bed bug infestations are privy to only Hotels or Airbnbs but they’re much more common than that.
They can be found in:
- Apartments
- Houses
- Businesses
- Hospitals
- Day Cares
- Furniture Stores
- And more..
It’s far too easy to assume you’d never be affected by bed bugs, and it’s usually not even an afterthought for people if they’re feeling itchy, swelling, or soreness on their skin.
In this article we’re going to help you find those little pests, and supply you with the ammo you need to detect and diagnose an infestation correctly.
Page Contents:
How to Find Bed Bugs During the Day
The tough part about locating bed bugs during the day is that they are only active at night.
(Especially when you’re sleeping).
The key thing when looking during the day is to use light to your advantage.
Open your blinds and turn on the lights..
These tiny critters are hard to see so you’ll need bright light to properly identify them.
Consider using tools like a magnifying glass to assist in your search.
Bed bugs will likely be hiding during the daylight, so make sure to move furniture and do a thorough search. If you have any damp corners or dark crevices around your house it’s probably best to start there.
Have Bites But You Can’t Find Bed Bugs?
What should you do if you’re finding bites but you still can’t find actual bed bugs?
This can be frustrating, but all isn’t lost!
If you cannot find bed bugs and you’re looking diligently, you should call professionals ASAP.
Professional exterminators and pest experts will be able to identify and remove any and all bed bug infestations permanently.
It is easy to get in touch with pest control in your area – do a quick search and you’ll be directed to a phone number or website for a place near you.
Where to Find Bed Bugs
Bed bugs aren’t picky, and can survive in almost any environment.
Here are a few places you should check during your search:
- Sofas or couches
- Nightstands, dressers, cabinets
- In and around artwork with frames, wallhangings
- Electrical outlets
- Joints of furniture/appliances – screwheads additionally
Check out furniture’s seams, stitching, and corners of upholstered pieces as well.
There can be spots that these sneaky pests end up taking a liking to, they’re so tiny they can fit pretty much anywhere.
90% of the time bed bugs will stick to living in your bedroom because they prefer to live close to a potential meal.
Since nymphs (baby bed bugs) need to feed more frequently, they do not want to travel far to feed.
According to the pest control company Terminix, bed bugs can travel around 3 – 4 feet per minute.
How to Find the Bed Bug Nest
Finding the nest is literally going to the source of an infestation.
Since there is not technically a “physical” nest (these are just congregations of eggs).
Unlike bees or other insects, bed bugs do not have a “housing” for their offspring.
You need to find these clusters of eggs if you’re looking for the origin of an infestation.
It’s like the age-old question – what came first, the chicken or the egg?
Duh, the egg!
Except in this case, your eggs can turn into thousands of sneaky pests who bite you in your sleep…
Fear not, these little bugs aren’t going to give you the runaround. Luckily, they’re slow – they cannot fly, jump, or move very fast.
This makes them easier to kill once identified – especially when you find a big egg cluster which will not crawl away like a hatched bed bug will.
When you find the eggs… you’ll know.
They are white little balls (pearly white in color).
How Exactly to Spot Bed Bug Eggs
You’ll find eggs in places that are not moved daily, in corners and nooks of untouched space.
This is because eggs need time to develop – So any sort of strong movement or pressure would kill them before they have a chance to hatch.
Eggs are about 1/2 the size of a grain of rice.
You will find them in large groups together, bunched up in a concentrated area.
You’re really going to have to look closely, much closer than you would look for a normal adult bed bug.
Once identified you should immediately wipe away the eggs with an alcohol (isopropyl) soaked cloth, and discard any and all bed bug waste/eggs in an outside garbage.
How to Find Bed Bugs in Your Bed
Your bed is one of the most likely places to contain hidden bed bugs.
To do a proper inspection you should look for the following signs:
- Brown spots
- Shed skin or bed bug exoskeleton
- Tiny red blood stains
- Any live bed bugs between the sheets or bed frame
The red blemishes are signs that bed bugs were crushed, and are indicative of bed bug presence.
Other than these red spots, you can visibly see the little critters with a flashlight or any form of light.
Remove all coverings, sheets, or blankets to begin your search.
Here’s a quick step by step process:
- Start by taking the mattress out of your bedroom, and flip it over.
- Survey the bottom of the mattress, and move onto checking the corner seams of the mattress stitching.
- Once you’ve checked out the underside and corners of the mattress, check the top of the mattress and all other pieces not mentioned above.
You should be able to find them here, as this is where they’re most active.
To protect your mattress from future infestations, consider purchasing a special mattress encasement.
How to Find Bed Bugs Inside Your Couch
As we stated earlier, bed bugs like to hide in places that are dark, and hard to reach. They start living in your mattress, but will move to other easy-to-hide locations if they need to.
Bed bugs prefer to infest areas where you sleep, though. So If you occasionally sleep on your couch, bed bugs may be more attracted to it.
Because of this, couches are a great place for bed bugs to “set up shop”.
If you do find bed bugs in the corners of the inside of your furniture – this likely means they’re also in or around your bed.
How to Detect Bed Bugs Earlier
Finding bed bugs can be crucial to eradicating an infestation before it has a chance to get bad.
To discover an infestation early you should always be on the lookout for bed bugs. Unfortunately, most people don’t think to do this unless they have experienced an infestation directly.
Here are a few ways you can ensure early bed bug detection:
- Reduce Clutter
- Don’t leave dirty laundry on the floor
- Vacuum regularly
- Do monthly inspections around the house
These methods can really give you peace of mind knowing that your bed is made into a “no-fly zone” for these sneaky pests.
Regardless of if you have never encountered bed bugs, or if you’ve dealt with them before…
Doing regular inspections on your own can prevent bed bug colonies from growing and maturing.
These inspections can end up saving you thousands of dollars in pest control bills in the long run.
Unique Ways to Catch Bed Bugs
You might have to get creative here, trust me – we get it. It’s difficult to spot and take care of bed bugs.
Most people will bite the bullet and call for professional help, but they also might end up paying an arm and a leg for the removal services.
Luckily for our DIY audience, there are some creative ways you can catch bed bugs.
Ah! Luckily, the internet exists. Even better, YouTube exists! What a world we live in!
Check out this search we did on YouTube for home remedies to take care of bed bugs.
Here you will find jerry-rigged traps and ideas that will bring out bed bugs, and trap them. Most of these remedies can be completed with materials you can find at home, so be ready to get your Macgyver on!
You can also purchase bed bug traps as well.
Check out our blog for more information on the different types of traps that help capture bed bugs.
How Do I Know If Bed Bugs Are Biting Me At Night?
You usually don’t know you’re being bitten until the next morning.
This is because bed bugs inject a small numbing agent through their saliva so that you don’t feel it while they bite you.
You will wake up with tiny red bumps on your skin that can be itchy and/or painful to the touch.
You can conclude these small bumps are from bed bugs if they have the following qualities:
- Bite marks usually occur along the upper body.
- They typically form in clusters (often in a zigzag pattern).
- Bed bug bites last longer than other insects, typically hanging around for 1 – 2 weeks on your skin.
What Is the Lifespan of Bed Bugs?
Bed bugs have a similar lifespan to most insects. Shocker, it is not a long time – but any number of months with bed bugs is not a good thing.
These little critters can live up to 12 months, with an average lifespan of 2 to 4 months.
This all depends on their amount of “meals”, also known as – your blood they’re able to feast on.
Adult bed bugs can live up to a year without a meal, and younger bed bugs can only live around 2 months without a meal.
Let’s hope the bed bugs you’re dealing with are younger ones, in which case they’ll be gone in a matter of a month or two.
Summary
All in all – it’s hard to find bed bugs, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take on the challenge. If you’re itching and being bit, you should have the motivation to want to take out these little pests.
If you can’t find any eggs, or any bed bugs – don’t be too prideful. Call an expert, and your bed bug problem will be taken care of swiftly.
Most exterminators deal with this type of issue every day or so, they’re used to it and they’re very ready to take on your problem.
You May Be Eligible For Compensation
If you or a loved one have suffered injury or financial loss due to bed bugs, you may be eligible for financial compensation.
Property owners can be held liable for damages, so the first step is to speak with an attorney to seek justice.
Give us a call today at (855) 733-9217 for your free consultation. There are absolutely no fees unless you win your case.
