What Do Bed Bug Bites Look Like

Bed bugs are blood sucking insects which are from the Cimicidae family. Bed bugs can bite anywhere on your body which is apparently exposed during the sleeping hours. The bites are itchy and with continuous scratching, can result to blisters and rashes around the bitten area. Many are the times people wonder where bed bugs come from and What do bed bug bites look like. Not only are the bites annoying but they’re potentially a health risk to you and your family.

Bed bugs are hard to identify as they are tiny insects which often hide away during the day and only come out at night to feed. If you suspect an infestation, there are several factors you could take into consideration. This include where they can easily be found and traces they leave behind. Bed bugs can be found on mattresses, around the bed frame or on box springs. They also leave behind shed exoskeleton after molting as well as their faeces. You would also notice some blood stains on your sheets. These are just a few of the slight observation you can see to determine presence of bed bugs.

Bed Bug Bites

Bites from bed bugs are irritating. They are red in appearance but the reaction is different depending with the person’s body reaction as in others they hardly show. The bites are found on a straight row on the victim’s body as they prefer not to climb on the host as they feed. This is so as the bed bugs are in search of a good feeding site. However, bed bugs are not the only biting insects which can be found within your household. Most of the commonly confused bites with the bed bugs are mosquito bites, flea bites and bites from midges but there are distinguishing differences to help you differentiate the bites. The frequency of bed bug bites is less compared to other bit in insects as they feed once in a while after seven or ten days.

What Do Bed Bug Bites Look Like

• They’re red in appearance and are usually hard and a bit raised. The swelling appears after a few hours of being bitten and as earlier said, depends with the body’s reaction to the bites.
• They cause a lot of itchiness with time. When they first appear, they cause a burning sensation and develop red wheals on the bitten area.
• In extreme cases, the wheals may develop blisters which are usually soggy and filled with a colorless liquid.
• Bed bug bites are commonly found around the neck, hands, face and arms or legs which are often exposed during sleeping time.
• The pattern of the bed bug bites is usually in a straight row as if the bed bug bites one place then moves a step forward and bites again on a different spot.
• In case of many bed bugs feasting on your blood, the pattern looks more like a zigzag pattern.
• If the bed bugs are not well taken care of, they can lead to secondary infection which is characterized by bleeding and swelling.

After identifying bed bug bites. You must be looking for a solution or treatment for those bites. You can read our article on Bed Bug Bites Treatment and have a cost effective treatment for the itching bites.

Why Do Bed Bugs Bite?

Bed bugs simply bite for one purpose. That is feeding. They use their mouth parts to pierce into the human skin. Bed bugs rely on blood meals from warm blooded humans especially human beings so that they can survive. However, they can also live for about two to three months without feeding. During regular feeding programs, they usually feed after seven or ten days depending with how thirsty they get. Bed bugs themselves are not harmful but their bites can be considered a health risk especially if they’re infected.