Most people know that they don’t want bed bugs in their homes, but few know how to tell them apart from other common parasites. Learn how you can tell the difference between bed bugs and other pests and how you can avoid an infestation in your home.
What Are These Tiny Things?
Bed bugs are tiny parasitic pests that feed on people and animals while they sleep. That means people aren’t usually awake or paying enough attention to spot a bed bug problem until it’s too late. The other issue with bed bugs is that they are so small they can be hard to differentiate from other biting pests. That’s why the best course of action is to call experts who can properly identify an infestation. That said, it’s also important for everyday property owners to know what signs to look for.
What Do Bed Bugs Look Like?
Aside from being hard to spot in the first place, bed bugs are also confused for other parasites all the time. Other kinds of parasitic pests frequently invade our properties and can bite, too. Here’s how you can tell bed bugs from ticks or fleas:
- Size: Bed bugs are incredibly small, no bigger than an apple seed. However, so are fleas and ticks, and bed bugs can vary in size as they grow from nymphs to adults.
- Shape: It can be hard to spot the differences in shape between such tiny pests, but bed bugs look more beetle-like than ticks, which are arachnids. And they lack the larger hind legs built for jumping that fleas have.
- Eggs: Another way to distinguish pests is by looking at their eggs. Bed bug eggs are small, cream-colored grains smaller than rice. Keep in mind, though, that eggs are often hidden well and not simply laying out in the open.
Other Signs Of Bed Bugs
The most important thing to realize about bed bugs is that you aren’t likely to see them in the first place. People can have a bed bug infestation for weeks without even knowing it because these pests are incredibly good at hiding and they only come out when we’re out like a light. That’s why these are often the first and only signs people get that they even have bed bugs:
- Bite Marks: The most obvious sign of bed bugs is the bite marks they leave behind after their feedings. These small, red welts on the skin are often itchy and found in close proximity to one another.
- Stains: Bed bug eggs leave yellow stains in sheets and mattresses after they hatch. Red blood spots from their bites also cause stains.
- Skin Sheds: As young nymphs feed and grow up, they shed their skins and discard them. You may find these tan, flakey sheds left behind.
Contact Big Blue Bug Solutions Right Away
Whether you already have a pest infestation or you simply want to make sure that you don’t get one, the smart thing to do is call the experts. Not only can we properly identify a pest infestation, we know all the places to look for the signs that are often overlooked. Rather than trying to correctly identify a pest problem on your own, turn to professionals to make sure that the problem is addressed the right way. At Big Blue Bug Solutions, we can get started right away on an inspection, thoroughly rooting out pests or the things that might be attracting them to your property. If a problem is discovered, we’ll use safe and effective solutions to get rid of it quickly. For bed bug control that you can trust, turn to Big Blue Bug Solutions today.