How To Tell Bed Bug Bites From Other Insect Bites
There are a lot of insects in the world. It is estimated that insects outnumber humans 200 million to one. 200 million! That's a lot of bugs. Fortunately, not all insects bite humans. If they did, we'd all be covered in bites. All the time. From head to toe. But, there are enough insects that do want to bite us--enough to make it difficult to figure out which bites are from which insect. This is especially troublesome if you're trying to figure out if you have bed bugs. Hopefully, this article will shed some much-needed light on the issue, and help you square things away.
Characteristics Of A Bed Bug Bite
- Bed bugs are interior insects. They live almost exclusively with humans. This fact is helpful to know if you want to figure out whether or not you're being bitten by bed bugs. If you haven't been out camping recently and spent any time in wet, outdoor areas, all of those insect bites are probably from an interior bug.
- Bed bugs are mostly nocturnal. If you wake up in the morning and you have two dozen more bites than you had when you went to bed, it is likely that you have bed bugs. It is important to note, however, that some individuals are more resistant to bed bug bites than others, and bites may not become noticeable for a day or two.
- Bed bugs feed multiple times. If you're being fed on by bed bugs, it is likely that you are going to find numerous bites on your skin. But, what is unique about bed bugs is that each individual bug will feed more than once during the night. Some entomologists, who fancy themselves comedians, refer to bed bug bites as breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But, if you're being feasted on by these blood-eating pests, you know that there is nothing funny about it. This is a good fact to know, however. If you have bites that come in sets of threes, or look as if they follow a trail up your body, it is more likely that those bites came from bed bugs rather than several individual, single-biting, insects.
- Bites worsen over time. When an infestation of bed bugs takes root in a home, bites start off fewer in number. But, there is another, more interesting characteristic of new bites. They are usually less noticeable. Immature bed bug nymphs inject less anticoagulant into a bite wound than adult bed bugs. This leads to less irritation, less swelling, and less of a rash. Over time, bites get worse. When adult bed bugs bite, they inject more anticoagulant. And, over the course of several exposures to this anticoagulant, the allergic reaction increases. Bites that start out as tiny dots that can become painful, itchy, swollen welts.
There Are Several Bugs That Can Bite You In Your Home
Here are some traits that help to distinguish them from bed bug bites:
- Flea bites often happen around the ankles and on the lower legs. They are also associated with a terrible itch. This can cause a flea bite to have a scab in the center of an inflamed bite wound.
- While mosquitoes are an outdoor pest, they are also a flying pest, which makes it possible for them to get inside our homes. But inside bites from mosquitoes will be limited. If you're being bitten by a mosquito, or two, you'll have one or two bites that will probably have a puffy look to them. This depends on your skin type, and your age.
- Mite- bites can be numerous, just like those bed bug bites. They can also look like bed bug bites. The important difference is the pattern mentioned above. Mite bites will be random, not in a trail or series of three bite marks, like bed bug bites.
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