To know if you have bed bugs, look for the following signs and symptoms:
- Small, itchy bites on skin exposed while sleeping, often on the face, neck, arms, hands, or shoulders. These bites often appear in clusters or a pattern of three or more (sometimes called "breakfast, lunch, and dinner" bites). Some people may not show bite marks or itching at all.
- Reddish or rust-colored stains on bedsheets or mattresses from crushed bed bugs.
- Tiny dark spots resembling small dots of dirt, which are bed bug feces, on bedding or nearby furniture.
- Presence of tiny pale yellow eggs or eggshells about the size of a pinhead.
- Shed skins or exoskeletons that look like the bed bugs themselves.
- Live bed bugs, which are small (about the size of an apple seed), flat, reddish-brown insects usually found in mattress seams, bed frames, furniture crevices, and baseboards.
- A sweet, musty odor around sleeping areas, especially in cases of large infestations.
Bed bugs are nocturnal and hide during the day in tight spaces near sleeping areas, such as mattress seams, bed frames, nearby furniture, electrical outlets, and cracks in walls. Performing a detailed inspection at night or with a flashlight during the day focusing on mattress seams, bed frames, furniture joints, and other small crevices can help to detect these signs. Bed bug interceptors (traps placed under furniture legs) can also be used to catch bed bugs trying to climb up. If bites appear without visible signs, or you have traveled recently, consulting a doctor can help identify bed bug bites or rule out other causes. Overall, the key is to look for bite patterns along with physical evidence of bed bugs or their droppings in sleeping areas to confirm an infestation.
