Bed Bug Bite Information
When bed bugs bite, they inject an anaesthetic into their host, initially preventing any reaction. You will not feel a pinch or nip at the time, and a reaction often does not appear for a few hours - if at all.
Adult bed bugs can grow to the size of a small fingernail, but they tend to feed at night when their host is asleep. They sense your body heat and the CO2 you exhale while sleeping. Fortunately, bed bugs are not known to transmit harmful diseases, but they reproduce rapidly if left unchecked.
What Do Bed Bug Bites Look Like?
People react very differently to bites, which makes it hard to define exactly what a bed bug bite should look like. Some people develop angry rashes, bumps and swelling. Others experience no symptoms at all - that does not mean they have not been bitten.
It can be tricky to tell whether a bite was caused by a bed bug or another insect like a flea or beetle, but there are clues. If you feel a nip when the bite happens and the marks are mainly on your ankles or lower leg, the culprit is more likely fleas. Bites noticed later - and appearing on your torso, neck, hands, arms or upper legs - are more likely to be bed bugs.
How To Spot Bed Bug Bites
- Often appear in groups of three or in a line
- Usually on torso, neck, arms or upper legs
- Itchy red bumps with a small dot in the centre
- Reaction typically delayed by hours or even days
Bed Bug vs Flea Bites
- Flea bites are usually on ankles and lower legs
- Flea bites felt immediately; bed bug bites are not
- Multiple bites in a small area suggest more than one bug
- Bed bugs do not transmit known diseases; fleas can