How to Tell if You Have a Bed Bug Infestation

It is very important to recognize the signs if you suspect you have bed bugs in your home.  The parasite must be identified but it takes a few clues to make sure they are indeed bed bugs.  The number of times you get bitten is a major factor in determining just how many bed bugs are present in your home. Were you bitten several times for a few nights or just once in a weeks’ time?  Being bitten one time or a couple times is unlikely to be bed bugs.  More likely it would be a spider bite or a mosquito.  However, if you are constantly getting bitten at night it is almost certainly an infestation of bed bugs.  When they first find you at night they feed and will return to you almost every night.  It is because when you sleep you give off more carbon dioxide and these little parasites can sense it and find you!

Another clue that you have a bed bug infestation is where on your body you are getting bitten.  Bed bugs bite on the upper part of your body.  Sometimes flea infestations are mistaken for bed bugs but fleas bite on the lower part of the body, like the backs of legs and arms.

The way to tell for sure if it is a bed bug is to get a sample.  Show it to an exterminator to be sure.  He will be able to tell you in an instant if you have bed bugs.  Another reason to quickly identify a bed bug infestation is because if a large area is infected there will be a very strong smell.  Bed bugs multiply very fast.  You may think they are just in your bedroom but if they are not singled out right away, in any time other rooms will be contaminated.  Furnaces and other crevice type household structures make for great hiding and bed bugs often seek shelter in such places.  Any dark room or any dark corner could be a breeding ground.  The worst possible scenario is having your whole house infected with these parasites.

If you suspect you are being bitten by bed bugs you should get in touch with your physician as soon as possible and begin a treatment plan designed to get rid of bed bugs safely and aggressively.  There are medications to take for the severe itching such as antihistamines.  Many people get allergic reactions to the bites which causes redness and swelling.  Corticosteroids are used to control these symptoms.  Remember the key is to find and recognize this parasite as soon as possible.