"How You Got Bed Bug Bites & How You Can Get Rid of Them..."
Learn Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Bed Bug Bites Including How to Stop & Prevent Bed Bug Bites
Bed bug bites are near the top of the list of the most annoying and creepy bug bites a person can get. This page will give you the information you need to know about bed bugs and how to stop them from biting you in the future.
What Are Bed Bugs (Quick Introduction)
Bed bugs are tiny parasitic insects (they usually get no bigger than 5mm long) that feed on the blood of warm blooded animals. Contrary to what most people believe, they cannot (and don't) feed on dead skin cells or sweat.
Physical Appearance - Bed bugs can be difficult to see because of their small size and because of this most of the time people can only see adults or clusters of bed bugs. Bed bugs are a light brown color (or reddish brown after feeding) and look similar to tiny beetles.
They do not have wings, and therefore cannot fly, so they will normally stay and reproduce in one location. Sometimes bed bugs will accidentally "hitch hike" on clothing, suitcases, or other items left near them and will unintentionally be transported to other locations where they will again reproduce and start colonizing.
How You Got Bed Bug Bites
By this point, you are probably thinking about the places you've slept in the past 24-48 that may have had bed bugs. While bed bug bites are most common in the bed, there are other ways you can get them. Remember, bed bugs can hitch hike to new locations, but the following locations are the most likely places you've gotten bed bugs bites.
- An old mattress
- A mattress in storage near other mattress'
- Any fabric/cloth furniture that may have been in storage
- Bed bugs were unintentionally carried to the location by visitors (whether human or animal)
- Duct work or ventilation that is shared with a room that contains bed bugs
Bed bugs can be anywhere, but by using the process of elimination, you can determine where bed bugs are. Bed bugs must have a host to feed off (either humans or animals) and prefer to feed every 5 to 10 days and it normally takes about five to ten minutes for the bed bug to become full. So they will be in areas where a person or an animal is stationary for 20-30 minutes at least 3-6 days a month.
Everything You Wanted to Know About Bed Bug Bites
A single bed bug will bite you once every 5 to 10 days, so you can imagine how large of an issue this can become if you have a serious bed bug problem. It can take a few days for bed bug bites to appear, so you may not get them the same night you were bitten (however some people are faster to react to bed bug bites than others and will show them sooner).
Bed Bug Bite Clusters
Most of the time bed bugs will bite in clusters of 2 or 3 bites (which is called breakfast, lunch, and dinner bites). The picture below shows how to recognize bed bug bite clusters:
Bed Bug Bite Appearance
Most people will break out in small to medium sized raised welts from bed bug bites within 24-48 hours of being bitten. Normally these welts range from light pink to dark red in color and most of the time there are 10-50+ bed bug bites on a victim. These welts are usually very itchy.
How Long Do Bed Bug Bites Last
The amount of time a bed bug bite lasts on a person is completely dependant on that person's body and immune system. Some people's body can cope with the bed bug bites and will literally not show any welts or signs that they have been bitten by bed bugs. Other people will have much more noticeable reactions towards the bed bug bites. Most of the time, bed bug bites will start to disappear within 4-7 days after they appear. If you scratch and irritate the bed bug bites it will take longer for them to go away.
How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs
There are many methods people claim you can use to get rid of bed bugs. Many do not work, most are not 100% effective, and a few are not safe.
Below are some popular methods that are not recommended:
- Mattress Covers - Mattress covers will only keep out the bed bugs that are living in your mattress. The bed bugs that are on your bed frame or floor near your bed will still reproduce and bite you.
- Bug Poison - Most poisons require repeat applications which make the bed unsafe to use until the process is completed.
- Home Remedies - Most recommended home remedies are more bothersome to you than the bed bugs.
For information on how to get rid of bed bugs (as well as bed bug bites) it is recommended you Download This Bed Bug Guide.
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