Bedbugsare diagnosed in two ways.
The first is the appearance of bites on your body.
However, these are very similar to other insect bites and can appear days after being bitten.
© Verywell, 2018
Finding the signs of bedbugs in your sleeping environment is more conclusive evidence that there is an infestation.
Learn how to determine whether you have beenbitten by bedbugs.
You likely won’t feel bedbugs biting as they inject an anesthetic and anticoagulant when they bite.
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You may develop bite marks one to 14 days after being bitten.
As with mosquitoes, their saliva can provoke an allergic reaction at the site of the bite.
Some people have no reaction, others have a mild one, while some can have significant swelling.
The bite marks may be in a straight line, cluster, or a random pattern.
One classic pattern is three bites in a linebreakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Bites typically occur on the face, hands, and feet.
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you’re free to check bedding, mattresses, furniture, and crevices in walls for bedbug infestation.
Do your inspection just before dawn, which is when they are the most active.
The bugs will be larger and slower after feeding.
Bedbugs are about the size of an apple seed, about 1/4 inch long.
They change from light brown to purple-red after feeding.
You may also see their eggs, which are about the same size as the adults.
The eggs will often be in seams, cracks, or crevices.
You are more likely to find their molted exoskeletons and dark specks of their feces.
A room with a heavy bedbug infestation might have a sweet, musty odor.
Differential Diagnoses
Most of the time you won’t go to a healthcare provider for bedbug bites.
Be prepared with a timeline of your symptoms.
Bring photos of any suspicious specks found on your bedding or furniture.
Your healthcare provider will perform a physical exam and take your medical history.
This is usually enough to make the diagnosis or rule out other causes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bedbug bites look likesmall red lesions.
They typically start off as red bumps that may develop into itchy blisters.
The bites are often formed in a line or clustered in a small group.
If the bites are very close together, they may form a larger rash.
Yes, bedbugs may feast on pets and other animals, though they prefer human blood.
Bedbug bites usually go away on their own, similar to a mosquito bite.
Delaunay P, Blanc V, Del Giudice P, et al.Bedbugs and infectious diseases.Clin Infect Dis.
2012;86(7):653-8.
American Academy of Dermatology.Bedbugs: Who gets and causes.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About bed bugs.
United States Environmental Protection Agency.How to find bed bugs.
