When you wake up with a rash on your skin, it can get you wondering: Do I have bed bugs? This mystery is likely to get worse when you go to unravel it. Bed bugs are sneaky insects. They hide in tight spaces, compressed areas, and dark voids. They're so good at hiding, some Honolulu residents are convinced that bed bugs are microscopic insects that are invisible to the naked eye.
We can assure you, they're not. If you uncover bed bugs, you'll see them. The problem is that it can be difficult to find them. Today, we're going to take a look at three ways to find out whether or not you have bed bugs in your Honolulu home - two of them don't even require you to see bed bugs.
1. Common Places To Look & What To Look For
Your bed is obviously the first place you should inspect. But it is far from the only place. You'll also need to inspect:
- Bed stands
- Baseboards
- Outlet covers
- Electronics
- Chairs and couches
- Luggage, duffel bags, book bags, pocketbooks, and other bags
When you do your inspection, keep in mind that you are looking for insects that are between 1 and 4.5 mm long. That's pretty small. You can find more than a dozen bed bugs huddled together in a spot the size of your thumbnail. Look between your mattress and box spring. Look underneath the cushions on your couch. Examine creases and seams using a debit card. Use a flashlight to look into recesses.
If you find bugs, you'll need to be able to identify them. Here are a few visual characteristics of bed bed bugs:
- Newly hatched nymphs have six legs and are egg-shaped with a low profile (that is to say, they're flat). They will appear white or white and red. The red coloration is from the blood in their abdomens.
- Bed bugs in the first instar will appear tan in coloration and may have black feces or red blood visible in their abdomens.
- Bed bugs in the second instar will range in coloration from tan to reddish-brown. They may also look like black insects if they have a lot of feces in their abdomens. As they develop, they take on a teardrop shape. You may notice crease lines on their abdomens, depending on the lighting.
- Adult bed bugs are reddish-brown. They are sort of a seed shape. Some describe them as looking like apple seeds. There is a strong similarity. If you find bed bugs in this stage, they can appear black if they have a lot of feces in them.
2. Warning Signs & Where To Look For Them
Bed bugs leave warning signs for you to see. But you may also find these warning signs in locations where bed bugs are congregating/nesting.
- Black specks or stains on fabrics. This is the feces of bed bugs, as described above.
- Brown stains caused by dried blood. Bed bugs excrete some of the blood they've collected. You may find these stains on your pillowcases, sheets, or bedding.
- Shed skins. Bed bugs leave their skins mostly in the location where they are congregating with other bed bugs.
3. Identifying Characteristics Of Bed Bug Bites
When bed bugs get into your Honolulu home, they will bite you. They have to bite you. These insects feed on blood in order to survive. And, unfortunately for humans, they have a preference for human blood. But you can use this to your advantage. If you understand what bed bugs look like, you can determine whether or not you have a bed bug infestation simply by examining the bites.
- Be aware that bed bug bites can look like a rash caused by an allergy. This is because, in many ways, it IS a rash caused by an allergy. Human skin responds to the anticoagulant in the saliva of bed bugs. When newly hatched bed bugs feed on you, the bite wounds can be slight, while the rash can be extensive. This will make the bites look like they aren't bites at all.
- The longer bed bugs are allowed to feed on you, or depending on how sensitive your skin is to the anticoagulant in bed bug saliva, the worse the bites can be. They can look like the bumps caused by many other biting pests, or they can develop into welts.
- When one bed bug bites you, it is likely to bite you three times. These bites (whether slight or severe) will appear in a line or zig-zag pattern.
- When several bed bugs bite you, you'll have a lot of bites. These bites will look like they follow a path across the skin.
- Bed bugs tend to bite skin that is exposed during the night.
When You Find Bed Bugs In Your Home
Bed bugs are miserable pests. If you find them in your Honolulu home, contact Pest Tech Hawaii. We offer home pest control to effectively address Hawaii bed bugs. We'll make sure no bugs remain in your home.
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