How to Check for Bed Bugs, and Other Bed Bug Facts

How to Check for Bed Bugs on the Road or at Home

Whether you suspect a bed bug infestation at your house or want to be sure your hotel room or Airbnb is bed bug-free before you unpack and lay down, the following are some steps you should take when checking.

1. Gear Up

Before you start searching for bed bugs, it’s essential to protect yourself and have the right tools in hand. You’ll want a flashlight to get a better look at the areas you will be inspecting. It’s also helpful to have something like a credit card or another sturdy, flat, plastic item on hand for scraping. Most importantly, wear non-cloth protection over your hands, such as rubber or plastic gloves.

2. Look at Common Bed Bug Hiding Spots

Most people look at the bed first for signs of bed bugs, which is completely reasonable—after all, it’s in the name. But mattresses and bedding aren’t the only places they are likely to infest. Be sure to check in and around all of the following:

Mattresses – check all the seams, tufts, folds, corners, and underside areas
Curtains and drapes – Check the folds, creases, and hems
Window frames
Door frames
Behind outlet cover
Lamp bases
Picture frames
Ceiling corners
Nightstand and dresser bases
Chairs – check the base, underside, seat cushion, headrest, and inner area to see if the cushion is removable
Baseboards

3. Look for the Signs of Bed Bugs

When inspecting your room and items for bed bugs, there are a few things you want to keep your eye out for, including:

Live bugs – Fully grown bed bugs can be brown, reddish brown, or tan. They can often resemble the look of an apple seed, both in size and color. Younger bugs can look as small as a chia seed or smaller. Younger bugs are also lighter in color, ranging from light tan to tan or reddish brown.
Small blood-like stains on fabric—When crushed, bed bugs leave behind a rusty-looking stain that resembles blood. These can appear as small spots or stains on sheets, pillowcases, comforters, mattresses, etc.
Skin shedding – Like many insects, bed bugs have exoskeletons that they must shed when molting. Bed bugs shed their exoskeletons up to five times before reaching adulthood, meaning they leave behind shedding/evidence of their presence.
Eggs – Wherever there are bed bugs, bed bug eggs are likely to be lying around. A female bed bug can lay up to 5 eggs a day and up to 500 eggs in a lifetime. Eggs are most often found in crevices like folds, creases, mattress seams, cracks, and other places where they can safely rest. Eggs appear as tiny pearl-like beads no bigger than a pinhead.
Fecal stains – Bed bugs leave behind semi-solid, semi-liquid droppings that stain fabric and stick to surfaces. The matter is not easily removable, and it is present wherever there are bed bugs.
Strange odor – If the bed or area you are inspecting gives off a sweet yet musty odor, bed bugs may be present. Many compare the smell to almonds, cilantro, or overripe berries.
Bite marks on the body – One sign that will only appear after you have been exposed to bed bugs is bite marks on your body. Bites tend to appear in clusters as small red welts that can burn or itch, and they can appear anywhere on the body, from the arms and legs to the stomach, back, chest, and face.

How Are Bed Bugs Spread?

Bed bugs can infest your home through a variety of possibilities, including:

Travel

If you go out of town and stay at a location that is infested with bed bugs, it is possible for some of the bugs to make their way onto your clothes or into your suitcase, which you can bring back home with you. If your luggage has bed bugs in it, even if you immediately wash all the clothes as soon as you return home, bed bugs can still make their way from your bag to your bed and other furniture.

Also, keep in mind that if you travel by car with infested luggage, the interior of your vehicle can also become infested with bed bugs.

Thrifting

Buying a chair or couch second-hand from a thrift store may sound like a great deal, but there is the possibility that you are actually bringing home a bed bug infestation. Bed bugs often spread via thrift and second-hand stores. Those inexpensive finds can cost shoppers a pretty penny in bed bug treatment once the deal is done.

Apartments, Condos, and Hotels/Motels

Tenants or guests in multiunit buildings risk experiencing a bed bug infestation in their unit or room if the bugs infest another unit in the building. In addition to traveling on furniture, baggage, and even clothing, bed bugs can also travel from unit to unit along components of the plumbing and electrical systems.

Pets

Pets are often carriers of the peskiest insects, from fleas to bed bugs. When an animal is exposed to an area where bug bugs are also residing, the bugs can hitch a ride on the fur and make their way home with your pet.

How to Treat Bed Bugs

Bed bugs are challenging insects to exterminate with at-home measures. You can try the following, but understand that these pests are resilient and often persevere through even the most diligent DIY cleaning and exterminating efforts.

At-Home Options to Try:

Routine vacuuming of the floors, windows, baseboards, and more
Decluttering
Store-bought chemical treatments

To effectively rid your home of bed bugs, contact trusted exterminators like Bizzy Bee Exterminators. Our team is skilled, experienced, and equipped to treat homes and units for bed bugs, eliminating the infestation and restoring your home to pre-infestation conditions.