Dealing with bed bugs can be daunting, but spotting the early signs is key to tackling the issue before it spirals. If you suspect these pests are lurking in your home, here’s a practical guide to help you identify their presence step by step. By following these methods, you can detect bed bugs even before an infestation becomes visible.

Step 1: Inspect for Bites and Reactions

One of the first signs many people notice is the appearance of red, itchy bites on their skin. While not everyone reacts to bed bug bites, they often appear in a line or small clusters on exposed skin, such as the arms, neck, and legs. Check for:

Small, red, raised welts that itch.
Bites that appear overnight, especially if they follow a pattern (e.g., in a straight line).
Increased bite frequency over several days, suggesting an active infestation.

While bites alone are not conclusive, they’re often an early indicator of bed bugs.

Step 2: Check Your Bedding for Blood Spots

After bites, bed bugs often leave small blood stains on your sheets. These stains can occur when you accidentally squash a bed bug in your sleep. Here’s how to identify them:

Look for tiny rust-coloured or red spots on your sheets, pillows, or mattress.
Focus on the areas where your body makes contact with the bed, especially near the headboard or foot of the bed.

These blood spots are usually small but distinctive and tend to be one of the first visible signs of an infestation in your bed.

Step 3: Search for Fecal Spots

Bed bugs excrete dark spots of digested blood, which can be another major sign. These look like tiny dots or smudges and are typically found in areas where bed bugs hide. Here’s how to spot them:

Inspect the seams and edges of your mattress and box spring.
Look closely around the corners of your bed frame, under pillows, and between the folds of bedding.
Check any nearby furniture, like nightstands or the crevices of upholstered chairs.

These spots are typically dark brown or black and slightly raised, almost like ink dots from a felt-tip pen.

Step 4: Examine for Shed Skins

As bed bugs grow, they shed their skins (exuviae), leaving behind tiny, translucent shells. These skins are often found near their hiding places, so inspect the following areas:

Look along the edges of your mattress and box spring.
Check within the crevices of your bed frame and headboard.
Don’t forget to search around the baseboards and cracks in walls near your bed.

The shed skins are usually light in colour, almost see-through, and will vary in size depending on the stage of growth of the bed bug.

Step 5: Hunt for Live Bed Bugs

Spotting live bed bugs is the most definitive sign of an infestation. They tend to hide during the day, but you can uncover them with a careful inspection:

Remove your sheets and check the seams of your mattress and the creases in your box spring.
Shine a flashlight into cracks, crevices, and dark areas where they may be hiding.
Pay attention to areas near the bed, like the frame, headboard, and even picture frames or wall hangings close to the sleeping area.

Adult bed bugs are reddish-brown, about the size of an apple seed, and have a flat, oval shape. If they’ve recently fed, their bodies may be more bloated and reddish.

Step 6: Look for Bed Bug Eggs and Eggshells

Though bed bug eggs are small and more difficult to spot, they are a crucial sign of an active infestation. These tiny, white eggs are usually found in clusters in hidden areas:

Examine the seams and tufts of your mattress carefully.
Check any cracks in the bed frame, behind loose wallpaper, or around baseboards.

Eggs are small—about 1 mm in length—and pearly white, often tucked into dark crevices or along the seams of furniture. Finding these eggs or eggshells means the infestation is in the breeding phase, and immediate action is necessary—consider heat treatment.

Step 7: Inspect Nearby Furniture

Bed bugs aren’t just confined to your bed. They often spread to nearby furniture, especially if the infestation has been present for a while:

Inspect the seams and cushions of upholstered furniture like sofas and chairs.
Check behind picture frames, curtains, and other objects close to your sleeping area.
Pay attention to any small cracks in wood furniture, as bed bugs can easily hide in these spaces.

By extending your search beyond the bed, you’ll have a better chance of detecting a wider infestation.

Wrapping Up: Stay One Step Ahead of Bed Bugs

Recognising the signs of a bed bug infestation early can save you from a great deal of trouble. By staying vigilant and proactive, you can keep your home bed bug-free. If you have any concerns or need further assistance, do not hesitate to contact Thermopest. We can provide you with the support and treatments necessary to reclaim your space from these persistent pests.

Early Signs of a Bed Bug Infestation