Getting Bitten at Night but No Bed Bugs? Here’s What to Check

What people believe vs reality

• Belief: “If I can’t see bugs, it’s not bed bugs.” Reality: Low-level populations hide deeply in cracks, skirting, bed frames, and sockets. Early faecal spots or shed skins are easier to find than the insects.
• Belief: “My bites don’t look like the pictures.” Reality: Reactions vary widely. Some people show no marks; others develop delayed welts 24–72 hours later.
• Belief: “I’m bitten every night, so there must be lots of bugs.” Reality: A few individuals can cause frequent bites; feeding intervals differ by temperature, life stage, and host availability.
• Belief: “Spraying shop products will sort it.” Reality: Repellent or misapplied products drive bugs deeper into voids and neighbouring rooms, making confirmation and control harder.

Science-backed facts to ground your investigation

• Bed bug signs: pinpoint black faecal spots on frames and skirting, paper-like cast skins, and pearly eggs (about 1 mm, stuck to substrates).
• Not everyone reacts to bites, and reactions can be delayed; absence of a rash is not proof of absence.
• Eggs are the toughest life stage; they need deeper, sustained heat to be reliably killed. See the temperature science in what temperature kills bed bugs.
• Other causes exist: fleas (often ankles/lower legs, pets), mosquitoes/gnats (seasonal, windows), bird/bat mites (linked to nests), and carpet beetle larvae hairs (dermatitis without a bite). Correct identification prevents wasted effort.

Common mistakes that prolong problems

• Using foggers or space sprays: they don’t reach harbourages and can scatter bugs into wall voids (classic “cold spot” refuges).
• Heavy diatomaceous earth or off-label pesticide use: messy, low efficacy, and can contaminate electronics and soft furnishings.
• Throwing away beds prematurely: you can spread insects during removal and lose valuable evidence.
• Sleeping in a different room: you risk dispersing the population.

Practical steps you can do safely today

• Focused inspection: Use a bright torch to check mattress seams, piping, bed slats, headboard fixings, skirting behind the bed, bedside units, and screw holes. Look for black spotting, cast skins, and eggs.
• Laundry and heat: Wash bedding and sleepwear at 60°C and tumble dry on high for at least 30 minutes after the load is hot. Bag items before and after laundering.
• Reduce hiding places: Declutter the bed area and pull the bed 5–10 cm from the wall. Fit interceptors under bed legs to capture climbers and help you confirm activity.
• Encasements: Mattress and base encasements trap any hidden bugs and make future checks quicker.
• Avoid repellents: Don’t use household insecticides or essential oils around the bed area; pushing bugs into cold spots makes professional treatment longer and costlier.
• Prepare for success: If you opt for professional heat, start preparing your home for treatment so heat can move freely to every harbourage.

Why heat treatment is the superior solution

Cold spots are the enemy

Bed bugs exploit cooler, insulated pockets in floor voids, furniture joints, and wall cavities. Chemical residues struggle to reach these spaces, and rushed heating can leave survivable refuges. Professional heat relies on airflow engineering to eliminate cold spots.

Sustained lethal temperature matters

Brief bursts of heat are not enough. Rooms must be raised and held uniformly at lethal levels so that the “core” of dense items also reaches target temperatures. This is how eggs and hidden nymphs are reliably controlled.

Sensors and monitoring throughout

Technicians place multiple wired and wireless probes across the room and inside high-risk items, adjusting fans and heaters in real time. Continuous monitoring verifies that every location crosses and maintains the lethal threshold.

All life stages, in one pass

Correctly delivered heat treatment kills mobile bugs and eggs in a single programme, removing the need for repeated chemical revisits. For a step-by-step overview, see our bed bug heat treatment process.

ThermoPest provides residential programmes and commercial heat treatment for hotels and landlords, with discreet scheduling and post-treatment check-ins to guard against re-introduction.

ThermoPest expertise, from first check to follow-up

We combine careful inspection, targeted preparation guidance, precision heating, and clear follow-up. For households and businesses alike, success depends on access and airflow, which is why we help you with preparing your home for treatment and how to monitor your property after treatment. If you’re waking with unexplained bites, a short professional assessment often saves weeks of uncertainty.

FAQs

Why am I getting bites at night if I can’t find any bed bugs?

Low-level infestations hide deeply in cracks and often leave only subtle signs like tiny black faecal spots. Some people also have delayed or minimal skin reactions, so the timeline between feeding and rash can mislead. Other causes (fleas, mosquitoes, mites, carpet beetle larval hairs) can mimic bed bug bites. Tip: place interceptors under bed legs for a week to gather evidence; in professional practice, we pair interception with torch inspections of frames, skirting, and fixings.

What temperature actually kills bed bugs and their eggs?

Both adults and nymphs die quickly once their core temperature exceeds lethal thresholds, but eggs need more heat for longer. Structured treatments hold rooms uniformly at elevated temperatures long enough for the core of mattresses, furniture joints, and clutter to surpass lethal limits. DIY steamers and space heaters rarely maintain even heat or penetrate dense items. Tip: if laundering, use a 60°C wash and a hot tumble dry for at least 30 minutes after the load is up to temperature; in professional practice we verify temperatures with multiple probes.

Could this be something other than bed bugs?

Yes. Fleas favour lower legs and are linked to pets or visiting animals; mosquitoes are seasonal and often enter at dusk; bird mites arise from nearby nests; carpet beetle larvae don’t bite but their tiny hairs can cause dermatitis. Correct ID saves time and money. Tip: check pets with a flea comb and inspect window areas and lofts for nests; in professional practice we confirm with visual evidence, trapping, and pattern analysis.

Why do DIY treatments often fail?

Most over-the-counter products don’t penetrate harbourages or eggs, and repellent formulations drive bugs into colder voids. Without even heat or targeted dusting in the correct places, survivors rebound. Foggers, in particular, create chemical resistance issues and dispersal. Tip: avoid repellents near sleeping areas and focus on inspection, laundering, and encasements while you arrange professional control; in professional practice we design heat flow to eliminate cold spots.

How do I stop bed bugs returning after treatment?

Re-introduction (picking them up again from travel or visitors) is more common than true treatment failure. Use encasements, reduce clutter, and fit interceptors so any new arrivals are detected early. After heat, keep monitoring for several weeks to confirm silence. Tip: keep luggage off beds and inspect after travel; in professional practice we schedule follow-up checks and provide monitoring guidance.