While bed bugs can bite anywhere on the body, they tend to go for areas where the skin is thinner and exposed during sleep. The most common bite locations include the face, neck, arms, hands, and legs. These areas have easy access to blood vessels, making them perfect feeding spots.
Bed bugs are also drawn to the warmth and carbon dioxide we emit while sleeping, which is why they tend to bite areas closest to the head and torso. Unlike other biting insects, they don’t burrow into the skin. They just pierce the surface, feed, and retreat to their hiding spots in places like mattresses, box springs, and upholstered furniture.
The dead giveaway for bed bug bites is their distinctive pattern. Unlike spider bites, which are usually isolated, or mosquito bites, which have a random pattern, bed bug bites often appear in clusters, zigzag patterns, or straight lines. This happens because a single female bedbug may bite multiple times in one feeding session.
Bite reactions can vary depending on skin type:
Bedbug bites aren’t known to spread diseases or cause health problems like other insect bites. Of course, bedbug bites can be extremely itchy and uncomfortable. Excessive scratching can lead to infection, so it’s important to keep the affected area clean and apply corticosteroid cream from a local drugstore to reduce swelling and irritation. Other symptoms of bed bug bites include inflammation in the form of a rash and a burning sensation.
Of course, it’s always wise to consult with a medical professional, especially if you think you may be having some kind of allergic reaction.
Bedbugs are nocturnal creatures, meaning they are most active at night while their hosts are asleep. However, in severe infestations, they may bite during the day if food is scarce.
While wearing long-sleeved pyjamas may offer some protection, it won’t completely prevent bites. The only way to stop bed bugs from feeding is to eliminate the infestation completely. Make sure you keep your sleeping area clean to avoid bed bug bites.
There are loads of pesky critters that love feeding on your skin, so it’s important to know the difference between bug bites. Here’s a quick list to help figure out what bugs are in your bed:
If you’re waking up with unexplained bug bites and spotting other signs like blood stains on sheets or a musty smell, it could mean a bed bug infestation.
Ever wondered how a bed bug infestation gets out of hand so quickly? It’s all down to how fast the bedbug life cycle is. From the moment they hatch, they’re on the hunt for their first meal—meaning bedbug bites start sooner than you’d think!
Tiny, white, and about the size of a grain of salt, bed bug eggs are nearly impossible to see. They’re usually tucked away in mattress seams or sticking to the back of picture frames, making them hard to spot.
Once they hatch, baby bedbugs (called nymphs) are pale and see-through, but don’t be fooled. They’re only pales because they haven’t had their first taste of blood yet. Young bedbugs bite just as much as adult bedbugs. As nymphs grow, they shed their skin five times, a good clue to look for.
Fully grown bedbugs are reddish-brown and about the size of an apple seed. A single female can lay up to 500 eggs in her lifetime, which is why a few bedbugs can quickly spiral into a major infestation. More bedbugs around mean more bedbug bites.
Recognising where bed bugs bite can be key to catching them early, before an infestation takes hold. These pests can multiply rapidly, making prompt action vital to keep the problem under control.
For the most reliable way to banish bed bugs, professional heat treatment stands out as the top choice. At ThermoPest, we specialise in expert solutions tailored to your needs. Intense heat wipes out bed bugs, their eggs, and nymphs in a single sweep, penetrating even the trickiest hiding spots like bed frames, upholstered furniture, and plug sockets. While encasing your mattress in a plastic bag can trap and kill some bed bugs, it won’t fully solve the issue.
Sealing your mattress also offers the bonus of giving your skin a much-needed respite. Once the bed bugs are eradicated, give your mattress a thorough clean—use a firm brush to scrub the seams and dislodge any lingering eggs or bugs. Follow up by hoovering the mattress and washing all bedding in hot water to ensure a fresh, pest-free sleep.
If you’ve noticed bite marks, rust-coloured stains on your bedding, or a musty odour, don’t wait—contact our bed bug experts today. We’ll help you take care of those pesky bugs so you can sleep bite-free again.
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For ongoing problems, use our preventative contracts
Yes, if clothing is loose, they can crawl underneath to reach the skin.
Yes. These areas are often bitten because they are usually uncovered during sleep.
Yes, especially in large cities — hospitals, hostels, and hotels often report infestations due to high turnover of people.
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