How to Check for Bed Bugs

One of the most common questions we get is, "How to check for bed bugs?" At ThermoPest, we’re here to provide the answer.

How to Check for Bed Bugs UK: A Step-by-Step Guide

Detecting bed bugs at home begins with a careful inspection of sleeping and resting areas. These tiny pests are brilliant at hiding, so you’ll need to be thorough and patient. Here’s how to check for bed bugs effectively:

Inspect the Bed Thoroughly

The bed is the main hotspot for bed bugs, as they like to stay near their food source—you. Focus on these key areas:

  • Mattress and Box Spring: Check seams, folds, and tufts for live bed bugs (small, reddish-brown, and oval-shaped), tiny white eggs (about 1mm long), or empty eggshells.
  • Bed Frame and Headboard: Look along joints, cracks, and screw holes for hiding bugs or signs of activity.
  • Bedding: Examine sheets, pillowcases, and blankets for small black or dark brown spots (bed bug droppings) or rust-coloured blood stains (from crushed bugs after feeding).

Tip: Use a magnifying glass if needed—bed bugs and their eggs are small and easy to overlook.

Examine Furniture and Surrounding Areas

Bed bugs aren’t confined to beds. They can spread to nearby furniture and walls, so widen your search:

  • Upholstered Furniture: Inspect settees, chairs, and cushions, paying close attention to seams, folds, and under cushions where bugs may lurk.
  • Walls and Decor: Check behind picture frames, wall hangings, and electrical sockets for shed skins (translucent, bug-shaped husks) or live bugs.
  • Furniture Crevices: Use a vacuum cleaner with a crevice tool to probe deep into cracks. Avoid moving infested items out of the room—this can accidentally spread the problem.

 

How to Check for Bed Bugs

Use Tools to Uncover Hidden Bed Bugs

Some bed bugs hide in tricky spots. Equip yourself with the right tools:

  • Torch: Shine a torch into dark corners, behind headboards, and inside cracks to spot bed bugs or their eggs.
  • Stiff Brush: Gently scrub along seams and crevices to dislodge eggs or bugs from their hiding places. Pair this with a torch for better visibility.

Tip: Wear gloves to avoid direct contact with bugs or allergens they leave behind.

Set Traps to Confirm Activity

If you suspect bed bugs but haven’t found solid evidence, traps can help:

  • Bed Leg Traps: Place interceptor traps (small cups or sticky traps) under each bed leg. These catch adult bed bugs as they move at night searching for a meal.
  • Monitor Overnight: Check traps the next morning for captured bugs—a clear sign of an active infestation.

How to Check for Bed Bugs in Hotels

Travelling can expose you to bed bugs, especially in hotels. To avoid bringing them home, take these precautions upon arrival:

  • Inspect the Bed: Pull back the sheets and check mattress seams, headboards, and under the bed for live bugs, eggs, or dark droppings.
  • Check Luggage Areas: Examine hotel furniture near the bed, like chairs or luggage racks, for signs of infestation. Keep your suitcase off the bed and floor—use the bathroom or a metal rack if possible.
  • Use a Torch: Bring a small torch to shine into crevices and dark corners where bed bugs might hide.
  • Monitor Your Stay: If you wake up with itchy bites or spot blood stains on sheets, inform hotel staff immediately and request a room change—preferably in a different part of the building.

Contact ThermoPest for Professional Help

While these steps can help you check for bed bugs, identifying and eliminating an infestation can be challenging. For expert assistance, contact ThermoPest—your local bed bug specialists. Our trained professionals use advanced techniques and equipment to detect and eradicate bed bugs quickly and safely, giving you peace of mind. Reach out to us today for a thorough inspection and tailored treatment plan.

The Best Bed Bug Treatment: Heat Treatment from ThermoPest

The most effective way to rid your home of bed bugs is through heat treatments. Unlike chemical sprays, which may not kill bed bug eggs, heat treatments raise the temperature in a room to a level that bed bugs cannot survive.

Why Choose Heat Treatment?

Heat treatments are great because it kills bed bugs in all life stages – including bed bug eggs and nymphs. The heat reaches deep into crevices where bed bugs hide.

Heat treatments use no harmful chemicals. This makes them safe for homes and businesses. And heat treatments are usually a one-time treatment – unlike traditional methods that require multiple applications.

If you have a bed bug infestation, pest.co.uk’s heat treatment service ensures complete eradication.

Check For an Infestation

Knowing how to check for bed bugs is the first step in stopping an infestation. Whether at home, in a hotel room, or on public transport, early detection can help you prevent bed bugs from spreading.

If you find signs of bed bugs, do not wait—contact pest.co.uk for expert heat treatments and professional pest control services. A fast response can help you rid your home of bed bugs before the problem worsens.

Table of Contents

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, bed bugs are small but visible—though they are very good at flattening themselves and hiding. Once fully grown, the bugs are red/brown and measure around 4-5mm. Can you see bed bugs?

Bed bugs can be found anywhere that humans live because they feed on human blood. This attracts them to any environment where they can hide out—with mattresses and upholstery the prime targets. What causes bed bugs?

Bed bugs are difficult to identify in the early stages of their life cycles.  Most infestations are discovered due to bite marks and itching from residents. Pest control professionals can usually identify droppings on bedding, uncover the places where the bugs hide and even smell the strong, sweet odours of a mature infestation. What are the signs that I have bed bugs?

Getting rid of bed bugs is not an easy task. Predominately, this is due to the nocturnal nature and ability for bed bugs to hide in small cracks and crevices. Sightings of bed bugs, it normally indicates that there is a serious bed bug infestation and requires a professional bed bug treatment. How do I kill bed bugs?

We are often asked what do bed bug bites look like? The problem is that bed bug bites can be easily confused with other insect bites. Each person bitten by bed bugs reacts differently, but there are some typical indicators. What do bed bug bites look like?

They get their name because they hide in areas that are related to the bed, such as a mattress, pillows, box springs, bed frames, and other furniture. They usually remain close to the host and usually bite at night when we are sleeping. Where do bed bugs bite?

Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) have existed for thousands of years and gradually adapted to feed on humans. They’re not caused by poor hygiene – but common in places with high human turnover like hotels, dorms, public transport, and shared housing. They hide in beds, furniture, or cracks in walls and reproduce quickly.Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) have existed for thousands of years and gradually adapted to feed on humans. They’re not caused by poor hygiene – but common in places with high human turnover like hotels, dorms, public transport, and shared housing. They hide in beds, furniture, or cracks in walls and reproduce quickly. If you need a bed bug exterminator near you, get in contact with one of our team today. Where do bed bugs come from?

Bed bug heat treatment is a method used to eliminate bedbugs by subjecting them to high temperatures. This approach relies on the sensitivity of bedbugs to heat, as they cannot survive when exposed to temperatures above a certain threshold. How to get rid of bed bugs?

One of the most common questions we get is, “How to check for bed bugs?” You Check for bed bugs by inspecting mattress seams, bed frames, and furniture for small reddish-brown bugs, tiny black fecal spots, or shed skins.

 Yes we do emergency pest control in homes or commercial premises to minimise disruption and risk to health. We can advise you about the most effective insect control solutions for your particular problem.

 During the initial treatment on first visit a pest controller will assess entry points, recommend various methods based on the infestation and place bed bug monitors if required.

 We treat a wide range including bed bugs, carpet beetles, clothes moths and more. Whether you need moth control or insect control we will tailor our approach to the species and environment.

Yes. All our expert pest control services comply with strict health and safety regulations to protect people, pets and property so you will have a safe and pest free environment after treatment.

 Yes, our local pest control teams can help with any pest control needs quickly and effectively.

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