The bite marks may be random or appear in a straight line. The bite marks are similar to that of a mosquito or a flea - a slightly swollen and red area that may itch and be irritating. Most people do not realize they have been bitten until bite marks appear anywhere from one to several days after the initial bite.
When bed bugs bite, they inject an anesthetic and an anticoagulant that prevents a person from realizing they are being bitten. It is hard to tell if you’ve been bitten by a bed bug unless you find bed bugs or signs of infestation.
Mattress bed bugs skin#
Sometimes the itching can lead to excessive scratching that can sometimes increase the chance of a secondary skin infection. Bed bugs can be an annoyance because their presence may cause itching and loss of sleep. Do bed bugs spread disease?īed bugs are not known to spread disease. Bed bugs have been shown to be able to travel over 100 feet in a night but tend to live within 8 feet of where people sleep. They hide during the day in places such as seams of mattresses, box springs, bed frames, headboards, dresser tables, inside cracks or crevices, behind wallpaper, or any other clutter or objects around a bed. These areas include apartments, shelters, rooming houses, hotels, cruise ships, buses, trains, and dorm rooms.
Bed bugs have been found in five-star hotels and resorts and their presence is not determined by the cleanliness of the living conditions where they are found.īed bug infestations usually occur around or near the areas where people sleep. Although the presence of bed bugs has traditionally been seen as a problem in developing countries, it has recently been spreading rapidly in parts of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and other parts of Europe. Where are bed bugs found?īed bugs are found across the globe from North and South America, to Africa, Asia and Europe.
Bed bugs are reddish-brown in color, wingless, range from 1mm to 7mm (roughly the size of Lincoln’s head on a penny), and can live several months without a blood meal. How are bed bugs treated and prevented?īed bugs ( Cimex lectularius) are small, flat, parasitic insects that feed solely on the blood of people and animals while they sleep.What are the signs and symptoms of a bed bug infestation?.