Identifying Bed Bug Bites on Your Skin
I love this new vampire fad in America.
The thrill of powerful supernatural creatures who feed on humans unwillingly has spawned a whole cottage industry in books and movies.
Vampires are huge in popular culture, but there is also a reemerging bloodsucking parasite in America that is not quite so popular.
Of course, I am talking about bed bugs.
How do you know if those bite marks on your skin are bed bugs? This article will explain some of the signs of bed bug bites.
Can Bed Bugs Spread Disease? First, to put your mind at ease, these insects are not believed to be a danger to humans in terms of disease transmission.
Unlike mosquitoes, who also feed on blood and leave itchy red welts behind, they do not spread major pathogens like malaria.
So that's the good news - if you're getting eaten alive as you sleep at least you are dealing with a simple nuisance rather than any real health risk.
Typical Signs of Bed Bug Bites Bedbugs feed by puncturing the skin with their mouth parts and drinking blood from their human hosts.
The points of entry on the skin will then exhibit a mild irritation resulting in red itchy welts similar to mosquito or other bites.
Not everyone reacts to their bites the same way - some people will have a bigger allergy response than others.
In general though, you would expect to see a number of small red bite marks if you have been targeted.
Typically a bedbug is very sensitive to motion.
If the human host moves or twitches while the insect is feeding, it will temporarily remove its mouth parts.
Once it feels danger has past it will find a new location nearby - this is one possible explanation for the common pattern of bites appearing in straight rows of 3 or 4.
Another explanation may be multiple critters approaching their host from the same direction and feeding side by side along a point of contact, for example where your forearm rests along the edge of your mattress as you sleep.
Either way, the telltale rows of bite marks in a straight line are a pretty strong indication that these are bed bugs and not other types of pests biting you in your sleep.
Again, it is not possible to diagnose the bites specifically without physically trapping a specimen to confirm.
If you suspect your mattress has these unwanted guests then your first move should be to get a trap or monitor to get positive proof.
The thrill of powerful supernatural creatures who feed on humans unwillingly has spawned a whole cottage industry in books and movies.
Vampires are huge in popular culture, but there is also a reemerging bloodsucking parasite in America that is not quite so popular.
Of course, I am talking about bed bugs.
How do you know if those bite marks on your skin are bed bugs? This article will explain some of the signs of bed bug bites.
Can Bed Bugs Spread Disease? First, to put your mind at ease, these insects are not believed to be a danger to humans in terms of disease transmission.
Unlike mosquitoes, who also feed on blood and leave itchy red welts behind, they do not spread major pathogens like malaria.
So that's the good news - if you're getting eaten alive as you sleep at least you are dealing with a simple nuisance rather than any real health risk.
Typical Signs of Bed Bug Bites Bedbugs feed by puncturing the skin with their mouth parts and drinking blood from their human hosts.
The points of entry on the skin will then exhibit a mild irritation resulting in red itchy welts similar to mosquito or other bites.
Not everyone reacts to their bites the same way - some people will have a bigger allergy response than others.
In general though, you would expect to see a number of small red bite marks if you have been targeted.
Typically a bedbug is very sensitive to motion.
If the human host moves or twitches while the insect is feeding, it will temporarily remove its mouth parts.
Once it feels danger has past it will find a new location nearby - this is one possible explanation for the common pattern of bites appearing in straight rows of 3 or 4.
Another explanation may be multiple critters approaching their host from the same direction and feeding side by side along a point of contact, for example where your forearm rests along the edge of your mattress as you sleep.
Either way, the telltale rows of bite marks in a straight line are a pretty strong indication that these are bed bugs and not other types of pests biting you in your sleep.
Again, it is not possible to diagnose the bites specifically without physically trapping a specimen to confirm.
If you suspect your mattress has these unwanted guests then your first move should be to get a trap or monitor to get positive proof.
