How to Tell If You Have Bed Bugs

If you think you have bed bugs, check the seams of your mattress and the joints of your bed frame for live bugs, shed skins and small dark spots. Below are the signs, where bed bugs hide, and when to call us about bed bug treatment in Sacramento.

What bed bugs and their signs look like

Adult bed bugs are flat, oval, wingless and rusty red, about 1/5 inch long. The younger nymphs are smaller and lighter in color. UC IPM adds that a foul or acrid smell can be present in heavily infested areas.

Bites are not a reliable sign, because several household pests bite and skin reactions vary, so the only way to confirm bed bugs is to find the bugs or their signs.

The signs are dark fecal spots, blood spots where a bug was crushed, egg cases and light-colored shed skins, and you will usually find them along the mattress seams and near the bed.

Where bed bugs hide

Most bed bugs hide within 6 feet of where people sleep or rest. About 85% are found in or near the bed, according to the research UC IPM cites. Start with the mattress and box spring seams, then check the bed frame and headboard joints and the cracks in nearby baseboards and furniture.

They are carried in on luggage, clothes, bedding and second-hand furniture. They can now be found even in the finest hotels and homes.

How to check for bed bugs

• Strip the bed and look along the mattress and box spring seams with a flashlight and a small mirror.
• Check the bed frame joints, the headboard, and where it meets the wall.
• Check everything within 6 feet of the bed, including baseboards and the cracks nearest it. Bed bugs can use cracks as narrow as a credit card.
• Look for the signs, not only live bugs: dark spots, shed skins, and blood spots on the sheets.