Bed Bug Bites
An adult Bed Bug can easily be visible to the naked eye but they are very good at hiding meaning the only way know there is a problem is from being bitten.
During the day or when no one is present, a Bed Bug will not feed and will stay in hiding, reserving energy until their next feed is in the room. Bed Bugs sense the CO2 we exhale and our body warmth which attracts them out, normally whilst we are asleep, this is when they will feed and go back into hiding. Bed Bugs can survive for up to 12 months on a single feed. Before biting, similar to mosquitos, the Bed Bug will inject an anaesthetic to disguise the bite and not wake you up.
What Bed Bug Bites Look Like
Each person will react differently to bites meaning it can be tricky to identify what a bite looks like. Some people develop angry rashes, or experience bumps and swelling, whilst others will not experience any symptoms at all.
To help determine what type of insect it is that is biting you there is a couple of simple test that can be used to help identify the issue. Put a bowl of water next to where you suspect you are being bitten (bed, sofa etc). if there is little black insects in the water after a day or so, this will more than likely be a flea bite. Or if you are being bitten mainly on your lower limbs. You can also put some double sided sticky tape on the frame of your bed/ sofa and after a day or so, you may have caught a Bed Bug.
Patterns of bites can also assist in determining the insect. Bed Bugs generally feed more than once in the same location- many people say three times in a row, breakfast, lunch and dinner. If there are several areas on your body with bites with this patterns, it would suggest that more than 1 has fed. If you notice any bites then give us as call and our experts will be happy to help you.