Bugs are real jerks. They’re gross and having them crawling all over the place isn't so much a nuisance as it is just unnerving. Worst of all, they like to bite people when they get upset or when they need food, leaving you covered in frustratingly itchy little bites. Oftentimes a small spider or fire ant is to blame for a couple itchy red bumps on your body, or maybe you've just returned from a camping trip. But if you’re seeing abnormally large amounts of bites or bites surfacing in strange ways, potentially there's an issue. Here are some ways to identify what’s eating you up at night.
Click here for our visual guide for identifying bug bites
Bed Bug Bites
Let’s just get this one out of the way. Bed bugs are the worst pest to deal with. They’re difficult to get rid of, they often hang out in one of the areas we spend most of our time and they’re total jerks with a big appetite. Bed bugs feed on the blood of their hosts, mostly an unsuspecting person asleep at night. Unusually, it’s not uncommon for bed bugs to prefer one host over another, making for some strange revelations as spouses realize that they’re getting bitten while the other isn't. This is totally normal, and often a sign that bed bugs are to blame.
A typical group of bed bug bites
Bed bug bites can have the appearance of a skin rash at first glance. Bites will appear as small, flat bumps that are slightly raised and red in color. The area where the bite is located will only have one mark as opposed to the 2 marks that spider and ant bites leave. Bed bug bites do not require any kind of special treatment as they are not poisonous and usually itch-free. The bites tend to collect on areas that are left exposed when sleeping, such as the face, hand and feet areas.
If you think you may be getting bitten by bed bugs, please check out our bed bug page here on the website.
Spider Bites, Ant Bites, Stings and more
General creepy crawly pests tend to feed mostly on each other or vegetation. But it’s not uncommon for them to take a couple chomps out of us when it suits them. Luckily, it’s usually not a sign of any severe spider or ant infestation in your home and can often be attributed to a wandering pest on the prowl at night. These bites look like one little bump that can reach unholy levels of itchiness if rubbed the wrong way. These bites can be treated by washing the affected area with soap and water, applying an anti-itch/bug bite cream and by refraining from scratching it as that will only make the bite worse.
If bites persist and you are sure that it’s from regular pests and not bed bugs or fleas, it would be a good idea to wash all your bedding on a hot setting, cleaning up any food or liquid spills from around your sleeping area and knocking down any spider webs nearby. Maybe even pull the bed frame away from the wall and see if there are any spider webs between the bed and the wall.
Flea Bites
Flea bites can spell relief for someone who fears they are dealing with bed bugs. Fleas have similar biting patterns as bed bugs in that they will chew up a particular area on a person’s body. Fleas will mostly bite your feet, ankles and lower calf. This is usually because it’s the only area they can reach if they are infesting your whole home and are isolated to the floor.
Flea bites after hiking in an infested area
Flea bites don’t have the rash-like appearance of bed bug bites and bear a little resemblance to mosquito bites with their low red bumpiness and the ease at which they scab and blister. Unlike Bed bug bites, flea bites typically leave an itch or burning sensation where the bite took place. Anti itch creams and balms are your friend here, the more you scratch, the worse they’ll get. To learn more about fleas, please check out our flea page.
Identifying the root of your bites is always the best first course of action in getting the problem taken care of. It’s also a good first step to wash all your bedding on the hottest washer and dryer settings as it tends to kill whatever mites or pests present.