Bed bug bite symptoms can be tough to identify for a few reasons.
In order to strongly confirm bites as bed bug bites, pay attention to the following:
- Pattern of the bites.
- Onset of symptoms and misdiagnosis.
- Other signs of bed bugs.
Bed Bug Bite Pattern
First, the bites themselves are generic looking. Bed bug bites are often no more than little red bumps, similar to mosquito bites. A good indicator though is the pattern of the bites.
Bed bug bites often occur in a unique bite pattern of a linear group of three or four, sometimes referred to as a “breakfast, lunch, dinner” pattern. Bedbug bites can occur singly but are often in this straight line pattern. These Bed Bug Bite Pictures will give you more examples of what they look like.
Onset of Bed Bug Bite Symptoms and Misdiagnosis
The effect of these bites on humans varies from person to person. Typical symptoms are welts and swelling that are more itchy and longer-lasting than mosquito bites. Some people, however, have little or no reaction.
The tricky thing is that there is a lag between the time somebody has been bitten and the time symptoms show up. Sometimes up to 9 days. The more times a person is bitten, the less lag there is between the biting and the showing of symptoms.
It is common for people to mistakenly attribute the marks to something besides bed bugs. People going to the doctor with bed bug bite marks are sometimes told the marks are scabies or allergic rashes. Often these people are prescribed steroids or antihistamines. This is why it’s important to not only pay attention to the timing of the symptoms but to look for…
Other signs of bed bugs
It’s important to look for other signs of bed bugs in your home. It’s too easy attribute bed bug bite symptoms to some other cause. And while you’re spending time trying to track down the cause of the symptoms, bed bugs might be reproducing and spreading in your home. This could lead to a full blown bed bug infestation.