The Types of Bed Bugs You Find in Your Bed

Your bed is often a sanctuary, a place to relax and let the cares of the day slip into oblivion. However, there may be unwelcome guests in your bed. Bed bugs, dust mites and fleas are three very common visitors.

Bed Bugs

• Bed bugs are the most well-know type of insect that live in mattresses and bedding. Bed bugs are brownish insects about 1/4 of an inch long. These bugs hide out in the seams and crevices of mattresses until nighttime when they come out to feed on humans and animals. The most common sign of this type of infestation are brown spots on the mattress and bedding.

Dust Mites

• While bed bugs are not found in every home, dust mites are. Dust mites live in every home and business. While bed bugs often leave a red mark when they bite, dust mites do not. Dust mites that may reside in your mattress or bedding do not feed directly on the flesh or blood of humans or animals. Dust mites eat the dead skin that we slough off constantly.

Fleas

• While fleas are not strictly a bed bug, they are a type of bug found in beds. Many pet owners allow their pets to lie on their beds and couches. Fleas will jump off an animal and onto couches or beds. There, they will wait for another warm-blooded animal (such as a human) to move within jumping range. While fleas can not live on people, they certainly can and will bite and draw blood from humans.