How to Recognize Symptoms of a Bedbug Infestation

Bedbug infestations were common in the United States before World War II. The widespread use of DDT in the 1940s and 1950s, coupled with an improvement in hygiene, wiped out the bug in the United States. However, they still remained common in other parts of the world, such as Asia, Africa and Europe. In more recent times, bedbugs have made a comeback in the United States.

Instructions

• 1

  Look around your bedding for small orangish-brown bugs that measure approximately 1/4 inch long. Bedbugs feed on the blood of humans and other warm-blooded mammals, including pets. They mostly feed while you are asleep and make their home close to where you sleep.

• 2

  Check your body when you wake up in the morning for bites. Bedbug bites look much like mosquito bites but are smaller in size. The bite of the bedbug usually causes itching or irritation to the skin.

• 3

  Put light-colored sheets and other bedding on your bed if you suspect a bedbug infestation. Often the easiest way to know that you have bed bugs is to check your sheets for signs of them. If bedbugs are present, you can see small, dark spots on the bedding, which is the feces from the bugs.

• 4

  Examine your bedding for small dots of blood on the sheets and blankets. Bedbugs are easily crushed if you roll onto them in your sleep. When crushed, they leave blood stains behind.

• 5

  Smell the air in your bedroom to see if you notice any changes to the odor. When bedbugs are crushed, they emit a sweet smell that you can often detect. A bad infestation of bedbugs might cause the room to smell musty or foul.