Little Bugs in My House That Bite at Night

Avoid placing your suitcase on the floor when traveling to prevent bed bugs.

Homeowners, who find themselves bitten by small insects at night, may have an infestation of bed bugs. Commonly found in areas where people routinely sleep, these biting bugs live within 20 feet of their human hosts. Bed bugs are difficult to control because they multiply quickly and are resistant to many pesticides.

Identification

Small, flat brown insects found in homes, apartment buildings and hotels are known as bed bugs. Members of the Cimex family, these bugs feed on blood and adapt quite well to living among humans. Bed bugs measure 3/16 inches in length at maturity and have flat, oval-shaped bodies. Often mistaken for roaches, bed bugs lay eggs in protected areas such as in mattresses and underneath box springs. After hatching, the young nymphs molt a total of five times before reaching maturity. When the temperature ranges from 70 to 80 degrees F, and blood is available, young bed bug nymphs reach maturity within four weeks. But nymphs survive for several months without feeding and adults live up to one year without a blood meal, making them difficult to eliminate.

Effects

Being bitten at night is usually the first indication that bed bugs live in your home. Bed bugs take up to 10 minutes to become engorged with blood during feeding, but most people never feel them bite their skin. After feeding, bed bugs retreat to hiding places until it is time to feed again. Bed bug bites leave red welts on the skin, usually in a group of three or four bites. These bites appear anywhere on exposed skin, such as the arms, legs, torso and neck. Bed bug bites can cause intense itching that can last for up to one full week. Some people develop infections from repeated scratching. While bed bugs are not known to transmit diseases to humans, being bitten repeatedly is distressing for most people.

Causes and Diagnosis

Bed bugs often hitchhike home with people as they travel. Sitting suitcases on the floor in hotels and motels offers bed bugs a free ride to your home. Once inside your home, bed bugs spread quickly and move to many areas of the home. You'll find bed bugs in couches, upholstered chairs and toys. These bugs may also live underneath wallpaper, electrical outlets and baseboards. When searching for signs of bed bugs inside your home, check your mattress for dark spots of fecal matter, red stains on your sheets and skin casts left when nymphs molt. Tiny white eggshells may also be visible on the floor underneath the bed or on the mattress.

Control

Bed bug infestations are difficult to control because of their mobility and pesticide resistance. Clean all items in the area where bed bugs are found and vacuum the area thoroughly. Eliminate all areas where bed bugs hide, such as piles of clothing, stacks of paper and cardboard boxes. Use mattress and box spring encasements designed to trap bed bugs inside and kill them. These encasements cover the box spring and mattress and must remain in place for one full year to be effective. Purchase an insecticide labeled for use on bed bugs. If infestations are severe, consult a professional exterminator to eliminate these pests.

References

• University of Kentucky; Bed Bugs; Michael F. Potter
• EPA: Bed Bugs