Bed Bug Bite Symptoms, Look Like (Edited)

Rising from the bed after having a sound sleep is always a pleasure to me. Surely, you will feel the same when none disturbs you in your bedtime.

But unfortunately, there is a little but mighty thing, an insect can be the obstacle to the sweet dream. This is nothing but the bed bug. It bites on our skin, sucks our blood and leaves many skin diseases like rashes, itch, burning, etc. and many more.

In this article, I am describing the bed bug bite symptoms, their nature and cure precisely. Before I start saying about symptoms, I am going to let you know about the identification of bed bug.

What is A Bed Bug?

The bed bug is an insect of Cimicidae family and scientifically it is called Cimex lectularius. Bed bugs live under human shelters. They are tiny, flat and elliptic-shaped insects found under beds, behind furniture, in beddings, cushions, mattresses and those hidden areas where you rarely put your feet. This insect doesn’t fly but roams around your house & that’s too with your help.

We, people, carry them in our luggage, dresses or other things. Usually, they can be of brownish color or reddish in body color. You can hardly see them in the open air or in the daylight. This 3-7 mm bed bug looks like a seed of apple at maximum size. The lifespan of this insect depends on feeding.

Bed Bug Bites


Do Bed Bugs Bite or Sting?

Bed bug bites! Yes, this has been a crucial part of our every day lives. Bed bug bites are called as cimicosis. Bed bugs can be dangerous as the venomous wasp. But they don’t sting though you may feel like they are stinging you. But they use their sharp saw-like jaw and inject saliva into our skin. After biting they suck blood from the human body as their lovely food.

Different Bed Bug Bites

Bed bug bites are many multiple types. Usually, these are well-known to us:

  • Red itchy bump with a dark center and lighter swollen area.
  • Line of bites in small area.
  • Group of bites in small area.
  • Small red bumps with hives or blisters.
  • Spots of blood on bedsheets.

Baby (New, Tiny, Small) Big (Large) Bed Bug Bites

New or baby bed bug bites are a very common form of bites. You may see small single or scattered tiny size reddish spot on your skin. Sometimes they are itchy and you will feel no pain. Tiny or small bed bug bites create a group of red bumps or line of red bumps. They will force you to scratch your body again and again.



The itchiness will be more than new or baby bed bug bites. Big or large is the severe form of bed bug bites. Sometimes one single red bump which is clearly visible for its size. Again, these bites cover a larger area in your skin. All these bed bug bites are found especially on your hand, arm or elbow, legs which are barren or exposed most of the time and easily accessible for the bed bugs.

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Do All Bed Bugs Bite?

The answer is yes. Almost all bed bugs bite. Bud bugs require human blood to feed them. Besides this, they can’t reproduce without the blood-sucking steps. A bed bug feeds every 5-7 days. When a bed bug is a nymph in size, it requires less amount of feeding. But the mature bed bugs can consume blood a lot and make their body size almost doubled after having their meal.

How Do Bed Bugs Bite You?

Bedbugs insert their sharp proboscis or beak (rostrum) to human’s skin. Then the critters become puffed-up with blood within a couple of minutes. This nasty insect is quite lazy in the daylight but becomes most active in the night. When they find human body warmth, carbon-dioxide, they tend to start their works. They stay in contact with host’s body up to 20 minutes or less.

Do Bed Bugs Bite Through Clothing or Under Clothes?

As far as I know, bed bugs can’t bite through or over the clothing. Because their purpose is sucking the blood. Exposed human body parts such as the neck, arm, legs etc. are much vulnerable to them. It’s quite sure that they are able to go under the clothes and bite the host. The main thing is if they find friendly weather, they are used to move through or under the clothes.

Where Does Bed Bug Bite?


You’ve already known the basics of bed bug bites. Generally, these bed bugs attack with a small group of three. Now I am telling you about the places where the bed bugs bite. It’s easier if I tell them about separate topics.

Do Bed Bugs Bite Your Scalp?

The answer is no. They can’t bite human scalp. But they can be found in the hair. When you are lying in your bed at night, it may come to your hair. Their organs aren’t designed to crawl on the scalp. So, it’s quite evident that they aren’t able to bite.

Do Bed Bugs Bite Your Head?

Again, the answer is no. It’s rare to find the symptoms or signs of bed bug bites on your head. But you can find they are hidden in your hair. They can’t stick to the head.

Do Bed Bugs Bite Your Face?


They are less interested to bite your face. Because they haven’t the space to hide like other spots we have, exposed to feed them. Some people found that they had bed bug bites on their cheek, forehead.

Do Bed Bug Bites on Arm/Hand?

Yes, they bite on our arm and hand. But not on our palm where they can’t crawl. In fact, bed bugs bite mostly on our arm and there’ll be bite spots at maximum number than other locations.

Do Bed Bug Bites on Legs/Feet?

Legs or feet are other locations which bed bugs find exposed especially at night time. Besides this, they tend to bite these places by hiding. When they get in contact with these organs, they insert their beak to fulfill their needs.

Do Bed Bugs Bite Ankles?

If you wear socks then bed bugs can’t bite through them. But when our ankles are open to the bed bugs, then it is quite possible to have bites from these insects. Most of the time, you’ll see a group of reddish spots caused by bed bugs bite.

Do Bed Bug Bites on Back?

Yes, they bite on our back. It’s a vast area to feed them. You may see few reddish or brownish spots of blood on your bedsheets. This is because the bed bugs bite on your back and couldn’t go anywhere instead they are just polished on the bedsheets.

Do Bed Bug Bites on Black Person?


Actually, the question should be pointed to black skin. Yes, it’s not anything exceptional that only white skin people get a bite from bed bugs. Bed bug bites don’t depend on skin tone rather on the body warmth, the temperature of the environment etc. Many black persons have bed bug bites while they were sleeping at night. All this depends on how they react.

Do Bed Bugs Bite, Everyone?

Many incidents found that two people slept together and only one of them get bed bug bites and other not. People react slowly or faster to the bites as they do with mosquito bites. Some people get rashes or sore within a couple of hours and some are more than a day. This is because our body has a reaction with bed bug saliva.

So, you got to know where they bed bugs can bite on our body. It’s important to know the nature of bed bug bites. This is kind of identification of these bites. Let’s check out these:


How Does Bed Bug Bite Look Like?

Bed Bug Bites Look Like

You have already known that bed bugs require blood to reproduce and live further. Bed bug bites look like reddish spots on our skin. They can be scattered or in a group. But they are painless. Most of the time, they are found in our legs, arms, back etc. If you see a red circle on your arm, itchy but painless, then perhaps you have got one bed bug bite.

Signs of Bed Bugs Bites

Signs of bed bugs bites are easily noticeable. These are the possible signs: If you see red or brown dry spots on your bed covers, cushions, blanket, sheets etc. When you have unpleasant sleep at night and getting itchy welts in the morning. Itchy red spots on your exposed areas of your body.

Dark stains on the clothes which are caused due to the bed bugs feces. Cast skins of bed bugs around open places rather their hideouts. Empty eggshells under the beddings or other places.

Bed Bug Bite Marks

bed bug bite


Bed bug bites leave similar marks on the body as the mosquito does. But these are painless in general. You may see your skin is going red after having bitten. Again, the places bitten can create severe itching. Sometimes the skin gets swelling. Rashes, dark spots on the body which were absent in the past can be the marks of the bed bug bites.

 Is It a Bed Bug Bite?

The answer to this question differentiates the bed bug bites from other bug bites or skin problems. Your skin becomes itchy when you get the bed bug bite. This is indifferent nature of their bites. But it won’t be the same If you have an allergic problem. Bed bug bites create less side effects than others.

Wasp, fly, ants etc. can bite you during the daytime. But bed bugs rarely bite in the daylight. Flea bites are mostly visible on the ankles but bed bug bites are seen in other parts of our body. Mosquito bites are found in random and isolated.

 Don’t let bed bugs bite you in court

Are Bed Bug Bites Raised?

Yes. Typically, bed bug bites are reddish and flat on the skin. But they can be swelling or raised sometimes.

What Do Bed Bug Bites Look Like?

Red welts, itchy marks in a row, or in a group are the portrayal of bed bug bites. These bite marks are encircled, dark red in the center and lighter in the periphery areas. If the bed bugs bite in a group, then the circles are connected to each other.

Stages of Bed Bug Bites

In the early stage of bed bug bites, there will be a couple of red dots on the skin. People are differently sensitive to these dots. Some of them feel itchiness within hours and some are more or sometimes days later. The center of these bites will be clear surrounded by red colors.

In the late stage, the bites become itchier, swelling, rash and wheal. Multiple reactions of these bites can cause skin blisters and disrupted breathing though these are quite rare.

How Itchy are Bed Bug Bites?

Bed bugs insert anesthetic and anticoagulant in human blood. Anesthetic pauses the skin to be itchy. Anticoagulant halts blood from clotting at the bitten place which lets bed bug to consume or suck faster. Then bed bug leaves saliva which is the main reason for itching.

At the pre-stage, the itchiness is low and when it improves to the final stage, the result will be more powerful. This is how you can determine the amount of itchiness of bed bug bites.

How Can You Tell Bed Bug Bites?

You see a red spot on your skin and suddenly make the assumption that you have bed bug bites. This is totally incorrect. First, you have to know the signs and symptoms of bed bug bites. I have mentioned them earlier many times in this article.

These bites are itchy, clustered in a line or group. There won’t be any pain but the itchiness will be remarkable. When you find these, you can be sure that you have bed bug bites. Remember, you can visit a dermatologist as per my suggestion to identify surely.

Signs of Bed Bug Bites

Are Bed Bug Bites Big?

It depends on how badly you get bitten. It can be tiny, flat red welts. Sometimes, it can be in size of rashes, hives or blisters. From a single dot, the size can be a couple of millimeters long.

How Can Big Bed Bug Bites Get?

The size of bed bug bites varies due to host’s sensitive reactions. They can be smaller on the less sensitive skin and more in size with more sensitive skin.

Bed Bug Bites Causes

It’s not that you are keeping your house neat and clean and you won’t get bed bug bites. They are parasites of thousands of years. The main cause of bed bug bites is a bed bugs living method in human’s blood. In general, they bite once or twice a week and suck the human blood.

This blood helps them to stay alive, reproduce themselves and keep their body running. The environmental causes are different. If your room doesn’t get enough light and air, somehow dirt and dust remain in the tough to reach corners of your house, then possibly there will be a reason to borne bed bugs. As a result, you get bites from them.

Bed Bug Sores Bed Bug Bumps

If you take bed bug sores or bumps easily, you may face lots of problems later. The sore can go in depth of your skin and may damage the muscles. Many people got sores on their body and were forced to see the doctor of medicine. Their sores were painful to see and day by day, they were increasing.

If you have a serious issue with skin problems, you should go for solving it. Because bed bug bites can boost the problems. When you get the itch for the bed bug bites and starts to scratch, again and again, this will probably turn into a big sore. The pathogens which bed bugs releases to our body helps to have severe sores and bumps.

Bed Bug Cast Skin

In the early stage of bed bugs, they are called the “nymphs”. These bed bugs have five immature life stages which confirm their maturity. To be an adult bed bug, a nymph shed or cast its skin through ecdysis in each of those stages. It discards or leaves its outer exoskeletons.

You can find this cast skin on your beddings when you have bed bug bites in your room. These bed bug cast skins are brownish but quite clear in color. Now, I am coming to my next point, the bed bug bite symptoms. Here in this part, you will know about the signs, effects of bed bug bites.

Bed Bug Bite Symptoms

You should know the bed bug bite symptoms to take necessary steps to eradicate them. You can identify these bed bug bite signs looking into your residence, on your body. There will be blood stains or small rust marks on your bedding.


Again, you may find their discarded exoskeletons, fecal stains in the corners of your room. Sometimes, there will be strong, bad smell like wet cloth which needs to be investigated. Let’s know the symptoms of bed bug bite can be founded on humans.

Symptoms of Bed Bug Bites on Humans

Earlier I have told you the types of bed bug bites. If those are visible on your body, I recommend you to treat as fast as you can. If you are getting disturbed while sleeping not only at night but also in the daytime with unknown beings, then you should look for it.

The dress you wear at night may get red or brown spots. You may face unwanted itch, rashes, raised bumps on the skin for the bed bug bites.

Effects of Bed Bugs Bite on Humans

Bed bug bites can’t do any severe harm to human body. But they can complicate our natural way of living. An affected human gets skin problems which are absent in the past. He also can have a sleeping complication, anemia as bed bugs suck blood from the host. Therefore, if you get bed bug bites, you may get other health problems too.

Numerous people who got infested had insomnia, irregular food habits, fear, stress, sometimes anxiety etc. These can change our mind too like moving towards depression. If the amount of bed bug bites is apparently high, then there is a chance to get systematic poisoning. A host may have increased asthma problem when he or she has allergic problems and gets a bite of the bed bugs. After all, bed bugs have enough effect to change the fitness of the host.

Are Bed Bug Bites Itchy?

After reading this article till above, this question is quite funny to me, and you too. This is the second thing we get from bed bug bites. The first one is getting marks or spots on our body. These can be rashes, hives, blisters etc. on different areas of our skin.

Unfortunately, we feel relaxed when we scratch those rashes as we feel we can reduce the itch by scratching them. But this itchiness depends on our sense of how to or when to react. We can get bites at night but the itchiness may appear in the daytime like after a couple of hours. The more from scratch, the more we get itchiness till we cure them.

Are Bed Bug Bites Painful?

different-bed bug-bites

A warm welcome to you to read this long article till now. You may already know that bed bug bites are painless. But when you get sores caused by bed bug bites, you will surely get pain. The blisters can be another painful thing.

The infected or swollen areas of human skin require attention. A simple painkiller can’t treat these pains entirely. Sometimes, we scratch the parts on our body repeatedly. It increases the reason to have pain for a couple of hours.

Do All Bed Bug Bites Itch?

Before I answer this one, I would like to throw you a question. Do you react when (if possible) you get bitten by other bugs or insects? If you react to the others, that doesn’t mean you need to react to bed bug bites. Again, this doesn’t matter if you don’t have any itchiness after having bites.

Approximately 30-35% people don’t react to bed bug bites. This means majority people may have itchiness depending on their skin sensitiveness towards it. This itch may appear within an hour, that can be lower or higher. Again, you may react on the itch after a day. So, we can’t surely say the all bed bug bites can be itchy. They can make spots on your skin leaving bug saliva but not confidently create an itch in the areas they bite.

Bed Bug Infection

Bed bug bites spread itchy maculopapular wheal on our skin. Beside this, you can get urticarial reactions and anaphylaxis. Perhaps, you won’t face any severe disease due to bed bug bite symptoms. But, surely you can have skin problems which can be less orbit itchier. So, you should be aware of bed bug infection.

What Are the Symptoms of Bed Bug Bites?

Bed Bug Bites Treatment

Now prepare yourself properly. I am going to reveal the ways to treat the bed bug bites. These are very much necessary to prevent or cure health problems caused by bed bug bites. It’s better to prevent the bed bugs from your residence. There will be no chance to get bitten by these household insects.

Here are the steps of bed bug bites treatment those can sort out the problem perfectly:

  • You need to identify, inspect the type or nature of your bed bug bites. Check out the shape of bites whether they are from bed bug bites or others.
  • Bed bug bites have almost similar shapes to mosquito bites. But these are more identical than mosquito bites. Mosquitos can bite anywhere on our body organs like face, hand, legs, back, ankles etc.
  • But bed bugs bites maximum on our exposed body parts such as arms, legs, ankles, back, shoulder etc.
  • The size of the bite is bigger than mosquito bites.
  • Sometimes the bed bugs bite in a group on a particular area of our skin which other insects don’t do.
  • Bites of bed bugs on our body may have a long incubation period.
  • The marks of bed bug bites can stay alive on our body up to 10 days most.
  • So, you need to pay your attention to these when your body reacts.
  • Wash the bed covers, sheets, towel timely. Check your luggage for bed bugs while you are on the move.
  • Don’t throw your mattress when you identify the presence of bed bugs rather take that under the heat of the sun.
  • Visit skin doctor for medication. Dermatologist offers specific ointment for rashes, scars, blisters on skin held by the bed bugs.
  • Take care of your bitten area properly. Wash them with soap or hand wash to reduce the itch of the bites.
  • Soaps decrease the power of bed bugs saliva and also prevents allergic problems partially.
  • There are lots of home remedies available for treating the bed bug bites. A paste of baking soda and water, cotton bud wet with lemon juice, aloe vera jell etc.
  • Are primary home-made medicine for curing the bed bug bites.
  • You can also apply anti-itch cream if the itch is enough to disturb your regular life. Some people take oral antihistamine tablets. This has been an effective way to pause the itchiness.
  • Though bed bug bites are painless. But if anyhow you get the pain of these at a certain moment, you can use a pain

The useful tips for you are, you should stop scratching the bites and take every step on the doctor’s procedure and prescription. Because doctors or dermatologist can ensure the best way to care the diseases.

Adding to these, there is nothing exception to keep your residence neat and clean. Keep enough space to enter the sunlight and enough air. You can use medicines to prevent or kill the bed bugs suggested by many professionals.



Actually, these are not FAQ, these are popular myths about bed bug bite symptoms and bed bugs those hovers in the air.

Question: Do bed bugs bite only at the night?

Answer: There’s no special time for bed bugs to bite you. They can bite you coming from the hidden places when it’s dark and you are sleeping peacefully.

Question: Do bed bugs live in our clothes?

Answer: Yes, they can be in our clothes. When you prepare your luggage full of clothes, these bugs can enter and make themselves ready for the long journey.

Question: Is it true that bed bugs can starve up to a year without any food?

Answer: It’s popularly spread myth. No, they can’t live. Bed bugs require feeding every 5-7 days. Otherwise, they won’t be able to live, grow or reproduce. But if you keep your room temperature 10 degrees throughout the whole year, the adult bed bugs can survive for the year.

Question: Do bed bugs fear the light?

Answer: I have already said that the bed bugs can come to light due to our body heat and the carbon dioxide we release.

Question: Is it true that bed bugs have wings like fleas and can fly?

Answer: Again, it’s a myth. They don’t have the ability to fly or jump. Though they have hemelytral pads or wings, they can only crawl on the surface.

I think you are enthusiastic enough to read my whole article on bed bug bite symptoms. But I can frankly say that this article will help you to know the symptoms, treatment, and prevention of bed bug bites.

I am summing up the whole concept. Bed bug bites are not alien-some problems. These happen to humans as a natural event. But you have to eye the signs or marks of bed bug bites carefully.

Take a useful decision and treat the bites according to your decision. Maintain the room temperature well. Keep your surroundings healthy and you won’t get bites from the bed bugs again.

Bed Bug Bites What You Need to Know[Infographic]


Peter Robert

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