Bed bugs share similarities with a lot of other bugs. And I mean similarities not just in physical characteristics but also in habits and negative effects. Because of those similarities many are confusing bed bugs as other pests and vice versa. Take what to one of our readers.

Here’s is her story:

So i found this bug in my house..we originally thought it was a bed bug because we kept getting these bites on our legs and arms at night. Well it was really only a bit or two every few days. We looked at pics of bed bugs and the look very similar to them, but upon further inspection we realized a few differences. These bugs are about an inch long, not 1/4 inch long. These bugs fly, where bed bugs do not. It does have a flat back, but is more brown in color vs red/brown. We originally found them in fall and figured some got in the house and they would die or we killed them..but now its the middle of winter and we keep finding and killing them. We live in central MD if its any help..not sure of how many legs, but my dog does not like the taste of them.
it may be only 1/2 inch long

After reading her story, another of our readers responded:

Maybe a Western Conifer Seed Bug? They’re harmless and just come in to escape the cold.

The similarities between bed bugs and other bugs can indeed confuse their victims. Worse, they can lead to the application of wrong treatments to the health problems they can bring. Additionally, they can also lead to the implementation of the incorrect methods of pest elimination.

To avoid confusion and the health and financial damages that could go with it, you have to know as much as you can about bed bugs and other pests similar to it.

Here’s a video that can add more to what you already know about bed bugs:

How to Correctly Identify Bed Bugs is a post from: Bed Bugs

With all the reports about bed bug infestation in hotels, business establishments, houses and apartments, it could no longer be denied that bed bugs are back. And in our previous post, we had said that bed bugs, apart from their physical and financial bad effects, also cause tenant-landlord problems. We had already queries about how to solve those tenant-landlord problems.

Here is another of it:

So this morning I was sitting on my couch and felt something crawling on me. I looked and there was a bed bug. I freaked out and called my fiance and the landlord for our apartment. My fiance and I took the couch apart and checked the bed but found no other traces of the bugs. We decided we wanted to have the landlord get an inspection…the landlord is actually a friend of ours who has been renting to us on a discount.

Anyway, so later I went to do some laundry and noticed a bad of clothes in the basement from the woman who just moved in downstairs. I decided to peek at it and saw that there was a dead bed bug in the bad…so obviously the woman downstairs has brought the bugs in when she moved in a week ago.

So here is the question…if I get an infestation and I have to pay a bunch of money to replace furniture and stuff…is there any way of being reimbursed..after all the bugs came from the lady downstairs..the tricky part is also that the landlords are friends…which I hate because of these very issues..Suggestions?
I meant bag not bad…

And one answer we got from our readers is this:

You won’t be able to prove it, and if you sue the new tenant and he has a better lawyer, then you might be the one in trouble. I’m not questioning whether what you say is true or not just can you prove it. amd how much is your landlord going to support you. Get some mattress and pillow covers and use DE Recent methods
A recent trend in bedbug control is to use canine detection teams to pinpoint infestation areas because hiding places are very hard to find. Bedbug dogs are trained to find the bed bugs in what is known as a sweep. The dog sweeps through suspected infestation areas and alerts to the scent of bedbugs. A bedbug dog can detect bedbugs in a bedroom within minutes, with an accuracy rate of 90%, whereas a (human) pest control practitioner would need an hour to complete the task.

As what we had been advising those with related problems, the housing department must be checked first before anything else. But since landlord and tenants are friends in this case, proposing a joint effort to get rid of the bed bugs is the best course to take. Like some of our other readers had said, it will be hard to prove that the other tenant is the one who brought in the pests.

And so instead of figuring out who is to blame, why don’t you work instead on how to clear off the pests. You basically have several bed bug treatment options. If you want a convenient and easy treatment, you can choose the use of bed bug spray. If you don’t want to spend, you can also try vacuuming. However, take note, vacuuming needs to be implemented very often.

Whatever bed bug treatment you will pick, you have to conduct an inspection first before it will work.

Watch the video below for some tips on how to inspect your mattress for bed bugs.

Apartment Bed Bugs – How to Get Rid of Them? is a post from: Bed Bugs

Bed bugs are becoming a common house problem. But because they are small, many are unable to detect them until their infestation becomes major. To prevent the worse of what they can bring, you must always be on the look out for signs of their presence. Among those signs are their bites.

But given that bed bug bites are almost similar to other insect bites, how can you correctly identify them? That’s the question we received from a mother who got bitten, along with her kids, by some bugs she can’t identify.

I get these large bug bites, normally one every three days, but as much as 3 a day. They are only on my hands and arms and generally grow bigger over 2-3 days getting to be about the size of a quarter.. They are very itchy and generally have a large deep red center. They are hard and raised in the center. They appear to only have one bite mark.

My daughter gets them too, but she gets them all over her arms, legs and back. My son, who sleeps on the top bunk, has only had 1 bite total, while I have had 15 and my daughter, bottom bunk, as had 30 or more.

We just had the apartment sprayed for spiders; it is a top floor apartment. A visual inspection of all of our beds show no sign on any bugs of any kind.

I have had bed bugs before and these are much bigger bites and show no pattern.

What could be biting us?

Wanting to be of help, one of readers gave this answer:

Try vacuuming all of your matresses and switching them up-side down afterwards

Bed bugs are very small pests. They can hide in very tiny cracks and crevices. You should be very thorough when inspecting to not miss them. And if indeed they are present, a well-executed and effective treatment must follow up your bed bug inspection.

However, about the bites, it is best to consult a doctor. It’s the only way to make sure what bug or insect is giving you the red and itchy marks. If those are really bed bug bites, then the doctor should be able to help you get the best treatment.

Watch the video below for a help on how to implement your bed bug inspection.

How To Know If You Have Bed Bug Bites is a post from: Bed Bugs

Bed bug bites are painless. That means even if you don’t feel being bitten you can still wake up the next morning with red, itchy and swelling spots in your skin. Further, that could also mean you are sharing your bed with some vampire-like pests. To protect yourself from more rashes and probably many other ill effects, you need to conduct a bed bug inspection. And if bed bugs’ presence is confirmed, you have to quickly follow it up with a treatment.

Apart from the structural and financial losses though, bed bug infestation also has emotional damages. It can cause anxiety and even paranoia.

One of our readers can very much relate to that and was asking for some help. Here’s what she said.

I sometimes (very occasionally) feel like something is crawling on my skin and sometimes I even feel like something bite me. Upon inspection, I see nothing at all! I have been dealing with some depression so is it my mind or could it be some sort of skin bugs or bed bugs on me?

Like I said, I see nothing and I don’t have any rash. I shower regularly (one or two times a day —> especially in the summer). I will google for answers but I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this and knows what it is.

Wanting to help, our reader “Chicken in Black” responded:

I sometimes get that feeling, it’s called formication or pruritus. It drives me nuts, and is a lot worse when my allergies flair up or when I eat acidic fruits. As a matter of fact I feel it right now, it’s like something is creeping on the skin of my side

What We Have To Say:

That feeling of having something crawling in your skin could indeed be just a formication. But it wouldn’t hurt to be cautious and conduct a bed bug inspection, would it? Apart from putting your mind at ease, it could save from a lot more problems if you really have bed bugs. Just think of the many nights you will again spend sleepless thinking, “what if I do really have bed bugs?’.

However, when conducting the inspection, make sure to look into every nook and cranny in your home. Keep in mind that bed bugs are small and can fit and live in every little gaps and crevices.

Here’s a video that can guide you how to get the bed bug inspection correctly done.

How To Know If Its Bed Bug Bites? is a post from: Bed Bugs

It seems that bed bugs are really making a big come back. They are now spreading wider and farther. And compared before, they are now more resistant.

As one of the results, we are also receiving more bed bug inquiries than before. Take this one from our reader from Pennsylvania:

We live in a 45 unit apartment building in bala cynwyd, pa – a suburb of philly. We don’t know of any other tenants who have this problem. We want the landlord to at the ery least pay for an inspection of the neighboring apartments. What is their legal responsibility and what is ours? So far we have pad the exterminators, but we’re not sure who should really be paying. Also, is this grounds for us to terminate our lease and move out? We would appreciate responses from people with personal exerience.

One of the answers we got from our other readers is this:

you obviously. its your bed is it not? bed bugs dont live in the walls or floors, they live in YOUR bed. its unfortunate that you have this problem, but if you need to have then exterminated it is up to you to have them exterminated, the land lord has nothing to do with your bed.

What’s Our Stand:

For us, the answer depends on what caused the bed bug infestation. If the bugs are already there before you moved in and therefore don’t know what caused it, it’s the landlord’s responsibility to take care of the problem. However, since that is unlikely because there a lot of possible ways that bed bugs can get into your apartment, the best that you can do is deal with the problem yourself. After all, you will be the one who will suffer in the end.

If you want an inexpensive treatment, you can just use an effective but safe bed bug spray. However, you should take note that that is only advised to minor bed bug infestation.

You can also ask support from the landlord. Bed bugs can easily spread and surely, he wouldn’t them causing others the same problem.

So you can effectively eliminate bed bugs, conduct an inspection first.

Here’s a video that can help how to do it.

Who’s To Pay For Apartment Bed Bug Treatment – Landlord or Tenant? is a post from: Bed Bugs