Early signs of bed bugs include small, itchy bites on the skin, often appearing in clusters, typically on areas exposed while sleeping such as the face, neck, arms, and hands. Some people may not show any marks or experience itching. Other key signs are:
- Blood spots on sheets or mattresses from crushed bugs.
- Tiny pale yellow eggs or eggshells near seams and crevices.
- Black dots about the size of a period, representing bed bug excrement.
- Shed skins that look like the bugs themselves.
- Live bed bugs in folds of mattresses or bedding.
- A sweet, musty odor around the sleeping area.
Bed bugs are small, reddish-brown, flat insects approximately the size of an apple seed, hiding in mattress seams, bed frames, furniture crevices, baseboards, and electrical outlets. Their bites may cause itching, redness, swelling, and allergic reactions in some people. Detecting an infestation early involves looking closely in these hiding places for these signs.