Bed Bugs: Bites, Hiding Places, Prevention and Removal

The basics

Bed bugs bite and feed on blood. You may have no reaction, or small marks or itching; severe allergic reactions are rare. Bed bugs don't spread disease.

What they look like and where they hide

• Adults: brown, ¼ to ⅜ inch long, with a flat, oval body.
• Nymphs (young): smaller and lighter in color.
• Hiding places: around the bed, in the seams of chairs and couches, between cushions, and in the folds of curtains.
• Feeding: about every five to ten days — but they can survive over a year without a meal.

Keeping them out

• Inspect secondhand furniture before bringing it home.
• Encase mattresses and box springs in protective covers, and check them for holes.
• Reduce clutter so they have fewer hiding places.
• After a trip, unpack straight into the washing machine and check your luggage carefully.
• In hotels, keep suitcases on luggage racks, not the floor, and check the mattress and headboard.

Getting rid of them

• Wash and dry bedding and clothing at high temperatures.
• Use mattress, box spring and pillow encasements to trap bed bugs and spot infestations.
• Use pesticides if needed.

Sources

Based on "Bed Bugs," MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, drawing on the Environmental Protection Agency; a work of the United States government in the public domain.