19. How To Find Bed Bugs During The Day In Simple Ways1

Unless, of course, that particular someone happens to be a bed bug, sharing a bed with someone can be an incredibly intimate experience. These tiny brown insects are well known for terrifying hotel guests, apartment residents, and even home owners. Bed bugs are practically everywhere because they can survive for a very long time hidden in the folds of mattresses, in between cushions on couches, and in flooring.

It can be challenging to identify some of the insects because many people don’t react to bed bug bites right away (if they react at all). You might not even be aware that you are deeply involved until you have a full-scale infestation. This is why it’s crucial to keep an eye out for bed bugs so you can find them before a few pests turn into a horde of blood-sucking ghouls.

Consider purchasing a powerful flashlight or bed bug traps if you are unable to see bed bugs during the day. The hidden traps are put underneath your mattress or bed frame. They keep an eye out for movement and aid in early detection of an infestation. Put them along the molding behind your headboard, behind pieces of furniture, and under bedposts. We typically find them at that time.

During The Day, Are Bed Bugs Visible?

Yes, there are many reasons why you might see bed bugs during the day. Because their feces are black and smear when you rub them, you can frequently find bed bugs by looking for them. Black spots on your furniture, sheets, and pillowcases, as well as other places where bed bugs like to congregate, will be noticeable if there is a lot of bed bug activity in your home. The majority of the time, we cannot see bed bugs during the day, but we can locate their feces and skins that have shed.

How To Find Bed Bugs During The Day

Even though they are most active at night, bed bugs can still be found during the day if you know what they require to thrive. This includes a steady supply of food (possibly from you), a hidden location in the dark, and a temperate setting (though they can endure heat levels well above those that are generally considered habitable for humans). Here are a few things to think about when dealing with bed bugs.

1. Bed Bugs Stay Close To Sleeping Areas

Even though they aren’t always found in beds, bed bugs will congregate in areas where they can be sure of a tasty meal. The insects can only travel a short distance—up to 20 feet—from their hiding places, so they are typically found close to beds and couches where people may frequently sleep or relax.

2. Bed Bugs Don’t Just Feed On People

Any bed bugs in the area could also make Fido and Fluffy their victims. It can be challenging to determine whether a pet has been bitten by bed bugs because they can have a wide variety of parasites, but if you or your furry friends frequently have itchy, raised spots on your skin, you should definitely think about bed bugs.

3. Bed Bug Populations Build Slowly

Although female bed bugs only produce up to three eggs per day, in the course of their lifetime—which is typically no longer than a year—they can produce up to 500. This is why it might take some time for you to realize that you have a bed bug problem, even though the situation will progressively worsen as more eggs hatch.

4. Bed Bugs Prefer Fast Food

Unlike parasites that feed on humans, such as ticks, bed bugs can consume a resting animal in under 12 minutes before leaving to begin digesting their meal. This is just one of the many factors that make bugs difficult to catch in the act. In the security of their hiding places, they prefer to digest. they only need to feed about once every two weeks, making the chances you’ll connect the dots slim until populations boom.

Reasons Why You Might See Bed Bugs During The Day

  • You picked up a hungry hitchhiker looking for a blood meal.
  • If you reside in an apartment complex, one of your neighbors may be using self-care. Some bed bugs may migrate to your apartment if someone nearby is self-treating.
  • You went on vacation and didn’t realize you brought a bed bug back with you in your suitcase. While searching for a blood source, the bed bug might turn up in your house weeks later.
  • By changing a sheet, you accidentally disturbed the bed bugs, which caused them to disperse.
  • Bed bugs are found in places like couches or chairs where nobody sleeps there at night. In this instance, we’ll observe them starting to move around and eat during the day.
  • In your workplace, there is a bed bug problem. In the daytime, you might see bedbugs scurrying around on the office furniture because nobody is there at night.
19. How To Find Bed Bugs During The Day In Simple Ways2

Daytime Signs Of Bed Bugs

Depending on when they typically feed, bed bugs may be easier to see at night. Bed bugs may be more active during the daytime for people who sleep during the day. In either case, it can be challenging, but not impossible, to locate these bloodsuckers while they are at rest—which is typically when the sun is out. They frequently leave a trail of hints. Here’s what to look out for before you bring in the pest control:

1. Dark, Red Or Rusty Stains

Bed bugs leave behind distinctive stains as a result of both being crushed by sleeping bodies and excrement that is primarily composed of undigested blood. You might notice nearby dead bugs as well as more erratic spots left by crushed insects. Excrement is typically dark or rusty in color and slightly larger than the end of a ballpoint pen.

2. Eggs Or Eggshells In Protected Areas

The tiny bed bug eggs are only one millimeter long, whitish or cream in color, and are frequently hid in places that are safe and close to food sources. Be sure to use a magnifying glass when looking for bed bugs because they can be difficult to spot, especially on light-colored materials.

3. Shed Bed Bug Exoskeletons

The exoskeletons of bed bugs molt as they grow. Nymphs go through a total of five molts during the bed bug life cycle, with each one producing a larger skin. Bed bug hiding places are frequently where these tan-colored shells are discovered. If you’ve been bitten, pay close attention to look for the exoskeletons that have been shed because they can’t do so until they’ve eaten.

4. Living Bugs

Although it’s more typical to see bed bugs at night when they’re feeding, a severe infestation can send dozens of the tiny monsters running for cover at any time of the day. In order to avoid an infestation, search for live adult insects in small crevices such as mattress seams, the space between your bed and the wall, electrical boxes, or even joints in drawers.

Do Bed Bugs Nip In The Daytime?

If bed bugs are hungry and have a chance to feed, they will indeed bite during the day. Due to the high number of bed bugs present, some must feed during the day to obtain enough food, and we frequently observe this behavior in infested apartment buildings. We also observe this when individuals bring a straggler on their attire. The bed bugs’ residence in an area where no one is present at night is the third factor. They must therefore bite during the day in order to eat.

Are Bed Bug Eggs Visible?

Yes, you can see bed bug eggs with the unaided eye. One millimeter long and white, bed bug eggs are very small. They are oval in shape, and when the bug is ready to hatch, the cap opens to let it out. An actual bed bug, however, is between 1mm and 5mm long before it begins to feed. When engorged with blood, they can reach a maximum diameter of 6 or 7.

Crevices with easy hiding places are preferred by bed bugs frequently. Bed bug eggs are therefore quite small and difficult to find if they are on the surface of your mattress or furniture, as you can see using a ruler. The ability to fit into small spaces is another characteristic of bed bugs. They might be hiding anywhere you see two pieces of wood screwed or nailed together, such as on a bed frame.

What To Do If You See A Bed Bug On Your Comforter In The Daytime

Therefore, the best course of action each time you return home is to keep your clothing in a bag and away from a busy area. Even a heat box like the Thermal Strike or Zapp Bug is available for purchase. Your item will be heated to a temperature above 120°F by either of these machines. As a result, any insects on your clothing, luggage, or backpack will be killed.

Although I use the ZappBug, I’ve visited many clients’ homes where the thermal strike is installed, and they all love it. The main benefit of these heat boxes is the peace of mind they provide. Put your luggage or coat in your heat box when you get home to avoid worrying about bringing bed bugs home with you. The heat boxes ease bed bug phobia.

When Do I Call A Professional

You should contact your neighborhood pest control company as soon as you notice that you have been bitten while lying in bed or relaxing on your furniture. A significant undertaking and project could result from this. Even though you can search for evidence of bed bugs, you probably won’t have the tools or supplies needed to get rid of them.

This is the time to get in touch with your neighborhood home inspection team so they can conduct a thorough home inspection while looking for insects and other pests inside your home. They can then suggest a trustworthy pest control business to help you with the problem’s elimination. Because you might also need to get rid of other insect infestations at the same time, doing this can save you time and money.

Final Thoughts

Most likely not the best situation for a homeowner is dealing with a bed bug infestation. Not only are you surrounded by an obnoxious insect that feeds on your skin and blood, but it might be expensive to wait for your neighborhood pest control company to get rid of these pests.

It’s a smart idea to contact your neighborhood home inspection team to receive the most trustworthy recommendation for a pest control company that can solve your bed bug problem.