Booklice (a type of psocid) are often confused for bed bug nymphs:

Photo courtesy of LieutenantDan.

Spider Beetles are often confused for adult bed bugs:

Photo courtesy of Lou Sorkin.

The presence of these creatures may mean you do not have bed bugs. In some cases, it may also mean you have bed bugs and something else, and just have not seen the bed bugs yet.

To determine if you also have bed bugs, click here to see photos of bed bugs and signs of bed bugs.

Got other imposters to add? Click below to leave a comment and link to a photo of the culprit!

• spider beetle
• recent bites from bed bugs (photo)
• close up of bed bugs on mattress
• Welcome Bedbuggers!

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Lou Sorkin says of his photo:

“Flat rubber molding pulled back to reveal bed bugs hiding. Notice that bugs are at top of molding in corner where there is no adhesive.”

• close up of bed bugs on mattress
• bed bug harborage inside a recessed screw hole
• spider beetle
• close up bed bug with eggs

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Compare this photo from L. Sorkin and R. Mercurio of a bed bug nymph:

Both are light colored but the bed bug nymph has a less elongated body. It doesn’t look like it has a neck, whereas the booklouse does. The bed bug nymph is clear but will become red when it has fed. Thanks to reader DJR for sharing this book louse photo.

• photos of bed bugs depicting various instars in colony; (only partially loads full image) and closeups of first instars
• FAQ: Is this a bed bug? (photos of creatures mistaken for bed bugs)
• World exclusive: Bedbuggers experiment with being bitten, on purpose! (Part 3)
• bed bug nymphs, bed bug eggs, bed bug feces, on wood

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my lovely bedroom

Originally uploaded by mangy_cur

Scene’s from a Bedbugger’s life: the bedroom of bags.

• Reader Angie’s bed bug photos
• Spraying is just the beginning…
• Hundreds participate in massive pillow fight, New York City, March 22, 2008
• Spring break bed bug warnings!

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Was someone trying to bring their mattresses back?

• Sending reinforcements? Mattresses at 5th and Broadway, NYC
• Manhattan Mattress Mystery
• 48th Street between 3rd and Lex, last night
• Moon Over Manhattan Madness

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Blogger 5chw4r7z in Cincinnati snapped this photo of a sign hawking coffee with this come-on:

“Got Bed Bugs? Get *Pronto* / Folgers Classic Roast Coffee $1.99.”

No, the sign is not telling you to buy Folgers right away to help you stay up late at night washing, drying, and bagging. “Pronto” is a spray.

This is Pronto:

Active Ingredients: 3-Phenoxybenzyl-(1RS, 3RS, 1RS, 2 SR)-2,2-Dimethyl-3-(2-Methylprop-1-Enyl) Cyclopropane Carboxylate 0.4%; N-Octyl Bicycloheptene Dicarboxamide 1.6%.

People of Cincinnati, this spray is not going to wipe out your bed bug problems. Bed bugs are seriously difficult to treat. If they were this easy, that would be the end of the blog, and we could all buy a bottle and spray it out and call it a day. We’re here because even with experienced help, it can take weeks and months to eliminate bed bugs from your home–even a small infestation. And if you start treating it yourself, you can even make things worse.

The Cincinnati Bed Bug Remediation Commission seems to be pushing furniture removals (when, in fact, tossing your furniture is often not necessary). Are they getting word out to residents that they need professional help in fighting their bed bugs? This applies to homeowners, and renters as well. It is hard enough eliminating bed bugs from a single-family home. But if you are in a multi-unit building, your neighbors are likely infested too. Those units above, below, or on all sides of your apartment must be professionally inspected and treated if necessary. (Just because someone has not noticed bed bugs does not mean they do not have them.) In some cases, entire buildings will need treatment. Landlords or building management must be involved and they must get a professional who knows bed bugs in to deal with the problem.

And Cincinnati also advises its citizens not to hop down to the convenience store, but to get professional help for bed bugs. According to a Q&A on the Fox News website,

Q: Who do I call if I think my home or apartment has bedbugs?

A: You may choose to contact a licensed pest control to determine if you have an infestation and to provide bug control services. The Cincinnati Health Department does not conduct inspections for bed bugs, but can provide information.

Q: What number do I call for information about bed bugs?

A: Call 591-6000 and press option 1 for Health Information and option 2 for Trash Collection Information.

Notice there is no option to “Ask for help paying for treatment.” In Boston, the Allston-Brighton Community Development Corporation did provide such assistance to homeowners, with corporate grants as well as state funding. And they’re doing it again this year. I believe that bed bugs are going to continue to spread if they aren’t properly treated, and so the government must step in and provide help for those who cannot afford treatment.

If you are a landlord, or homeowner, and you are forced to forego treatment, under-treat, or self-treat because you cannot afford professional pest control services, you need to call the city’s bed bug hotline, local politicians, and local news media, and spread the word. You need to agitate until the city does more than cart away bed bug-infested furniture.

Bed bugs are not roaches or ants.
Bed bugs are not roaches or ants.
Bed bugs are not roaches or ants.

They are much harder to eradicate.

So do not walk into a convenience store. Get real help. Do your homework: start here.

• Saskatoon professional development conference apparently bedbugged
• Pray and Spray
• Bed Bug Success Stories: Collette and a professional steamer
• Spraying is just the beginning…

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There is an adult bed bug on the right and a pale one on the left. Different instars between them plus eggs and fecal drops.
photo: L.Sorkin

To zoom, click photo, then “All Sizes,” then “Large.”

• closeup of female bed bug with eggs
• More of Lou Sorkin’s photos
• close up bed bug with eggs
• Lou Sorkin: bitten on the hand by 30 bed bug nymphs and 2 adult bed bugs

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Close up of single female bug on mattress. She is upside down and eggs are below her head and elsewhere.
photo: L.Sorkin

To see even more close up: click photo, then “all sizes” then “large.”

• closeup of female bed bug with eggs
• close up of bed bugs on mattress
• More of Lou Sorkin’s photos
• bed bug nymphs, bed bug eggs, bed bug feces, on wood

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Female from below piping and sitting over eggs. Zoom in on bug and see eggs, many of which are full, some empty. Fecal drops also visible. photo: L.Sorkin

(Click photo, click “all sizes”, then “large” to zoom in!)

• close up of bed bugs on mattress
• More of Lou Sorkin’s photos
• close up bed bug with eggs
• Bed bugs in a group

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Female with eggs under piping (near top edge, left). Many bed bugs near right side in middle area between top and bottom of mattress.

(Click photo, click “all sizes”, then “large” to zoom in!)

• closeup of female bed bug with eggs
• close up of bed bugs on mattress
• close up bed bug with eggs
• Amazing photos from Lou Sorkin

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