Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums » Tales of Bed Bug Woe
Am I in denial?
(5 posts)-
chi-towncrisis
newbite
Joined: Jun '08
Posts: 17
Posted 1 year ago
Wed Jun 25 2008 10:06:11
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So, two days ago I had pretty much convinced myself that I definitley had bedbugs. This was based on two factors, firstly, I am covered in the itchiest bites ever (on legs and elbows), secondly, I saw two weird little bugs under my boxspring. They didn't look like the pictures of bedbugs I've seen online( too small) ,and not really like the nymphs either. However, there were black spots on the piping around my mattress (an inky blue-black, not reddish black) and although they were kind of small and could of been any number of things, I took this to be confirmation of bedbugs. I vacuumed, bagged and cleaned everything.
Well, now my mattress is in the center of my room encased in vinyl, (boxspring too) gorilla taped up and all my things are sealed. I have no blankets on my bed, just a white sheet and a pillow, no top sheet. I wanted to have the best chance of seeing them in action. I've been sleeping with the lights on so as soon as I feel a bite I can see what it is. For the past two nights I have felt myself being bitten. I have looked and seen nothing! No sign of bugs, no blood on the sheets, no black marks from droppings, no shed skins...nothing. I have seen what look to be Carpet bugs in my apartment. Could it be that it's a carpet bug infestation and not bed bugs, do they bite? Is it easier to treat carpet bugs?
Part of me thinks I'm in denial and hoping that it's anything but bedbugs. Keep in mind I am being bitten still.
Are bedbug nymphs so small that I wouldn't see them on a white sheet? -
senior member
Joined: Dec '07
Posts: 544
Posted 1 year ago
Wed Jun 25 2008 11:22:49
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Chi-town,
BB nymphs are indeed tiny,think of a period at the end of a sentence in small print,now make it tranlucent and you'll get the idea.I have seen unfed nymphs,but only when staring directly looking and they were moving.I doubt I'd be able to see one that was still.Carpet beetles could be in your place as well as bb's.Carpet beetles don't bite and leave itchy welts however.Most bugs are easier to treat than bb's,imo.If you really want to try your best to find them turn off the light at night and set your alarm for about 3am,have a flashlight ready and you may actually see them.
You can also check thoroughly for signs of infestation such as fecal spotting in and around your bed,get a powerful flashlight and a magnifying glass for best luck.Turn over furniture and look at the underside of things including drawers.Good luck -
lieutenantdan
oldtimer
Joined: Apr '07
Posts: 1,162
Posted 1 year ago
Wed Jun 25 2008 15:09:00
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See Lou Sorkin's unbelievable bed bug nymph pictures on Flicker which you can access through this site. See the nymph on his finger during a blood feed. Lou is a well know entomologist at The American Museaum of Natural History in New York City.
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nightshirt
senior member
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 455
Posted 1 year ago
Fri Jun 27 2008 13:55:31
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i dont think you can feel them biting and i also remember that with light on they dont usually come out. so, that said, i would start treating
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BeeBee
junior member
Joined: May '08
Posts: 79
Posted 1 year ago
Fri Jun 27 2008 14:32:14
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Sorry, but they WILL come out with the lights on if they're hungry enough. I've been sleeping with the light on and I STILL get bit. So yeah, it might be slow 'em down but it ain't gonna stop 'em.
Think of yourself when you're really, really hungry and what you would do to get to food. That's pretty much the mindset of the bed bug, except they're exisitng purely on instinct. They're not trying to outthink us, they're just trying to survive. We have brains on our side, but unfortunately they are very well adapated to their environment and that environement includes us. We're a vital part of their food chain. We're like an all-night supermarket.
It's depressing that we are all being outwitted by a very small and very ugly bug.
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