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Another case of the Invisible bed bugs

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jgoedde

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Posted 1 year ago
Mon May 14 2012 12:34:20
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Okay, its been a week. Every morning, about two hours after I wake up, red welts in clusters of two and three pop up. They get red and raised, and itchy. After the first two nights I saw a doctor and he suggested bed bugs. I have ripped my place apart searching for visual evidence of bugs with no avail. I already went to the store and got pillow and mattress encasements. I have cleaned and cleaned and even sprayed some beg bug killer around the corners of my room where I thoguht they could be coming in. I pulled my bed away from the wall and put the legs in plastic containers with a little oil in them. Still the bites keep coming, 2-3 a night. Could this be the start of a small infestation? I am in a multi-unit aparmtnet building where they could be coming from anywhere. Its an older place so lots of cracks and gaps where they could be hiding. Is it possible I don't see a single thing that point to bed bugs but still have them? I don't want to alarm my landlord until I know for sure.

I am beginning to think about bagging up some of the boxes and books I have store around/under my bed. Should I spray it all first with something? I have heard rubbing alcohol? Any suggestions for next steps would be greatly appreciated. I am beginning to panic because I cannot figure it out and am going on a vacation back home in a week or so and dont' want to take anything with me/dont' want to leave the apartment while an infestation grows!
bed-bugscouk

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Posted 1 year ago
Mon May 14 2012 14:31:41
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Hi,

Until you have it confirmed as bedbugs through finding:
- Live samples
- Cast skins
- Faecal traces
Its best to keep an open mind as to what it could be.

I am not aware of a single worldwide case of invisible bedbugs and usually the lack of the signs above means that the issue is in fact not bedbugs and one of the many other possibilities.

The i9nformation pitfall you may have slipped into is assuming from the bites its bedbugs whereas those in the know understand bites = something to investigate not an indication of what it could be.

Have a look at the FAQ's and please stop spraying things till you know what you are trying to kill.

David Cain
Bed Bugs Limited
jgoedde

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Posted 1 year ago
Tue May 15 2012 0:33:38
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i am more than open to other suggestions of what might be biting. Infact, I would be thrilled if someone could pin point something other than bed bugs, but, the reality is that so far my bumps seem to fit best as a bed bug bite. I have been doing extensive research and continue to see postings of people in the same situation as myself (bed bug type bites with no traces of actual bed bugs) but nobody is offering a suggestion as to what else it could be. Please, if anyone has any idea what else this could be don't hesitate to speak up. I have already ruled out scabies.
edtt

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Posted 1 year ago
Tue May 15 2012 1:18:41
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Hello jg,
Trust me when I say, know it is hard to wait and not know what is biting you.
Many have been where you are and more to follow.
David is an expert of bb's and is here to help
Bites can mean anything, the faqs section offers info (carpet beetle reactions, mites, fleas)
I know a week seems like an eternity is necessary to understand what you are dealing with.

We did not know for 2 weeks, I assumed bb's, then we got confirmation of fleas in the bsmt suite.
We are treating for fleas, and I am still watching for bb's, just in case we have both.
It is difficult to let go, as you fear that once you let your guard they are going to jump out and say "boo"!
We are at over a month with no other signs, every day that passes makes me feel a it better.
Try to stay calm, and look around if they are there there will be signs, it may take awhile if is only a few bugs, look in, under and around dressers, pictures, curtains and rods, bed frame.
You mentioned encasements and isolating your bed, did you check the bed frame?
Look and breathe, as difficult as it is, if they are there, you will find signs eventually.
Sorry you are experiencing this.
Good luck
Nobugsonme

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Posted 1 year ago
Tue May 15 2012 1:37:14
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The fact is that someone has to find visual evidence (bed bugs, fecal stains, cast skins, or eggs) in order to confirm bed bugs.

This FAQ explains other possible causes and ways to confirm bed bugs using monitors:

http://bedbugger.com/2006/10/22/faq-what-are-bed-bugs-do-i-have-them-what-else-could-be-causing-this/

These FAQs give some examples of still more possible causes:

http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/scabies-head-lice-bird-mites-springtails-chyletiella-mites-ekboms-syndrome

Carpet beetles and fleas are also a possibility.
So is folliculitis.
jgoedde

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Posted 1 year ago
Mon May 21 2012 16:02:33
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Okay just an update:

I placed the feet of my bed in small plastic containers with some oil in them to stop the biting/indicate whether bugs were trying to get to me in bed at night. From the night I started this experiment I received no bites, but also saw no bugs floating in the oil. This gave me maybe a false sense of security that i was no longer being bitten and hadn't seen any evidence of bugs.

This morning I woke up with itchy spot on my shoulder and what looked like two bites. Not sure if either my sheet was touching the floor or that the bed legs moved enough to touch the side of the containter (a problem I have been trying to be conscious of). Then at the gym this afternoon, I saw what I think was a nymph on my shirt!! It looked a lot like the pictures I have seen and was brownish red in color. I panicked and brushed it off my shirt. In hindsight I wish i had observed more closely first to verify if it was a bedbug.

So, now i am back to square one mentally, stressed thinking I have been adopting the out of sight out of mind policy and wondering if my bugs are growing larger in population as I avoid the biting with the plastic cups. Should I be doing something more aggressive even though I still haven't seen strong evidence besides my experience today? Will they begin to infest other areas of my apartment in search of a food source while I starve them with this bed leg experiment? Could I be bringing them into my car with me when I go places?