Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums » Detection / Identification of bed bugs
Is this a bed bug?
(13 posts)-
My gf and I recently moved to an apartment in nyc and suffered many bites on our arms and legs through the night and then a few weeks later we had the same thing happen. Everything we researched online seemed to point to bed bugs (we saw bites in a line, etc) but we were never able to spot blood, fecal matter or crushed bed bugs on the sheets/mattress liner.
We finally did find some dead bugs on the floor of the bedroom and sent them to our landlord's exterminator guy. He called today and said that they are indeed bed bugs. Honestly, I didn't think they were based on the photos I've looked at online of bbs. From the bottom, they do look similar to the photos of bedbugs I've seen online but from the top they seem to be smooth and have almost what appears to be wings (a vertical ridge along the back) whereas the photos I've seen of bed bugs seem to have horizontal ridges along the back and are flatter like an appleseed. Sorry for the somewhat blurry photos but I'd appreciate any feedback you guys have on whether these are bed bugs or not (and if not, what are they?). I don't want to go through this process if they are not bed bugs. And I'm also probably hoping they are not.
One final note, the only live bug we've actually seen in our apt was one stinkbug and also a bunch of mosquitoes (I actually awoke one night to a mosquito buzzing in my ear). We also noticed that the tops of two windows were wide open the first few weeks we lived here and we haven't had any bites since closing them (though we also took some steps to prevent bbs, like putting on a mattress cover around the same time. Thanks for your help!
These are two separate bugs but they are the same type (as far as I can tell). One is missing its head.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/62099553@N00/3926712951/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/62099553@N00/3926712025/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/62099553@N00/3927495258/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/62099553@N00/3926710921/ -
bugfreebed
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Joined: Sep '09
Posts: 56
Posted 2 months ago
Wed Sep 16 2009 18:13:12
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does look like one does it have wings ?
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spideyjg
oldtimer
Joined: Jul '08
Posts: 1,405
Posted 2 months ago
Wed Sep 16 2009 18:33:11
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The most intact one is a beetle. Got to run so I can't see the other.
The "seam" on the abdomen going head to butt is a feature never ever ever found on a BB. It is the defining aspect of a beetle.
Jim
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spideyjg
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Joined: Jul '08
Posts: 1,405
Posted 2 months ago
Wed Sep 16 2009 21:06:33
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Read the whole story. Your LL needs to find a new guy if he thinks those are BBs.
I glanced at the shot of the full bug for like 2 seconds and knew it wasn't a BB. I'm not even in the freaking business fer Chrissakes.
He is ripping people off if treating for BBs!
Jim
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Thanks. Just a note, the "seam" is on the back of the bug in this instance. Giving it the appearance of a back "shell" being split into two. Gives the appearance of wings though I'm not sure if that's what they are. The abdomen, which can be seen in two of the photos does have several horizontal seams.
Thanks again, I'll talk to our LL before we take any further action.
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spideyjg
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Joined: Jul '08
Posts: 1,405
Posted 2 months ago
Wed Sep 16 2009 22:27:44
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The "seam" is called the elytra and is the easiest thing to see to determine beetle or other.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elytron
No way, no how, no case, no exceptions, no ifs, no ands, no buts if the sample has an elytra it is not a bedbug.
The horizontal "seams" are common on insect abdomens and isn't a big factor in ID for me.
Jim
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They're all beetles related...
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Louise
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Joined: Jun '09
Posts: 70
Posted 2 months ago
Thu Sep 17 2009 20:17:16
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spideyjg - 21 hours ago »
The horizontal "seams" are common on insect abdomens and isn't a big factor in ID for me.
JimReally? I didn't know this. I'm feeling even calmer about the bug I found now (although I'm still checking the beds religiously...). Thank you for this info!!!
On my second look at 100x through the microscope, it did have hairy legs, but its body seemed to be relatively hairless.
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Ok, so first of all, thanks for all your input a few weeks back. It certainly seems that my landlord's "guy" is a bit undeducated re: bed bugs or he was trying to pull a fast one. I won't bore you with our subsequent conversations.
However, after 3 weeks with no bites i've had a couple of bites again this week and my GF awoke with about 15 bites over the past few nights. We did have the window open (though there was a screen in this time) the other day and the other common thread between the three times we've been bitten over the last two months is that it's been raining outside or has rained that day.
Anyway, we had laid out rat traps the week I originally posted and tonight we found some bugs on the trap which look to me like they are either some kind of nymph or engorged in blood (or both)? Any ideas? They are about the size of a pinhead. Are these bb nymphs? Something else?
Thanks again for your time. If you need the photos to be bigger you can click on "all sizes."
http://www.flickr.com/photos/62099553@N00/3970142535/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/62099553@N00/3970915044/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/62099553@N00/3970145145/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/62099553@N00/3970145335/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/62099553@N00/3970918306/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/62099553@N00/3970147895/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/62099553@N00/3970921000/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/62099553@N00/3970921000/ -
paulaw0919
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Joined: Jul '07
Posts: 997
Posted 1 month ago
Wed Sep 30 2009 22:41:43
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Looks like spider beetle to me, not bed bug related. See this link. I'm sure an expert will have some confirmation of what it may be.
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spideyjg
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Joined: Jul '08
Posts: 1,405
Posted 1 month ago
Wed Sep 30 2009 23:00:59
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Spider beetles. Funky looking but they don't bite.
Jim
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I confirm spider beetle, Gibbium sp.
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Wow, you guys are quick....and good! Thanks again.
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