Questions (sorry it's really lot) « Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums

Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums » Detection / Identification of bed bugs

Questions (sorry it's really lot)

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Bed bugs unsure questions

paranoid blood

newbite
Joined: Oct '09
Posts: 3

Posted 1 month ago
Thu Oct 8 2009 10:30:40
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I had a bed bug about a year ago but it died so it was simply problem sloved. (Just so you know, yes it was only one and I just found it dead when I lifted my covers). When I first had it, I was really itchy and atuomatically assumed it was bed bugs when I noticed the hawaiian island chain, the weird 3 in row bites. I'm actually very paranoid, hence the name, in contrast to the average teenager. After the one beg bug died I remained alert for 3 months. I really dispise bugs and insects, at a youger age, I couldn't even squish an ant. My parents thought I had a phobia and still do, I agree, but I think I'm improving. I can now squish an ant. Anyways a yaer after i solved the problem, I get more (at least I think). My mother recently came from a trip overseas to vist family and didn't stay in a hotel so I have doubts she got it there, espeacially since she had no bites. So here is he first batch of questions:
-Could she have brought it home from the airplane trip here? Do bed bugs travel from luggage to luggage on a plane?
-Do they have bed bugs in Korea?
Anyways before my mother returned, I was sitting at my desk in my room when a red ant (a ant that was red, not sure if it really was a "red ant") bit me. It swelled up and instanly and really itched, but I killed it on the spot. It was the same type of ant that I had seen before in the living room and my bathroom. My father said it was an explorer so dont worry about it. ( I'm still very freaked out by ants even though I can squish them. We also haven't had ants in way over a year) Anyways, I mention this because it is semi-important. It was 4 days after my mothers return I had noticed the chain bite marks on my thigh. I quickly started freaking out, but had to make sure, so I reluctanly went to sleep that night to see if I'd get more bites. I did, but on my other thigh and just 2 bites a inch or more apart. (The bites on my thigh didn't itch at first until I began to itch it without it even being itchy.) I still didn't quite believe it and thought it was Gnats. After closing my window and suffering a hot humid night, I awake to find 8- 12 bites on my right elbow. I then clean my floor area vaccumed my bed to find nothing. I then moved to sleeping on my bed last night. (I was sleeping on the floor because my bed was getting uncomfortable.) I awoke at about 3am to find new bite marks on my left elbow. I have since checked my bed and blanket but have found nothing, but I did just sleep on a mattress and used the bed sheet as a blanket. Anyways since then I have been awake and now it is 5:18 am. I cannot will myself to go back to bed and get preyed on once again. Although I have doubts about me having bed bugs because I was reminded of the red ant because I saw it in my bathroom which is right next to the door of my room where I have my bed. I began thinking, but have confused myself. I was itchy before when I had the bed bug or maybe I wasnt and I made myself itch like I did with the bites on my thighs. I think the red ant could be cause for my bites because the bite is veery similar to what it looked like before, except one thing. I know for sure the bites I have right now dont itch a bit, and the bites on my thighs are almost gone after 5 days. So here's the last of my questions:
-Do I have bed bugs?
-Is it possible for me to have been bitten but not itch?
-Do any other bugs that bite do it in a sort of 3 in row kind of thing?
-Do bed bugs atcually feed early on in the night? ( I thought it was like an hour before dawn)
-Do they feed every night? ( I though it was about every other day or like every few days)
Oh and if looking at a picture of a bite helps I have 2 of them from my elbows.
Thank you for reading my longest post ever and please help by answering a question... or 5. LOL
vulnerable

newbite
Joined: Oct '09
Posts: 2

Posted 1 month ago
Thu Oct 8 2009 13:24:09
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Hey I'm a teenager too! I thought I was the only person my age getting attacked by these mini-roaches. Actually I'm kinda in the same spot and have the same questions. I've never had bed bugs but I remember hearing about it of TV so I though I'd check it out. I also have the bite marks, but in a row of 5-10 as it like goes in to a spiral. I've had the problem for a month after my dad came home from a business trip. It's been getting worse by the weeks! The things is I, like you dont itch, but I have way more bites than you. I have yet to see the signs of bed bugs "left behinds", but Idk what else could be bitting me. I don't get sleep anymore and my boyfriend dump me because they got to my face. I seriously just want them to roll over and BURRRRRRN!!!!!!! I also wished my dad had the same problem so they would leave me alone and he'd see what it feels like, but I think it's my lack of sleep talking. ohhhhh and to answer some of your questions, I researched:)
-It is possible for them to travel from luggage to luggage, they can with people too but it's only if there is a serious problem
-Bed bugs are everywhere
-They can feed everynight, they do on me:(
Oooooooo and try posting your pictures
cilecto

senior member
Joined: Aug '08
Posts: 514

Posted 1 month ago
Thu Oct 8 2009 14:13:12
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Welcome aboard, :(
None of us can say definitively say what you have or if this is happenning to you at home or elsewhere. Educate yourself on detection.
BB can be found in vehicles.
There are probably BB in KR.
Yes they can hitch rides on and in luggage.
A single BB feeds once every week or two. If you're getting bit nightly, you have >1 BB.
Different people react in different ways or not at all, plus reactions can change over time.
Other insects and substances can cause BB bite-like reactions.
V 's ex boyfriend sucks.
paranoid blood

newbite
Joined: Oct '09
Posts: 3

Posted 1 month ago
Thu Oct 8 2009 14:37:15
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I doubt that it is happening from outside my home because since my mother has been on her trip for almost a month I've spent all my time at home with her since she came back. I'm also on fall break, but I fear going to school and spreading the bed bugs, if I have them.
I also got an idea from the Climb Up ad on this page. I took some plastic containers and bowls so I could see if I actually have bed bugs.
buggyinsocal

oldtimer
Joined: Jun '08
Posts: 1,130

Posted 1 month ago
Thu Oct 8 2009 18:53:45
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I definitely remember a poster in the past who was in Korea posting about bed bugs there, so yes, like most other countries, somewhere in Korea, bed bugs exist.

While I suspect it's pretty rare (I generally fly a minimum of 25,000 miles a year and never picked up bed bugs that way), it's theoretically possible for a suitcase--checked or carry on--with bed bugs on it placed next to a suitcase without bed bugs to be a source of transmission.

Many people do not respond to bed bug bites with an itchy, inflamed skin response. Some people don't respond at first but eventually do. Bites alone are not conclusive proof of bed bugs because many bugs bite or cause bite like responses.

Not even experienced docs can tell from looking at a bite that it was made by a bed bug. Experienced docs can tell you what general group of bugs made the bite, but that's about as good as it gets.

Any bug can bite three in a row. I had bed bugs for months and never had the three in a row pattern. See previous point about bites not being conclusive proof of bed bugs.

Bed bugs prefer to feed in the wee hours of the morning. However, if people are up an active then, they will shift their feeding schedule to times when people are least active (as in the case of night shift workers). In addition, if they are hungry enough, they'll feed whenever they can.

Individual bed bugs don't need to feed daily. However, if you've got a substantial population, you may get bites every day since the bugs don't all feed on the same schedule (Sort of a bug A feeds on Monday, Bug B feeds on Tuesday, Bug C feeds on Wednesday,Bug A feeds again on Thursday thing.)