Bed Bug Photos
This page contains photos of signs you might find when looking for bed bugs (bed bugs, eggs, feces, cast skins, blood stains on sheets, etc.). You can click any of the photos and you will be taken to the flickr page. Click “all sizes” and then “large” to get the best view.
Obviously, you might find bed bugs themselves! But they can look vastly different based on life stage (there are 5 nymph stages and one adult stage) and whether they’ve fed recently or not. For reference, see Stephen L. Doggett’s bed bug life cycle photo, posted with his permission:
Note the life stages, the transparency of unfed nymphs, and the difference between the just-fed adult (top, elongated), and the not-just-fed adult next to it on the right.
Here are some even better photos of bed bugs feeding, including adults and nymphs (from L. Sorkin and R. Mercurio.)
Nymph photo from OfAlltheBeds:
Unfed first instar nymph (approx. 1 mm or 1/32″ long; taken by Sorkin and Mercurio, American Museum of Natural History):
This is the same first instar once it has fully fed (it will be larger now; taken by Sorkin and Mercurio, American Museum of Natural History):
To get an idea of the size, this is a 1st instar nymph feeding on Lou Sorkin’s finger. You can see them, but they are small:
Bassommeijer’s photo of an Argentinian adult bed bug in a book:
Waiting in Manhattan’s photo of an adult bed bug:
Several people have mistaken booklice for bed bug nymphs. Click here to see a comparison.
Other signs of bed bugs:
Cast skins: bed bugs cast their skin each time they grow. So you might find cast skins from a 1st instar nymph or a 5th instar nymph and the size will vary a great deal.
This is a cast skin (from Wikipedia).
This is a cast skin sitting on S’s arm when she tested her sensitivity to one. Note, it looks a lot like an actual bed bug.
Click here to see a photo of bed bugs on a mattress (from reader lincolnland).
Click here to see a series of detailed photos by Lou Sorkin of bed bugs harboring in and on a box spring, bed frame, and headboard.
The following photos can be enlarged for better viewing. Click on any of them, and you will be taken to the flickr page. Then click “all sizes” and then “large” to get the best view.
You might find blood stains on bed sheets or clothing you wear to bed. They can be as small as pinpricks or think streaks, or larger spotches (where a bug was squished or where a lot of blood was lost). This is an example, Lou Sorkin’s photo of a blood stain:
Originally uploaded by louento.pix
Lou Sorkin’s photo of a chair with bed bug nymphs, eggs, and fecal spots:
close up of lounge chair staples
Originally uploaded by louento.pix
Click the photo to get all sizes of the photo, and then select “large” for the best view.
Those are large furniture staples on a lounge chair. The eggs are 1/32 inch long.
Tape with bed bugs, eggs, and fecal spots, removed from a mattress (credit: Lou Sorkin):
Originally uploaded by louento.pix.
Good photos of fecal stains on a mattress here.
Photos of fecal stains on a hotel headboard and hotel mattress here.
Bed bugs with fecal spots (credit: Lou Sorkin):
Originally uploaded by louento.pix.
Click on photo, then “All sizes,” then “Large” for the full glory of bed bugs, eggs (full and hatched) and feces.
Click here for all entries on Bedbugger tagged “photos of bed bugs” (including bed bugs, nymphs, eggs, feces, etc.) Note: you have to click each individual title to see the photos.
All Rights Reserved by the photographers.
Thanks to Lou Sorkin & Randy Mercurio of the AMNH, S., Bassommeijer, and Waiting in Manhattan, for allowing us access to these photos which I am sure will help so many to find and identify bed bugs in their homes.
Comments for this page are now closed. Please post a message on our Bedbugger Forums if you have questions or need support. If you have suggestions or want to share your photos, please contact me.
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fyi,
Are you writing from an obscure non-developed nation, or perhaps from Europe or the US circa 1955?
DDT is no longer readily available, not in Europe or the States. And from the way bed bugs are spiralling out of control around the world, I suspect it is not available this easily in most countries, if any.
Besides, bed bugs apparently developed resistance to it in time. Sorry, but if it were this easy, why would I be wasting my time on this website?!?
LOL.
I used to find this type of thing annoying. But now I’m kinda touched by the innocence, you know?
Renee, it is kind of sweet, isn’t it.
The sad thing is, many of our readers would not mind growing an extra head to get rid of bed bugs with a miracle one-shot spray.
hi i just wanted to ask what are the precaution if you get bite from the bed bugs
Hi mary,
Reactions to bed bug bites vary from unnoticeable to annoying, very annoying, and extremely uncomfortable. We’ve heard that in some cases, it can even be life-threatening (if someone has a severe allergic reaction). We have heard of several such cases.
Some people need or want to take an antihistamine, and I recommend you consult your doctor if you feel uncomfortable and feel you might need help.
I am not a health professional but if you feel any swelling, or have trouble breathing or otherwise feel unwell, it is probably a good idea to see a doctor right away and tell them you think you are having an allergic reaction to bed bug bites.
The other important thing is to get proper and quick treatment of your home from someone who has lots of experience getting rid of bed bugs.
i gat them darnd bed bugz from my cheatin whore of a cousin .howd i gat rida em?
there every where hellllllllllllllllllp
charles,
Sorry to hear that.
Please start by reading the other FAQs and come to the forums if you have questions after that.
Hi there. Need some advice!
I just moved to France and have been in my apartment for 3 months. My apartment is old but in really good shape. I cleaned for days before I settled in. The one thing is that the matress was already there. It looked so new, really great mattress!
About 5-6weeks ago, I was bitten by something, just once, it was an itchy bite, almost like a mosquito. I didn’t really worry about it.
I think maybe once or twice more, I’ve been a little itchy in bed. But never had any marks or anything. Lastnight though, I kept feeling things on my legs. I had to keep moving. I checked for bites but I don’t have any but I do feel itchy from time to time (maybe I’m paranoid).
That’s what brought me here to this website. I cleaned my whole room (I sleep in a mezzaine, old wooden beams etc, plenty of hiding places). I checked the seams of the mattres and found a dead bed bug, also found small bits of skin at below the front of the bed. I checked everywhere, and I can’t find anymore.
So I have a few questions, if anyone could help me out I would be so grateful.
1. Wouldn’t I be bitten a lot, like every night? Is a five/six week gap normal for bed bugs?
2. Could the bed bug I found have been there from ages ago?
3. And if I do have bed bugs, will I ever see them? (Tonight, I’m keeping a torch beside me!)
Thanks
You would be bitten about once a week by each bed bug living in your home. (For the sake of others reading this, bed bugs sometimes bite a few times in a row or triangle, representing one attempt at feeding.)
A bed bug would not go 5-6 weeks without feeding unless it was prevented from doing so. For example, if it was sealed in a bag and then released, or if it was staying in a home with nobody in it.
However, one factor you are not recognizing is that bed bug bite reactions vary. Many people do not react. I assume others react a little or sometimes. While others react very strongly.
If you reacted less than some people, or only sometimes, it is possible you were bitten more often and do not know it.
Yes, but it would not explain your bites.
If you found cast skins, they are signs too.
Seeing even one is unusual — they hide very well. And not just in beds, but in the home’s structure. I would tell the landlord and seek treatment. Save any signs you find.
If you need more advice or want to discuss this, please come to the forums:
http://bedbugger.com/forum/
Okay this is my first ever dealing with bedbugs and I must say it’s grossing me out completely. Where on earth do they come from? How do they manifest and how on earth do we get rid of them all? Thankfully or rather unfortunately I am having a severe allergic reaction to the bites from these little suckers and that is how we became aware of the fact that there were bugs or something in our bed. Please help us get rid of this pesty pests before it’s too late. thank you.
Dawn,
Sorry for your bed bug troubles.
They are insects which spread easily. You may have picked them up somewhere (transportation, hotel, job, school, hospital, day care?) or they may have walked over to you from neighbors if you are in an attached home (apartment or row house, for example). Someone may have visited and brought them in, also.
You need an experienced professional to help you get rid of them. Our FAQs explain the basics (there’s one on choosing a Pest Control Operator, and another on whether landlords are responsible for treatment).
After you read the FAQs, please come to the forums with any additional questions or for support. You will get through this.
just got a bedbug problem it’s really hard to track down how it started since I have been living in the apartment for a little over 2 years with no issues with bedbugs now starting about 4 weeks ago I have been waking up with bite marks maybe 2 or 3 they itch like crazy…
My job requires me that I have to be up around 1Am or so I get up and check the bed but I never see anything.. however this morning my mother got out of bed and saw one running away and managed to kill it leaving a stain.. as you know she is freaking out about it.. i checked my bed but I don’t see any signs of them..
she has been spraying bug spray on the beds which I told her not to do because I need to sleep on them.. to prevent from getting so many bites on my legs I will sleep in long johns so they tend to bite on my neck or my wrists.
it’s just horrible right now dealing with these things!
Hi Mike,
Seeing even ONE bed bug is unusual and you need immediate help from a professional who really knows their stuff.
You could have gotten them in at least two ways:
1. A neighbor had them and they walked into your unit.
2. You or a family member or a visitor brought them in on your clothing or in your stuff. (They can easily be picked up at a job, school, hospital, hotel, or public transportation, to name only a few common scenarios.)
After you read the FAQs, please come to the forums with any additional questions or for support.
I moved into an apartment a few months ago on a Saturday and Saturday night had to leave the apartment because we were bitten by bedbugs. Good news is that they cannot accuse me of bringing them in, as they were EVERYWHERE. Bad news is that I lost all of my things. The apartment complex and their pest control person (Home Paramount) assure me that my things are okay to move to the new apartment, minus the mattresses. I talked to two additional pest control guys and they said that I shouldn’t take ANYTHING. My tv’s, children’s toys, etc. are all gone. The apartment complex refuses to pay and we are now in a lawsuit, but I am in a new apartment and trying to rebuild my life slowly. I am a single mom with 3 kids and can’t afford to have this happen again. The apartment complex surprisingly enough will not give me a disclaimer if I transfer them to the new apartment, so it would be up to me to pay for treatments. Basically when I go to court, their guy will say that the stuff is fine and mine will say that it isn’t. What do you suggest about the electronics, etc.? My things were in the apartment for about a month before they moved it all to a storage facility. Thanks for your input, and I would appreciate any information that you can give to me to help me in my search to regain my sanity and the lives of my kids.
my husband hunts in south texas.They sleep in travel trailers that are broken in to by people crossing the border and he looks like he has been bitten by bed bugs. He thinks that just because they spray that the bugs are gone and he hasn’t brought them home.I hope we don’t get them.tell me what to do.
He also brought home seed ticks.we are battleing them to
maddening in texas
tracey,
I would think that for both the ticks and the bed bugs, you need a knowledgeable professional to come in, diagnose the problem(s) and get rid of them. Try and find someone with experience of getting rid of bed bugs. Thermal or vikane treatments may be good options, as well as traditional sprays.
And if he is getting bed bugs from where he stays, he will have to stop staying there unless their problem can be eliminated completely. Otherwise you will probably keep getting bed bugs.
Come to the forums if you have more questions or need support: http://bedbugger.com/forum/
I have never seen a bed bug up until recently. I purchased new beds for my children and about a month after I had the new(what I thought was new) matteress my daughter saw a bug while changing her sheets. As I looked around the mattres I saw more. I had called the company where I purchased the mattres from and explained the situation to them and thats when I found out that it was a reconditioned mattress. They did switch it out for me, but then I got it again on my sons mattress and when I told them that I was having the same problem again he wanted to see the bugs (which I put in a ziploc bag). I took the squished bugs and the cast skins to him and he said that I was full of s**t in my face and told me to get out of the store. So basically now Im stuck with bed bugs for the first time ever. I put a mattress cover over both of the beds but I am scared that they are going to bite my children. They haven’t bitten them yet. I don’t know what to do. Please help if any advice. I recommened to ANYONE who is buying new mattresses to make sure that they are not reconditioned. I never again will make that mistake. But then again I will not be shopping at CAROLINA FURNITURE in HUDSON, FLORIDA again.
Gail,
Sorry for your troubles. Did you have the bed bugs identified by a pest control operator or entomologist? Are you certain they are bed bugs? (That’s obviously essential.)
It is possible that the first bed had bed bugs and the second didn’t come with them. Once you have them in your home, you have them. Though the used mattress is a likely conduit, they could have originated in the delivery truck as well. Since old and new mattresses mingle in there, “new” doesn’t necessarily protect you.
You might want to talk to a lawyer. You may be able to at least recoup the cost of your mattresses and ridding your home of bed bugs. (I’m not a lawyer.)
http://bedbugger.com/2007/03/17/faq-where-can-i-read-about-bed-bug-lawsuits-can-you-help-me-find-a-lawyer/
The management of my building informed me they needed to have an exterminator come in and do some precautionary bedbug treatment, because one of my neighbors has them. They wouldn’t tell me who, but I think it’s above , because I heard all this furniture moving right before the exterminator came to treat my apartment.
He used a powder and put it in all the outlets of the apartment. (Except the bathroom and kitchen for some reason.) He said that my neighbor no longer has them.
After he left, I started researching bed bugs and I’m freaking out! I keep reading if your neighbor has them then you will. And, they can not get rid of in one treatment, in which the exterminator claimed he did. (I’m assuming it was one treatment, because he did all of our apartments at the same time.)
What do I do? Are the outlets the only way they can enter from above? How about the heaters? Every night I’ve been putting basil and lavender oil around my front door. Do I call my own exterminator in? Should I buy some treatment and put it around the apartment? I read the reviews for the DE and people said it was ineffective? What’s the best bed bug killer? My boyfriend thinks I’ve gone crazy. HELP!!!
Sam, I replied here:
http://bedbugger.com/2007/01/20/faq-think-you-have-bed-bugs-some-dos-and-donts/#comment-14456
Hi. We were at a hotel about 3 or 4 weeks ago (not a dive, a decent place from a chain), and after bringing the kids to the dr. for a rash and calling the hotel, we learned we have bed-bugs. The hotel management had already discovered the problem from another complaint, and said their insurance co. will contact us. How much will they likely do? We just forked out $900 to Terminex who will come in 2 days. I missed 2 days of work this week because the school nurse said to keep the kids home until the problem is resolved. Terminex said to bag up all our clothes and bedding and wash and dry on hot at the laundry mat. Will fumigating and washing clothes be enough? Should we buy new mattresses? How much should we expect the insurance company to help? What can we do about coats and delicate items we can’t wash on hot? If we leave them in the garage (below freezing in NH this week) will that kill the bugs? I haven’t seen any, but my kids and I have itchy spots and the hotel confirmed that our room had bugs at the time of our stay. Also, is it really safe to sleep at home a few hours after its fumigated? My little one has asthma. We want to do whatever it takes to get rid of this problem once and for all. Thanks for any help/advice.
Sorry you are going through this Becky. Good news is that you caught it earlier than many and the hotel is offering some help in the costs. Go to the FAQ’s section on this site for it has detailed answers to many if not all of your questions thus far. (laundry, treatment options, fumigation vs traditional treatment questions etc..)
As for the little one, one of my twins has asthma and he held up fine through many treatments. At the time, my twins were not even a year old. I would ask the PCO (exterminator) and maybe the pediatrician for concerns you have there. Reading up on the FAQ’s and getting very familiar with them is key. If there are questions that you have after that, then go to the forums where there are some professionals as well as fellow sufferers that may be able to help.
I’m just learning about what the bed bug can do. They are horrible. They totally have taking over.
Thanks, Paula.
Becky, I would just add that if you want more feedback and advice, the best place to post a question is in our forums. Paula and I and lots of others are there to give suggestions:
http://bedbugger.com/forum/
While traveling last December, I noticed people bringing their own pillows on to the plane. This could result in wide-spread occurences of bed bugs on airplanes.
social interloper,
That is indeed distressing. Not a good idea.
Hi, I woke up the other night with little red bumps on my chest and upper arms, and torso they itch horribly and seem to have spread. However, my husband who sleeps almost on top of me every night has nothing on him! Are bedbugs “selective” feeders, or is it something else? I hope it’s not bedbugs because they sound almost impossible to get rid of!
itchynwitchy – We’ve had bed bugs for at least a month but just confirmed 100% last week. For the past month I’ve been getting all the bites and my hubby has shown no signs at all. A PCO we spoke with told us that some people have no reactions to the bites so your hubby might be getting bitten and just not showing it. This is the part that finally freaked my hubby out and now he’s having trouble sleeping too.
I was bite by bed bug few days ago from my friend’s appartment. I never know this stuff before. It was very itching, half my body was bite. I saw my doctor and take pill and use cream, now its not itching, but the affect area still has some color, i hope my skin will become good again. Does anybody have good suggestion about remove the deep color after treatment?
itchyanwitchy, joalro is right, many people do not react to bed bug bites.
rachel, I do not have skin suggestions. I think you should see the reaction fade in time, but a dermatologist may be helpful.
I suggest that if any of you want more feedback or have additional questions, you visit our forums, where you will get more responses and lots of support!
Does anyone know if landlords are responsible to pay for bed bug extemination in TEXAS my landlord is refusing to pay for the treatment.
Ashowers,
I do not know the law in TExas. A local tenants’ rights organization may be able to advise you.
Alternatively, go to a public library and ask a reference librarian to help you look up the local laws which apply to pests in rental dwellings.
Please let us know what you find out.
Left for Atlanta, Georgia on Jan 31, 09 @ 12:25pm from Bloomington, IL via airplane. Stayed at a friend’s house for two nights. Flew back on Feb 2, 09 @ 9:50pm. Feb 4 I noticed red wheals on my butt (I am a medical skin care therapist) and being from the south, I know what mosquito and flea bites look like, I’ve had my share. These were located on my butt in a 3 bite pattern. After extended internet research, the bites look identical to the bb bites online! I thought bed bugs were a myth!!!! I told my friend, who had their home inspected to find nothing! Could I have been bitten on airplane or at airport??? (Returning flight was at night) So far, I haven’t seen any new bites and it’s been 11 days since returning flight. Am I safe?
Hi Natalie,
Yes– you could have been bitten on a plane, in a waiting room chair, in a bar or restaurant, in a taxi or bus. Bed bugs do not ONLY bite at night.
On the other hand, your friend may have a small infestation and it’s harder than you think for human inspectors to detect bed bugs, esp. with small infestations. She may not react to bites, many don’t. So she should remain vigilant.
You may have brought home bed bugs, but no bites in 11 days is a very good sign. Stay alert — since you react to bites, you should notice more. Hopefully there won’t be any!
I assume it’s too late to take precautions with clothing and luggage, but next time, you’d want to do that too.
Come to the forums if you have more questions or need support in future: http://bedbugger.com/forum/
Thanks nobugsonme! You know, my friend had found a bat in his home a week or two prior to my visit,,,could this be a link as well?
Natalie– Yes! Bats can have bat bugs feeding off them where they nest. When the bat is gone, bat bugs bite people. They are very closely related to bed bugs and an untrained eye would mistake them for one another.
Your friends need to make sure their attic is cleared of bats and that no bat bugs are present there.
I am having such trouble with these bed bugs!!! I live with my boyfriend and we havn’t had this problem until a couple months ago. Now, I am planning to move into my own place. I am worried these bugs will follow me to my new apartment. How can I prevent the bed bugs from following me there? They seem to only bite my arms around my elbows, on my knees, and on my feet. I don’t want to carry these with me. They are annoying and gross and I’m tired of explaining to my co-workers that the red spots all over my arms are not scabies. That’s irritating and the bed bugs make me want to rip my skin off lol any insight is welcomed. Thank you!
Amber,
It is very difficult to move and not bring bed bugs with you.
One possible method in some areas is to have a moving truck full of stuff treated with Vikane TM (sulfulyl fluoride) or another gas.
This can be expensive but so is tossing out all of your stuff.
If you want to discuss this further, please come to the forums: http://bedbugger.com/forum/
When I was 6 months pregnant bedbugs became a major problem for my family. We became infested because the bugs came from a neighboring apartment that connects to my room and to the rest of the house. Terminex came in and would only steam the effected areas because my landlord refuse to put my husband and I in a motel. Soon after the steaming the bugs returned (they must have laid dormant). We still have the bugs and now our landlord will only allow one more spraying. Since my daughter was born in October they have done the pesticides twice. Health inspectors insist this bug thing is all in our heads since they come during ther day and don’t thoroughly inspect the whole apartment, which is pretty good size. The landlord is getting pretty fed up with just us in a 4 family complex. The family in the adjoining apartment have since moved and there is another family that now lives there and they won’t allow an inspector to come in. We don’t know what to do about this anymore and our lives were stressful to begin with. All together we have spent over $3,000 since June just for cleaning the bedding. Please help!
Added link to post of new photos from Lou Sorkin of bed bugs harboring in a headboard, wooden bed frame, and box spring. Wonderful detail:
http://bedbugger.com/2009/02/21/more-bed-bug-photos-by-dr-louis-sorkin/
Hi Sarah,
I am not a pest professional and don’t really know how to advise you. There may be local laws which require landlords to get rid of bed bugs (not just treat twice), and you need to be sure you know what the law is (not just what the landlord is telling you).
There are ways of safely getting rid of them when you are pregnant, but steam can require more extensive and repeated treatments. Thermal is expensive and probably not on your landlord’s radar for this reason.
Please post your message in the forums where you will get more responses: http://bedbugger.com/forum/
did you live at 28 east 10th street as i had bed bugs 2 yrs ago and they are back and now i am going to have secong spraying
lk
Hi Linda — no. I did not live there. But many thousands of people in New York have bed bugs. Make sure you receive follow up treatments.
PCOs tell us you should be getting attention from the pest control operator in about 2 weeks after the first visit. Not two years later!
Also, your landlord needs to have every apartment that touches yours above, below, all sides inspected by a professional and treated if needed. Unforunately this is not the law in NYC, but it is the only way to make sure they do not come back. There’s a good chance someone else in the building has them too.
i went to a friends house in utah stayed for about a week in their guest bed. before i left i had no signs of bedbugs and for my entire stay. 2 days after i got back i started to notice my self itching. so myquestion is how long does it take for symptoms to develop? is it possible that my room was infested while i was away? after they bite you where do they go? other then the bites and itching what effects are there? how do i know if i carried them back to idaho with me?
i saw one on ma couch does that mean ders more and hw do i prevent dem 4 comin
Yes– tashay — unfortunately, you likely have many more.
They are already in your home and you need good, professional assistance from someone experienced in getting rid of them.
Read our FAQs and come to the Bedbugger forums if you need tips and support.
these are nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnaaaaaaaaaaassssssssssttttyyy
today i just saw one on my sisters leg it waz nasty im staying away from her as much as posseble she has a big bite on her leg that she went to the hospital today
o no i just saw bed bugs allover my house and they were biteing me
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