Baby Bed Bugs: Are They Visible to Humans?

Baby bed bugs: Are they visible to humans?

The answer is sometimes they are visible to humans and sometimes they aren’t. Baby bed bugs are tiny and very light in color. This makes them easier to see on a dark surface. Alternatively, a baby bed bug resting on a white surface like a pillowcase or a sheet can very easily be overlooked by a human.

Continue reading to learn more about these pests including common signs of baby bed bugs as well as ways to prevent or get rid of them.

What Do Baby Bugs Look Like?

The life cycle of a bed bug goes from egg to baby or nymph, to adult. After hatching, the babies are about one millimeter in length. Babies are translucent, brown, or tan. However, bed bug eggs are white or clear in color.

Additionally, six legs and antennae are also features to look for in the identification of babies.

When a baby bed bug reaches five days old, a dark spot appears on its abdomen. This spot is the beginning of the darkening process as the bed bug matures and takes on the appearance of a grown adult.

Where Are Baby Bed Bugs Found?

These bugs are found in a variety of places including homes, hotels, offices, and other buildings. One of the most common places is between the cushions of a chair or sofa. They hide beneath area rugs, in the seams of a mattress, in the joints of a bed frame, or the folds of curtains. The identification process is a little simpler if you know where they like to hide. Some types of bugs found in the home are more easily seen and don’t try to hide as much as bed bugs do.

One of the facts to remember is these parasitic bugs hide in dark places. They want to be able to get to humans and animals to drink the blood they need to survive. Bed bug babies and adults can crowd into very tight areas. For instance, these bugs can hide behind the electrical outlet plates in a home. Furthermore, they can hide behind the screws in a wall. Their ability to hide in so many places within a home is what makes them so challenging to find and get rid of.

How Do You Know If You Have Baby Bed Bugs?

Of course, seeing these babies is the easiest way to know you have them in your home. But, as mentioned above, it’s not always easy to spot these creatures. Fortunately, there are some telltale signs of baby and adult bed bugs in a home.

After bed bugs hatch, the first thing a baby wants to do is to find nourishment. It needs human or animal blood to get the energy it needs to molt and move to the next stage in its life cycle. So, one of the signs of bed bug babies is tiny dark red or rust spots on a bed sheet or fabric cushion. This spot is blood from a baby bed bug that’s had a meal. Also, it may result from a bed bug that’s been partially smashed.

Bed bug bites are signs of an infestation. A baby bed bug bite causes the appearance of redness and sometimes a rash on the skin. The bite area can become very itchy and irritated. However, these bugs are not poisonous.

Another one of the most obvious signs of bed bug babies is discarded skin, also called an exoskeleton. As baby bed bugs grow, they molt their old skin and take on a new one. These discarded skins or exoskeletons have a paper-like appearance and are very tiny. They may be found on blankets, sheets, couch cushions, rugs, etc.

Black spots on a sheet or seat cushion are another sign of baby bed bugs. These black spots are the waste left behind by these pests.

How Do You Prevent Bed Bugs?

Bed bugs aren’t necessarily attracted to dirty or cluttered homes, offices, etc. So, a hotel with bed bugs doesn’t necessarily have uncleanly rooms. This is one of the most surprising facts about this persistent bug. They can travel into any building inside bags, cases, and boxes. But there are some actions you can take to prevent them.

Reducing the clutter of papers, boxes and clothing can help to prevent an infestation of bed bugs. Baby bed bugs and bed bugs generally look for places to hide. So, if there’s a lot of clutter in a space, bed bugs have more places where they can stay hidden. The goal is to make the environment as inhospitable to bed bugs as possible!

Vacuuming the mattress and box spring of a bed each week can help to prevent these bugs. If there are bed bug eggs on the mattress, a powerful vacuum cleaner can remove them and get them out of your house.

Using hot water, wash the sheets, blankets, pillowcases, and mattress cover on your bed. Washing all of the bedding in hot water can remove eggs before they have a chance to hatch. Plus, when you wash the bedding regularly, you are more likely to see the first signs of baby bed bugs. Consequently, you can address the issue in a timely way and possibly prevent an infestation.

Steam clean the area rugs and carpeting in your home. The hot water and steam can drive these bugs out of hiding and get rid of them. A reliable steam cleaning machine can reach dark corners and tight areas in a room. This is where bed bug babies are most likely to hide.

When you return home from a trip, unpack travel bags and suitcases outdoors. Wash all of the clothing, towels, etc. in hot water before putting them into dresser drawers. In addition, shake out and wipe down the suitcases and bags. Also, leave them out in the garage for a couple of days to avoid bringing in any baby bed bugs. Bed bugs won’t stay in a place where they can’t find food.

What Is the Treatment for Bed Bugs?

If you do get bed bugs in your home, business, or office, there are ways to get rid of an infestation. Read more on how to get rid of bed bugs here. We recommend the following products for complete and effective bed bug remediation.

Another treatment is to put out traps designed for pests. These traps usually slip beneath the legs of chairs, the sofa, and other furniture. A baby climbs into the trap but is unable to climb out. Other types of traps have adhesive on them that prevent a bed bug from escaping. Some people set traps to help in the identification process. They want to see whether they have bed bugs or another type of pest in their home.

A hairdryer can be used to drive baby bugs out of their hiding place so they can be caught in a cloth and destroyed. Set the hair dryer to its hottest setting and point it toward an area of a bed frame or piece of furniture where bed bugs are suspected. These bugs are very vulnerable to heat.

Contacting a professional bed bug exterminator is another treatment for an infestation. Be sure to ask questions regarding the safety of their treatment methods and ask for facts about the ingredients in the solution. Some professional bed bug removers have a safe, natural treatment for this issue.

Are Baby Bed Bugs Noticeable?

Yes, they can be noticeable. Bugs from newly hatched eggs are very tiny and almost impossible to see. However, as the babies or nymphs grow bigger and molt, they’re easier to see.

What Happens If You See Baby Bed Bugs?

If you see these babies, vacuum the piece of furniture or rug where you see them. If there is not a full infestation you may be able to get rid of them, so they won’t continue to multiply. After vacuuming, put down some traps to determine if there are more bed bugs in your home.

Additionally, there are a few other ways to rid of pests in your home. Wash and dry all of your clothes and bedding on high heat. This may rid your fabrics of the infestation. You can also use chemicals to get rid of the bed bugs. However, If none of these measures work, you need to call in a professional to rid your home the right way for good.

Can You Feel Baby Bed Bugs Crawl on You?

You are not likely to feel these babies crawling on you. Their tiny bodies are not going to create a sensation as they walk on the skin.

Where Do Baby Bed Bugs Come From?

Baby bed bugs emerge from eggs that are laid by adult bed bugs in a home, office, or other building. Adult bed bugs and babies gain access to a home by stowing away in bags, boxes, suitcases, and other parcels. Even as adults they are so small it’s easy for them to hide in a box or bag that someone carries into a building.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © iStock.com/Matteo Lanciano