by Maxwell Payne

Created on: March 10, 2010   Last Updated: July 28, 2010

How to determine if you have been bitten by bedbugs overnight.

Bedbugs are tiny creatures that can live in a variety of places such as in floorboards, walls, furniture, and other locations.  They “commute” to common sleeping areas of humans for feeding at night although they can also live in the mattress itself.

According to WebMD, you can not feel bedbugs feeding on your blood at night because they inject a numbing agent as well as a substance to keep your blood smoothly flowing. But the next day you’ll notice some signs that indicate you might have been a meal for a group of bedbugs.

Consider if you feel itchy anywhere on your body. Itchiness is one symptom of bedbug bites.

Look at the location of the itching. If you see red bumps, often along a straight line down your body, these may be bedbug bites. The bedbugs travel in groups and often move in a line right down your skin like a late night buffet.

Confirm that the bites are in an almost straight line down your limb or other area of your body. Unlike singular bites or haphazard bites from other insects, bedbug bites are almost always in a straight line.

Check for evidence of actual bedbugs in your home, hotel room, dorm, or where ever you last slept. Since it is possible that the bites are other insect bites you will want to check for signs of bedbugs. Many types of harmless insects can bite or cause irritation.

Look for small blood stain marks on you sheets or clothing. Check the seams of mattresses for small stains or even the bedbugs themselves. Check along floorboards, under the bed, and near corners for bedbugs or bug waste.

Line the perimeter of your mattress frame with double sided tape. Make sure you cover the whole perimeter as well as the lower posts. Bedbugs do not fly and crawl up into the bedding at night. Check the tape every few days for bedbugs as they can get caught on the tape.

Shake out your bedding or wash it. If in a hotel, request your sheets get washed daily or consider a new room.

Make sure that your comforter or sheets do not touch the ground as this can give bedbugs an entry point to your bed.

Contact an exterminator if the infestation is in your home and you have tried insecticide along the floorboards and have tried to tape off entry points to onto your bed without success.

Reference: http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/sl ideshow-bedbugs

Learn more about this author, Maxwell Payne.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.