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Bed bug bites: what they look like and what to do
You may have woken up with red, itchy marks and wondered what bit you overnight. This page explains what bed bug bites can look like, why bites alone can mislead you, and what to check around the bed right now.
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- Itchy welts after sleeping
- Marks on bare skin
- Rusty stains on sheets
- Dark specks in mattress seams
- Shed skins near bed
- Live bugs in folds
If someone was stung or bitten
Call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222. It's answered around the clock by nurses and pharmacists at Arizona's poison centers, and they'll tell you whether you can stay home.
Call Poison Help: 1-800-222-1222
Call 911 right away for trouble breathing, swallowing or talking, or for a young child with strong symptoms.
Bed bug bites often show up as itchy welts or bumps on skin that was uncovered during sleep, but bites alone can't prove bed bugs. Bed bugs are small blood feeding insects, and public health sources say they are not known to transmit diseases. Start by checking mattress seams, box spring corners, sheets, and the area where the bed meets the wall before moving bedding around the home.
Bed bugs usually arrive as hitchhikers. They can come in on luggage, secondhand clothing, rented furniture, used furniture, or with overnight guests. In apartments, they can move through wall voids or along corridors from a nearby unit.
They hide in tight seams, folds, joints, cracks, and objects close to beds or sofas. They usually feed at night. If very hungry, they may feed during the day, then return to hiding.
A single bite pattern isn't enough to confirm bed bugs. Finding a live bug, eggs, shed skins, dark spots, or blood stains near a sleeping area is stronger evidence than bites. The home doesn't have to be dirty.
Small introductions tend to start close to beds. As numbers grow, bed bugs may spread into furniture, wall hangings, outlet covers, stored clothing, backpacks, purses, clocks, phones, or other items near resting spots.
- Adult about apple seed size
- Reddish brown, oval body
- Longer, rounder after feeding
- Young bugs pale yellow or tan
- Pinhead sized pale eggs
- Usually feed at night
Health risk
Bed bug bites can itch, raise welts, and disrupt sleep; some people react strongly while others show no mark at all. ADHS and University of Arizona sources say bed bugs are not known to transmit diseases. Call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 or 911 for severe symptoms.
The public health sources don't name a Phoenix bed bug season. Recent travel, visitors, used furniture, or shared walls are more useful clues than the month on the calendar.
What's different in the Phoenix area
Arizona has a specific bed bug law for multifamily housing. Arizona health guidance says landlords must give bed bug education materials, while tenants must notify the landlord of an infestation; the law does not apply to single family homes. In shared laundry rooms, ADHS advises carrying items in plastic bags, moving dried items into a clean bag, then folding at home.
Often confused with
What you can do today
Inspect the bed area
Use a flashlight to check mattress seams, box spring corners, the bed frame, headboard joints, bedding folds, and nearby furniture. Look for live bugs, pale eggs, shed skins, dark specks, or rusty marks.
Bag laundry before moving it
Place sheets, blankets, and clothing into plastic bags before carrying them through the home. Wash items if the label allows, then dry completely. University of Arizona Extension says an extra 40 minutes in the dryer helps kill bed bugs on items that can handle heat.
Vacuum tight hiding spots
Vacuum mattresses, box springs, bed frames, headboards, furniture, and floor edges near the bed. Double bag vacuum contents, place them in outdoor trash, then keep the vacuum in a garage or outside storage area if possible.
Use bed leg monitors
Place bed bug interceptors under bed or sofa legs, then check them on a schedule. Light colored sheets can make blood spots and crawling insects easier to notice.
Avoid foggers and sprays
University of Arizona Extension warns that foggers or aerosol sprays alone have not resolved bed bug infestations. Misuse of pesticides has harmed residents, so don't treat mattresses with unsafe chemicals.
When to call a pest control company
A local pest control company is worth calling when you find a live bed bug, repeated stains, shed skins, eggs, or bites that keep appearing after basic cleanup. It is also worth a call in apartments, condos, or rentals where bugs may move between units. A technician will usually try to confirm the insect, map where people sleep or sit, then inspect seams, headboards, box springs, furniture joints, and nearby cracks.
Not sure what you're dealing with?
Describe it on the phone. The company on the other end handles these calls every day and will know what to ask.
Common questions about bed bug bites in Phoenix
What do bed bug bites look like?
They may look like itchy red welts, bumps, or marks on skin that was uncovered while you slept. People react differently, so bites alone are a weak ID clue.
Bed bug bites vs mosquito bites, how can I tell?
You often can't tell from the skin mark alone because bed bug bites can look like mosquito bites. Check for bed bug signs near the bed: dark specks, rusty stains, shed skins, eggs, or live insects.
Can bed bugs make me sick?
ADHS says bed bugs are not known to transmit diseases. The main issues are itching, sleep loss, stress, and skin reactions. Call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 or 911 for severe symptoms.
Should I throw away my mattress?
Usually, no. University of Arizona Extension says many mattresses can be protected with bed bug encasements, while infested items being discarded should be wrapped and marked so they don't spread bugs.
Can bed bugs fly or jump?
No. University of Arizona Extension says bed bugs cannot fly, jump, or burrow into skin. They crawl and hide in small cracks near resting areas.
Get the bed bug bites problem looked at
One call connects you with an independent pest control company in your part of the Valley. Mon-Fri 9am-5pm.