Mosquito Bites vs. Bed Bug Bites

Waking up in the morning can be hard by itself, but it gets even worse when you wake up with mysterious bites. As if getting yourself out of bed and ready for the day weren’t a difficult enough task, suddenly you’ve got itchy bites all over your body to deal with, and a new worry in your mind. As you comb your hair and brush your teeth, you try to remember what you did yesterday. Did you go outside for a hike? Did you remember your bug spray? And wait a minute…what are those dark spots on your sheets? Are the bites just simple mosquito bites, or are they something worse? 

Similarities Between Mosquito Bites and Bed Bug Bites

Getting these two types of bites confused is common and completely understandable. They both produce itchy, swollen bites that are usually slightly red. Using calamine lotion or another anti-itch product will usually decrease the itching and slight pain on both types of bites. Both bites may not show up right away– it may take a few hours for you to notice you have been bitten. In the case of bed bugs, you probably won’t notice until you wake up in the morning. 

Differences Between Mosquito Bites and Bed Bug Bites

For all the similarities between mosquito bites and bed bug bites, there are also several differences between the two. Mosquito bites tend to be solitary bites that show up during the day. Typically, a mosquito will bite, latch on, drink a bit of blood, and then go away. Bed bug bites, on the other hand, show up in groups. A bed bug will bite your skin, drink a bit of blood, move down a little bit, drink some more…you get the picture. If you wake up with small red bites in lines or groups of about 3, they are likely bed bug bites, not mosquito bites. Another difference is that bed bugs, unlike mosquitos, feed mainly at night. Mosquitos don’t really care whether or not you’re moving around while they feed, but bed bugs do. They usually bite while you’re sleeping so that you won’t feel them biting and smack them away. 

Signs of Mosquitos vs. Signs of Bed Bugs

Fortunately, you usually won’t end up with a mosquito infestation in your home. They usually hang out outside by bodies of water. Humid days are a mosquito’s idea of a great time. They usually feed on hikers or people who are sitting outside who don’t have bug spray on. As mentioned previously, they’ll typically bite once, maybe twice, and then go away, but if they do bite multiple times, the bites will be random instead of grouped together or in a line. The only signs that a mosquito is around are the whining sound they make when they’re near your ear, or the feeling of them biting you. Bed bugs, on the other hand, leave more calling cards than mosquitos do. They’re great hiders, but they do leave a bunch of hints that they’ve infested your home. For one, they love to poop on things. They leave small black or rust-colored spots on sheets, pillows, furniture, and more- even on your clothes. They also will leave shells around, so if you find a translucent thing that appears to be a dead bug, it may be a bed bug shell. 

Are Your Bites From Bed Bugs?

If you think you have bed bugs or are interested in a home heat sanitation treatment, contact Bed Bug Barbeque, LLC in Lakewood, Ohio! We use heat treatment to eradicate bed bugs and we offer entire home sanitation heat treatments. This safe, effective treatment is completed in less than 12 hours, and Bed Bug Barbeque, LLC offers a 60-day warranty for you to verify for yourself that your bed bugs are fully eradicated. Contact Bed Bug Barbeque, LLC today for a FREE quote at (216) 221-1227 or through our website, and check out our other bed bug informational resources on identification, prevention, and eradication.