Bed Bugs Northwest

A lot of bugs bite, but bed bugs come back for more, until you kill them.

Being able to identify bed bugs quickly is the first step toward ending your infestation.

parts of an adult bed bug

What do bed bugs look like?

In the nymph first and second stages, you won’t be able to easily identify bed bugs without a lighted magnifier. 1st stage bed bugs can also resemble baby cockroaches since they both have long antenna and six legs. However they are different and with the help of a lighted magnifier you can tell the difference between them. Older stages of bed bugs are easy to see with your eye and look just like in the photos.

Can you see bed bugs with your eyes

If your infestation is just beginning it will be even harder to find one or two bugs, even if you inspect very carefully. That is why I suggest using the traps to capture them/it when it comes to feed on you. If you have thoroughly inspected your mattress and bed frame as instructed here and found nothing, putting traps on the bed frame legs will help you immensely in finding out if you have bed bugs.

If you have bed bugs and they are not in your bed they will come for you. If you have the traps under your bed legs, you will see them and you will know if you have them or not.

When you have traps on the bed legs, you will capture them before they can bite you and continue to reproduce. Doing this alone can help you to get an infestation under control before it grows into a nightmare. If an insect is not already on or in your bed, they will come. With the traps under your bed legs you will know quickly if you have bed bugs.

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bed bug traps

Can bed bugs fly?

Bed Bug Trap — 8 Pack | TruGuard X Bed Bug Interceptors (White) | Eco Friendly Bed Bug Traps for Bed Legs | Reliable Insect Detector, Interceptor, and Monitor for Pest Control and Treatment
  • ☑ DEPENDABLE, PASSIVE BED BUG PROTECTION — End your bed bug infestation before it spreads using the ShieldFlex TruGuard bed bug monitoring and detection system. The TruGuard bedbug interceptor for beds is an essential component of your bed bug treatment kit. Simply place a trap under each of your bed posts and furniture legs and let ShieldFlex do the work.
  • ☑ CUSTOM DESIGNED TO STOP BED BUGS DEAD IN THEIR TRACKS — The ShieldFlex TruGuard bed bug leg trap is specifically engineered to catch bed bugs where they are known to travel. ShieldFlex leverages known behavioral traits of bed bugs to prevent access to your beds and furniture. Bed bugs easily climb in the traps but cannot climb out. In addition, the TruGuard allows for bed bug early detection, letting you avoid delayed identification of potential infestations.
  • ☑ EXTRA THICK BASE PLATE TO AVOID CRACKING — Poorly constructed, generic products are prone to cracking under the weight of large beds and heavy furniture. But, the ShieldFlex TruGuard bedbug interceptor is constructed with a reinforced polypropylene base plate for added durability and strength. As a result, these custom-designed bedbug traps for bed legs are a critical piece of any complete bed bug removal strategy and will help you rest easy and keep your family safe.

How many legs to bed bugs have?

Bed bugs have six legs.

Cockroaches most resemble bed bugs, also flax seeds. Flax seeds do not have legs. You can tell the difference between a cockroach and a bed bug with your eye but it is much easier to use a lighted magnifier to identify smaller insects. Try not to smush them.

 

  • Bed bugs have six legs.
  • Ticks have eight legs.
  • Spiders have eight legs.
  • Cockroaches have six legs.
  • Beetles have six legs (as in carpet beetle).
  • Crickets have six legs.
bed bug size on ruler

How big do bed bugs get?

An adult female pregnant bed bug can “stretch” to approximately 3/4″ long. They will not appear apple seed shaped at this stage. A pregnant female bed bug may take on an elongated shape, and be surprisingly large.

A pregnant adult female lays 1-5 eggs every single day. Assume all adult females are laying eggs. For more about bed bug mating and reproductive habits, I have an entire section for you devoted to their reproduction. Spoiler alert: It’s impressive and prolific. These insects are built to populate and survive, all they need is blood.

See more bed bug photos here. If you want to submit your bed bug photo or insect photo for identification click here.

Bed Bugs are not seasonal

Bed bugs are active in every season, every month any time of year, and also any place. There may be more infestations occuring or in the media during high travel periods, or during back-to-school in dorms. It would have to be actually freezing or above 120° inside your home to slow them down. That probably doesn’t happen inside your home. The best way to avoid bed bugs is to don’t put things on your bed, don’t bring home used furniture, and inspect and launder anything used you bring into your home.

They will never go away on their own.

The sooner you identify bed bugs are in your home, the faster you can eliminate them. Bed bug traps are the fastest, easiest way to know if you have bed bugs coming to bite you from outside your bed.

If you do have bed bugs, consider it a race to eliminate them before a few bugs become hundreds, and then thousands. Once you have isolated your bed and put the traps under the legs, you’ll know within days if you have bed bugs. You must have isolated your bed for the traps to be effective. If your bed is touching a wall or headboard, the traps can’t help you since bugs can crawl up a wall, or a blanket or headboard.

Order the white traps so you can more easily see what you are trapping. It is recommended you add a light dusting of talc powder in the traps to make them even more slippery for any bed bugs.

You can check daily for bugs, and this can answer the question “Do I have bed bugs?” very fast, within days. If you have them, they are coming for you! They will not stop trying to feed.

bed bug life cycle illustration

Understanding the bed bug life cycle

If you are already at a full-blown infestation, you need to act fast! Infestations grow fast because it takes so long to discover what’s been biting you. If you do have bed bugs, they are laying eggs every single day.

Many people never see one insect, even though they get new bites every night. Or they only see bugs after the infestation has grown very large and treatment has been delayed or ineffective. Each adult female bed bug lay eggs every day. Getting ahead of their reproduction cycle is critical to eradication. You can learn more about bed bug reproduction here.

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Bed Bug Trap — 8 Pack | TruGuard X Bed Bug Interceptors (White) | Eco Friendly Bed Bug Traps for Bed Legs | Reliable Insect Detector, Interceptor, and Monitor for Pest Control and Treatment
Queen (13-16 in. Deep) SureGuard Mattress Encasement - 100% Waterproof, Bed Bug Proof, Hypoallergenic - Premium Zippered Six-Sided Cover
ZappBug Heater Bed Bug Killer, Bed Bug Heater Treatment Equipment, Eliminate Pests with Heat, Professional Bed Bug Heater System
30X 40X Magnifying Glass with Light and Stand, Foldable Handheld Magnifying Glass 18 LED Illuminated Lighted Magnifier for Macular Degeneration, Seniors Reading, Close Work, Coins, Jewelry (Orange)
Bed Bug Trap — 8 Pack | TruGuard X Bed Bug Interceptors (White) | Eco Friendly Bed Bug Traps for Bed Legs | Reliable Insect Detector, Interceptor, and Monitor for Pest Control and Treatment
Queen (13-16 in. Deep) SureGuard Mattress Encasement - 100% Waterproof, Bed Bug Proof, Hypoallergenic - Premium Zippered Six-Sided Cover
ZappBug Heater Bed Bug Killer, Bed Bug Heater Treatment Equipment, Eliminate Pests with Heat, Professional Bed Bug Heater System
30X 40X Magnifying Glass with Light and Stand, Foldable Handheld Magnifying Glass 18 LED Illuminated Lighted Magnifier for Macular Degeneration, Seniors Reading, Close Work, Coins, Jewelry (Orange)
30X 40X Magnifying Glass with Light and Stand, Foldable Handheld Magnifying Glass 18 LED Illuminated Lighted Magnifier for Macular Degeneration, Seniors Reading, Close Work, Coins, Jewelry (Orange)
Bed Bug Trap — 8 Pack | TruGuard X Bed Bug Interceptors (White) | Eco Friendly Bed Bug Traps for Bed Legs | Reliable Insect Detector, Interceptor, and Monitor for Pest Control and Treatment
Bed Bug Trap — 8 Pack | TruGuard X Bed Bug Interceptors (White) | Eco Friendly Bed Bug Traps for Bed Legs | Reliable Insect Detector, Interceptor, and Monitor for Pest Control and Treatment
Queen (13-16 in. Deep) SureGuard Mattress Encasement - 100% Waterproof, Bed Bug Proof, Hypoallergenic - Premium Zippered Six-Sided Cover
Queen (13-16 in. Deep) SureGuard Mattress Encasement - 100% Waterproof, Bed Bug Proof, Hypoallergenic - Premium Zippered Six-Sided Cover
ZappBug Heater Bed Bug Killer, Bed Bug Heater Treatment Equipment, Eliminate Pests with Heat, Professional Bed Bug Heater System
ZappBug Heater Bed Bug Killer, Bed Bug Heater Treatment Equipment, Eliminate Pests with Heat, Professional Bed Bug Heater System

Have you already positively identified that you have bed bugs?

Are you ready to start fighting back?

I’ve got a comprehensive step-by-step plan you can start right now! But first you need to sleep without bed bugs. Are you ready to start?

First you need to get your bed isolated so you can sleep without bed bugs being able to reach and bite you! Even if you don’t know if you have bed bugs, you can take some steps right now. Hopefully you don’t have bed bugs, but if you are getting new bites every few days, or every day you need to act quickly to know if you or if you don’t. They key to that is getting your bed isolated and putting climb-up traps on your bed legs.

Once they are laying eggs in your home they are never leaving until you kill them all. You must act quickly!

You will find with a lighted magnifier, there are many crawly things that don’t bite you in your home you never knew were there. This can be a comfort, or not, however knowing whether some little tiny creature is not a bed bug may help relieve some anxiety if you are experiencing some. Bed bug identification should be primary on your mind if you are getting unexplained bites on more than one occasion and mostly when you are asleep.

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ZappBug Heater Bed Bug Killer, Bed Bug Heater Treatment Equipment, Eliminate Pests with Heat, Professional Bed Bug Heater System
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Bed Bugs Northwest

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How to get rid of bed bugs from someone who actually did!

bed bug traps
You'll know if you have bed bugs if you use traps. And you'll know when they're gone!


 

Get help identifying bed bugs at your county public health vector control office

Your county pest or vector control may have an entomologist on hand to identity your insect (if you've captured or killed one) and determine if you have bed bugs or not. In Multnomah County call the Bed Bug Hotline at 503-988-BUGS (2847) if you think you may have an infestation. They can identify your insect for you.

You can find your local County Vector Control department at NACCHO (National Association of County and City Health Officials). When you call a Vector Control Department at your Public Health Department (usually County), they may tell you that bed bugs are not vectors. Legally that's true for now, but ask if they have an Entomologist in the office who can help you identify your bug. They almost always do have someone who can identify insects and if you are an expert in ants, cockroaches and spiders you also know about bed bugs.

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