BED BUGS NORTHWEST
If you see an insect you think might be a bed bug, try to capture it and take a photo. Try not to crush it which may make it impossible to identify. You can put it in a sealed plastic pill bottle or small sealed snack container. If you are really nervous about it getting out, put some tape (duct/shipping) around the lid to seal it.
One way to know if a very small insect is a bed bug is to use a lighted magnifier. That’s what a lighted magnifier does for you.
I probably used mine too much back then, but it did bring me some peace of mind playing what’s not a bed bug, which is almost everything. I did learn that my house sometimes has carpet beetles and occasionally bird ticks, and at that time, bed bugs.