How do you know if have 'em

For background, we recommend that you read our bed bug page for starters.

Beyond that:

We do as almost as many treatments for bed bugs for customers without any concrete evidence of an infestation, as we do for verified, actual, beyond a shadow of a doubt, bed bug infestations.

We do these treatments for doctors, nurses, and scientists.

Consider the following before pursuing a treatment:

Carefully inspect the ribbing around your mattress and box springs.  If you don't see live bed bugs, you probably do not have bed bugs. 

Look for droppings - there will usually be lots of dark spots under the mattress ribbing or under mattress tags.  One tiny dark spot here or there is not a good indicator.  Check out the bed frame and headboard for live bugs or droppings.

Look for long blood marks or streaks on sheets or mattresses.  Blood streaks and smears are one possible indicator of an infestation, however, you should definitely see live bed bugs on your mattress if you are seeing blood marks.  We see a lot mattress and sheets with blood smears and no bed bugs.  Broken blood vessels, cold sores, paper cuts, acne, and a host of other natural processes create blood marks.

Do you have a pet?  Chances are if you are getting bit or if you feel something crawling on you, you do not have bed bugs.  Most people cannot feel bed bugs - ever, even after numerous bites. Even while they watch themselves get bit.

If you have pets, try these two simple and easy tests.  The white sock test.  Put white socks on your hands and rub them over carpeting or upholstery - where ever your pet sleeps, rests, or visits regularly.  Fleas are attracted to white. You should see fleas jump onto the socks. 

If the flea problem is small and they are well fed from your pet, try the soap test. Add two drops of liquid soap to a quart of water, swirl to mix, do not shake.  Pour the liquid into two or three shallow, white, cottage cheese or sour cream containers.  Place them in areas where your pet frequents. Fleas drink water.  Soap breaks the surface tension of water.  Fleas jump into the water and thanks to the soap - they drown.

If you itch all over - it's not bed bugs.  It could be allergic dermatitis or an allergic reaction to a medication.  Anti-depressants are famous for causing skin rashes and reactions. 

You have blotches all over.  Again - not a sign of bed bugs.

Where you are getting bit is not a good indicator of what's biting you. Yes, fleas often bite around your ankles, unless the fleas are in your furniture, or in your car - in which case they may bite around your waist, thighs, or torso.

Do you have birds nesting on or in your roof?  You could have mites. Mites are tiny.  Much smaller than bed bugs.

Don't have a pet?  Do you have mice, rats, or squirrels, in your roof or sub areas - they carry fleas.  Are you sure?  Have you inspected or had someone else inspect?

Finally, if you are still uncertain, and can't find any live bed bugs, consider having us install monitors.  See our link to Bed bug monitors on the upper left of this page.