Help! What's biting me?

[UserThenLotsOfNumbers]

I suspect bedbugs. What do you reckon?
Attached photos of bites. I have a cluster of bites on my waist, a couple up my leg, one on my back.
The funny thing is, the one on my back has only just flared up, although I woke up with the leg bites.
They itch like mad and leg one burns a bit too
Two bites appeared a week ago, but the last two days I have gotten several more.
Bedding washed every other week at 60, room dusted and hoovered once a week, no pets.
My husband has one bite today but no others.
Help - I'm infested!

Anyone?
I now have another bite at the top of my leg since posting.
Wtf is going on!

There still seem to be Mosquitos around. I've had a few bites over the last couple of weeks. I think with bed bugs, you'd be able to see signs on your bedding and mattress - the bugs themselves or blood marks on the sheet where they've been feeding. Try some anti-histamine cream/tablets for the itching. Good luck!

I agree if it was bed bugs you would see them walking about at night. We had same issue and it turned out to be fleas. No cat but a stray came in weeks ago
assuming that’s what caused them. I’ve read they can come from neighbours or birds. For a couple of weeks we just got bites but then started to see the little buggers jumping about. Used foggers and a spray then repeated application after 10 days. If turns out to be fleas then Don’t bother with high street stuff it’s a waste of money. Someone recommended a site called hygiene supplies direct. Stuff Worked really well.

There’s usually two marks with fleas isn’t there? Yours are mostly single marks? Have a right good look at the mattress and see if you can see anything. I hope you get it sorted soon. Whatever it is that’s biting you X

Thank you! Yes, the lack of evidence is puzzling.

Bird mites? My friend's house had an infestation of these and had bites like yours.

We had fleas once after using anti flea drops on pet from Pets At Home which didn’t work.
The flea bites were ankles and feet only. DS has some on his back from when he lay in the floor.
We used Indorex spray and hoovered like mad.
They don’t look like flea bites though.

Shingles?

I also thought shingles if they are burning. Are they in a line?

Both me and the kids have been bitten this week - I was also wondering bed bugs ( as I’m paranoid!) but think it’s probably mosquitos - still warm here and very wet. Don’t have as many as you though!

They look like hives, not bites.

It's generally impossible to diagnose what's biting you from the bites alone... you need further clues and context. Pets, recent holidays/visitors etc.

Check your bedding for inky black/brown dots. And the bed frame/surrounds. That would indicate bedbugs.

DON'T use any foggers or repellents... that pushes the problem deeper into the fabric of your house and far more difficult to eradicate.

You'll want to passively tackle them by putting down mechanical insecticide like cimexa or diatomaceous earth (which dessicates them rather than poisoning them) between their food source (YOU!) and their nests, so they have to cross it to feed. It's nasty stuff to breathe (but safe and fine once settled after a few hours) so get a heavy duty dust mask.

Carefully wash things on hot and tumble dry, being careful not to drop the bugs and eggs on the way to the washing machine and turn up elsewhere in the house. Carefully decant from binbag to washing machine, then place the binbag straight in outside bin. Keep treated fabrics separate in a safe place where they can't potentially get recontaminated. Other things could go in the freezer on coldest setting for a couple of weeks if suitable. Empty vacuum cleaner outside and clean with steam or hot water if you have a plastic canister. You could try using a steam cleaner, the dry vapour kind if possible.

You don't have to chuck anything out, like furniture, furnishings or clothing (unless advised to by pest control). It can be mostly sorted out in situ... after all the bedbugs have to come out to feed, and they will if they sense the CO2 of someone breathing in the room. Though if you were planning on decluttering anyway, it won't hurt to simplify the environment by having less stuff in it. Just be careful of passing on the infestation on, obv.

We have bedbugs atm it's absolutely horrendous!
I've had the council out 3 times to sort it and there still here.
They look like bed bugs bites to me, mine are all in clusters.

Bites just come out of nowhere aswell, I can be walking around Tesco and a bite will come up it's like I'm being bitten from nothing but it's obviously a flare up.

I advise everybody not to buy second hand furniture. That's where ours came from

Thanks for all your advice!
I'm so sorry to hear this Sasha, hope you are rid of them soon!
No evidence of bed bugs whatsoever. Might be mites or fleas? I've been ok so far today and I'm the only one in the family affected.

Thank you Bah, we've not been on holidays and have no pets.

In the middle of the night turn on the light and pull your bedding back and see if you can see any bugs.

You might not notice an early infestation from marks on your mattress etc.

Bed bugs can be introduced in luggage, clothes if kids have been sitting on beds or carpets in a friends house, second hand clothes, furniture, etc.

They are not a sign of uncleanliness or bag housekeeping, just bad luck. Very bad luck!

Have you purchased clothes etc from a charity shop/ had anything given to you from a friend ? Has anyone been away / kids sleep over ?

In the middle of the night turn on the light and pull your bedding back and see if you can see any bugs.

Funny you should say that because last night I woke up to give my daughter her medicine in the middle of the night, I turned my bedside light on and there was 2 Bed bugs on my sheet

Today I've pulled the bed pieces and I've found them in the seams of my headboard I just want to burn the house down. 6 months this has been going on.

No charity shop clothes, sleepovers, nope

Shingles first appear in a group around the waist / back and are painful.