Bedbugs

[Ithinkwerealonenowtiffany]

Never come across them before, but i think my DD has them in her bed.

One leg is covered in bites. From thigh to ankle. Just a few on the other leg.

Do they just bite one side?!

I’ve checked the bed, cant see any blood, bugs, no trace of anything. Ill strip everything tomorrow and vacuum it too.

If it is bedbugs, I think it takes more than that to get rid of them. It’s worth finding out ASAP, before they get the chance to spread!

Could it be fleas?

www.healthline.com/health/flea-bites-vs-bed-bug-bites

Sounds like it could be fleas if it's mainly legs that are affected

We brought bedbugs back with us from Spain this year

DH used a steamer and essential oils over the beds, carpets, curtains, mattresses etc. after vacuuming. He washed everything and made sure it was tumble dried (the heat kills them).
I took the kids out for the day (don’t know who got a better deal ) whilst he cracked on and it worked a treat.

Fleas?!😱 where on earth would they come from?!

Could you maybe post a picture of some of the bites?

The last time I had a flea infestation was when a pal gave me a bag of clothes for one of my kids. She had a few cats. Sometimes they just travel well.

What age is she? Has she been in a house with pets? Walking through long grass?

Are they bites or spots?

No pets, no grass.

Pics

.

She is 15

I spent hours and hours researching bedbugs last spring as I was v suspicious that I had them as was always getting bitten, esp on the face.

The most I ever had in a row was 5 though sometimes it was just a few. I've never found any evidence of them and by now there would be clear signs and a pest control guy (here for something else) couldn't find any sign so I don't think I had them but it's very hard to tell as the bite pattern is not dissimilar to others. Also they are v hard to spot.

You need to check the seams of a mattress eg by using a credit card. They can even live behind light switches and power sockets.

Once you have them, they sound genuinely hellish to get rid of. Normally you have to have your flat/house heat treated and live out of sealed vaccuum bags for weeks.

Bedbugs are normally bought back from houses that have them (eg sleepover) or hotels etc but can even be picked up on the Tube. TFL have had to get trains taken out of circulation and treated in the past.

Truly horrid things.

You can't tell from the bites, they're just too variable.

I hope it's not bedbugs as they can be really difficult to get rid of. Do you have pets? Could it be fleas?

Bedbugs like little nooks. You need to lift up the mattress and look in the underneath seams, buttons and around the edges of labels. Look at the bed frame too, and behind the headboard, paying close attention to the joints, screw-heads, ends of slats etc. If the bed is next to a window you need to check all the edges of that too, and in the folds and seams of the curtains. Check behind any mirrors or pictures hanging by the bed and along nearby skirting boards.

As well as live bugs, look for cast skins and faeces, which looks like little black dots.

Good info on bedbugs here:

bedbugger.com/2007/01/20/faq-think-you-have-bed-bugs-some-dos-and-donts/

u.osu.edu/bedbugs/

Ouch! I hope you've given dd antihistamines?
We had bedbugs once. I nearly lost my mind and it still affects me to this day.
You can get rid of them though.
I spotted two on my bed in the evening.
Has dd been away anywhere or had someone stay over?

Definitely no sleep over. No pets. Im really puzzled. They aren’t itchy, but ill get antihistamine tomorrow morning

My dd has a similar rash I thought fleas but turned out it was a skin infection called folliculitis. Has your dd been swimming or in a hot tub recently.

Best way of looking for bed bugs is to use the torch on your phone and a credit card. Run the card between the gaps in your bed frame and use the torch to look for anything dislodged.

Found Piriton in the cupboard. Pill given, plus calamine cream i never knew i had.

No swimming,no hot tub since the summer.

It could just be a one off and just randomly got bitten like I assume I do. I have also heard that some people are more attractive to bug bites due to blood type.

However, if you keep seeing common patterns of multiple bites then I'd worry more. Many sources I read said legs and arms tend to be bitten most based on most people wearing shorts/trousers and t-shirt PJs to bed. Others I read said face and neck most attractive due to CO2 being emitted. Some people say 3 bites in a row (known as breakfast/lunch/dinner) is the key sign of bedbugs, others say that this pattern of 3 is popular with other beasties. Opinion seems to vary so much it's very hard to identify solid facts. You can tell I spent way too many hours on pest control websites and bed bug forums can't you. I also read that they normally feed around 3am and are slower to move at that time (as full of 'food') and therefore, that time is your best bet to catch them moving so if you can wake up at that time, and use your phone flashlight to see if you can see them running around on the bed sheet.

Shes one to cover herself up in bed, as in head to toe, always cold! Never shorts😂😂😱.

Deep clean tomorrow after school, steam the mattress, new clean linen to see where that gets me

You really need to check the mattress and frame like PPs have suggested. Teeny black dots or specks of old blood. In slats and grooves and even the threads of screws.
Having had an 'infestation' of BB (shudders) - they are costly to remove.
Ours hitchhiked back from our holiday 2 years ago. The pest control guy said it was sheer 'luck' that I found one on my pillow one night 🤢
and that the infestation wasn't particularly established. Looked like it was to me! The horror as I inspected behind the bed frame will never leave me!

Thanks. I’ll check all tomorrow. X