Flea or bug bug?

[ItchingAllOver]

Any ideas what this dead bug is? Flea (but it's quite flat), bed bug (not round enough?) or something else? It's small - maybe 2mm max

Where did you find it?

At the bottom of a box of toys under a bed.

I have bites (rest of family don't) but we do have pets. Not had fleas before though

Maybe something to do with carpet beetles? Just found some of their casings under bed. But I don't think they bite. Anyone got any ideas? Thanks

Doesn’t look like a flea.

Sorry don’t know what it is but it’s definitely not a flea if that’s any help

Thanks. So not a flea. Don't think it is from carpet beetle larvae after all as they are hairier. Main thing I'm trying to work out is whether we have bed bugs. I got bitten a lot at end of summer last year but then it stopped happening over winter so thought it couldn't have been bed bugs. Now it's started again. Noticing small bites in morning - some clustered, some separate. Not all that itchy. Did have 3 in a kind of line a few inches apart but others have been on their own. The bites fade quite quickly. Most at moment on legs (thigh) but am sleeping in long pyjamas. A couple have been on arms (not clustered). The three in possible line were on waistband area.

If it was bed bugs it wouldn't have stopped over winter would it? And surely it would be a bad infestation by now of we'd had it for a year? No marks on sheets, bed frame etc.

I am getting really paranoid. And annoyed I called thread bug bugs not bed bugs!

Can anyone who has had bed bugs say whether this all sounds familiar?

Definitely not flees, I think it's carpet beetle larvae 🐛.

Fleas even!

I don't think it bedbugs either.

There are three native carpet beetles in the UK, they aren't all hairy!

Looks like it could be an adult female bed bug, they're longer in body

https://www.ecoguardpestmanagement.com/pest-resources/bed-bug-life-cycle

ETA but I am not an expert.

Mixed opinions then! I don't think I can cope if we have bed bugs. I am thinking and itching about it like crazy

Do you have any other photos?

We've had bed bugs twice, that does not look like a bed bug to me. It looks more like a booklouse.

If you'd had bed bugs in your house for a year you'd have a very visible infestation by now.

Cat lice? Ours had them once when our flea treatment wasn't one that also treated lice. They drove me mad. They're a bit flat but not super flat.

Thanks for this. You must be right and there would be more signs. I've forced myself to stop searching for them as at this point I think it's the thought of them that's making me itch and not necessarily bites.

I've never heard of book lice but it's a possibility. Thanks

If it's bedbugs, which I don't think it is, the best place to check is at the top of the mattress around the headboard area.