What do you think is biting DD at night?

[purpleturtle]

DD appears to be being eaten alive at night. Over the last couple of weeks she has developed quite a collection of bites on her body - a couple on her neck, and about a dozen on her thigh are the most recent. Only DD is affected, and when we moved her to the other bed in her room it still happened.

All our carpet was brand new in May. One of the mattresses in her room was new in June; the other we have had from new with no trouble.

I haven't found any bugs or fleas. I have unzipped the cover on the new foam mattress, but can't see anything at all. Today I have washed and tumble-dried the duvets.

We do have a kitten who has recently been allowed out in the garden, but she has been treated for fleas. But I thought fleas went mainly for ankles?

Any ideas? Please?

Ouch. I hate to worry you but I have read that bed bugs are appearing more and more in this country. You can just be unlucky and pick one up from public transport or a visitor (especially in London apparently).They are capable of inflicting some nasty nocturnal bites. Only a hardcore pest control firm can shift them.

We had fleas a couple of years ago (our previous house owners kindly left them behind) and they mainly go for ankles and calves - I was covered but DS and DH untouched. Bites appear at all times of day and night so I would be surprised if it was fleas from how you describe things.

Wouldn't I be able to see them in the bed or on the mattress though?

I hate to say this, but it sounds like bed bugs . I have sadly had experience of them a long time ago. They tend to hide in the joints of wooden bed frames, not in matresses.

You have to look out for their droppings which look like little full stops on the wood of bed frames. You don't often see the bugs.

Bed bugs are horrible, and they really are tricky and hide in the most awkward of places. A friend of mine in Canada had an awful infestation and couldn't work out where they were coming from until she found a nest in her DD's TV set

(She also had an awful husband at the time who refused to pay for an expert or even for decent amounts of bug spray which was why it got so bad - thankfully he's her ex-husband now!)

They can also hide in wardrobes, drawers, picture frames....we found some in the frame of a wall mirror It was horrible.

Cld be little knats. With warm and damp weather they are hanging about. It only takes 1

Oh dear.

The bite of a bed bug can be singular, but more often if there is more than one bite it will form a line pattern. Are they randomly located bites or are they in a line?

If the kitten sleeps on the bed you could have fleas in the duvet or mattress.

My son got bitten by Fleas when we stayed with an in-law. I was mortified!
He was getting small red bumps appearing on his neck. It was definitely fleas as I saw some jumping around. Horrible little buggers! urghhh!

There's something of a cluster of bites on her leg - not sure I can discern any line pattern.
Kitten does not generally sleep on the bed - on the whole DD tries to keep her out of the room, but it's possible she has visited and left extra guests.
Am planning to have another good go at her room today.

Wish me luck!