Hi All,

We're staying in a Center Parcs in the UK and came across three of these bugs in the en-suite bathroom floor (one bug yesterday morning, two today - one of these trapped in the bathtub) next to the ground floor bedroom. No apparent body bites or other signs of infestation, but these little fellas have us a little worried! Sorry for the blurry photo - it's the best we could do with the iPad! We're hoping they might be cockroach nymphs, looking at those antennae. Any help really appreciated. Hopefully the link works OK. Thanks!

[img][/img]

Hi all,

First, I am so amazed at the way you all continuously choose to relive the trauma in the name of helping others. I know you must get some support too, but it's really important and lovely to see so many experts and experienced folks willing to keep referencing the "dark times" of their lives to help others.

Okay, now on to my questions!

I think, but am not positive, that I have bedbugs, and would love to know how to proceed and/or how to stop being so crazy about it. Haven't slept in 5 days, and want to curl up into a ball thinking of a year of this.

The story starts with my move into a new apartment in August--August 8th. It's been little over a month now. I stupidly bought a sofa from a Habitat for Humanity store--so second hand, but in clean and mint condition. I inspected before I bought, and everything looked fine. And everything HAS been fine.

Until four days ago.

On Sunday, I noticed four or five welt-like bites building up on my legs. Three on my left leg and two on my right leg. Here they are:

https://flic.kr/p/ypRMHh
https://flic.kr/p/yazwnA

Now, since I'd been outside the night before and all day, I'd normally just call them mosquito bites and go on my way, but the couch has always sat uneasy in my mind, AND I sleep on my left side, so I immediately jumped to bedbug bites and started inspecting my mattress and boxspring and couch. Nothing. No fecal spots, no shed skins (except a few of carpet beetle larvae on the bottom of the boxspring--confirmed by two PCOs but here's some pics:

https://flic.kr/p/yaAtN5 and https://flic.kr/p/yaAu2G ) AND no blood spots EXCEPT

I had my period (TMI) a week ago. There's a big splotch of blood on my sheets that I noticed then (and never got around to laundering...I know) It was bright red and is still bright red and I'm not 100 percent sure it's from my period. It could've been from a bug, but it's awfully large. Other than that, I've been seeing spots like this:

https://flic.kr/p/xviyzg
https://flic.kr/p/xvasvE
https://flic.kr/p/ysbTAD

This last one is the result of my smudging something that looked like a flax seed. It smudged pretty easily, but looked like it mightve had legs, and I wish I'd taken a pic bc now I'm just THINKING about it constantly

https://flic.kr/p/xvataL

I had two PCO come to evaluate--from Prodigy Pest Solutions, which has great reviews on this site, and Green Pest Solutions, with is also really reputable. Both PCOs said they didn't see anything--they searched and upturned my couch, cushions, wood frame, baseboards, mattress, boxspring, and even my two upholstered chairs. But both also cautioned that just because they don't see any doesnt mean I don't have any.

I should mention I also traveled the weekend of August 24th and looking at the bedbug registry, the hotel I stayed at had bedbugs. Shouldve known before hand.

I guess my question is, what now? I haven't slept in yonks. I haven't had any new bites since Sunday--though every new ithc, considering my skin is highly reactive and gets very red and welty when I scratch--is a fresh terror. How do I:

a) figure out whether bedbugs do reside in my apartment? Is it too early for any signs of them apart from biting? Do I need to get a dog sniffer in? How could I do passive traps considering I have a boxspring and mattress but no frame? Should I get encasements????
b) get over this paranoia and anxiety? I haven't slept and I'm always crying. Help!!!

Thanks for any and all input. Really.

Hi, sorry for posting again but thanks in advance for any help. Because I am so paranoid about bed bugs I am going through my entire apartment thoroughly. I did find some cast skins when cleaning. I know they're not bed bugs but I'd like an ID. I found all of them in my shoes, which I've now vacuumed and wiped out, as well as thrown out a pair of fluffy slippers that had a few really tiny live things in them (like the cast skins above but smaller).

http://i57.tinypic.com/so0bhl.jpg

My first thought is black carpet beetles but I just want to be sure. That's the best picture I could get.

I live in a small 1-room apartment in South Korea. About 1-2 weeks ago I started noticing bites on my upper arms/shoulders. At first I thought they were pimples, but I started googling and now I'm very worried that it's bedbugs.

Since the first time I noticed the bites, I've found about 6-10 more over the past week or so. They are mostly on my lower legs and upper arms and tend to be in clusters. They do itch, but then again I've become very hypersensitive to itching sensations since I started suspecting bedbugs.

I've found a couple possible blood/fecal stains on my pillows but none on my sheets or mattress. I've checked the piping of the mattress and found nothing. I've seen no visible signs of actual bedbugs anywhere in my small room, although granted I haven't checked every crack and crevice in my room because I've been too scared. :cry:

At the link are pictures of the bites on my leg and arm, the stains on my pillowcase, and the one small thing (bug? fecal matter? what is it???) that I did find under the piping of my mattress. It's next to a Korean coin which is about the size of a US nickel.

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B1wnTjhqdNlbaGVCZzZsWDRlcjQ&usp=sharing

Can someone please, please help me identify these? Is it bedbugs? If so, what do I do? I read some of the other posts on here about bedbugs in Korea and have the same fear that they did: not being able to communicate with my landlord/the PCO about WHAT they are going to do/use in my room to get rid of these things. I certainly don't want to make the situation worse by them using the wrong treatment, especially if I currently have a mild infestation.

This is causing me a lot of stress and anxiety. Please help! Thank you!!

Just got back from vacation 2 weeks ago and I'm getting bit up. I searched my room and actually found a bedbug!

I'm VERY worried!

Does anyone know of a reputable specialist on Long Island?

Are these bugs truly able get tid of?
ALL of them? Everyone keeps writing that they can't get rid of them?

Ugh.....

Thank you

Does anyone know if bed bugs are common or likely in Boy Scout tents at a summer camp? These are semi-permanent canvas tents, mounted on wooden slats, and equipped with just cots. (No mattresses.) This is where our bed bug scare started, and it's very hard to rule out other sources of bites right now with a terrible flea season underway. We may even have some mosquitoes coming in, though they aren't a huge issue where I live (coastal SoCal).

The reason I started worrying about bed bugs in the first place was because my son was covered in bites - like chicken pox covered - a couple of days AFTER camp, and I knew that bed bugs could create a delayed reaction. I learned that several other boys also had numerous bites show up within a few days of coming home. He is still finding a new bite at least every couple of days, but blood-drinking insects seem to love him (and he's very reactive) so it's really hard to sort out.

I mentioned my worries to a Scout representative and he was sure bed bugs couldn't survive "with all the predators", but it seems like they can survive almost anywhere.

Hi guys. I'm in Brooklyn and probably had bedbugs since May or June – that's when I started seeing bites. We used My Private Exterminator in Crown Heights and they did two treatments – one with pesticide (didn't get the name) where we had to leave the apartment for a minimum of 3 hours and one with Gentrol two weeks later. We also bagged all our clothes and had them washed by Bed Bug Laundry in Manhattan. It's been two weeks since the Gentrol treatment and the redelivery of our laundry but we are still seeing a bug every once in a while, usually in strange places (wonder if they are disoriented from the pesticides). We've been chalking it up to just the few survivors that are hopefully sterilized by the Gentrol and that they'll be gone fully in a couple of weeks but I wanted to hear from you guys if I should still be worried.

Also, we still have not mopped the floor at all since the pesticide treatment (they told us to not do so for at least two weeks) but do keep vacuuming often. When is it safe to mop the floors?

Found this in my daughters crib this morning. Seems a little skinnier than the pics I've seen online but wanted to be sure.

https://flic.kr/p/xvpaiL

https://flic.kr/p/yaPEH5

https://flic.kr/p/xvxeYv

Thanks!!
Laura

I was looking around the carpet near my window and found what is either a dead nymph (?) or a shed? I can't tell. Then, unfortunately, I looked at my baseboard heater (looks like this - http://inspectapedia.com/heat/Heating_Baseboard118-DJFss.jpg ) at saw two tiny bugs crawling on it.

http://imgur.com/DVqzSge

This was one of the bugs I saw crawling. It's really, really tiny

http://imgur.com/pnorajD

I know this one is blurry, but I think this looks like an older nymph, maybe? But it was so much lighter than the bed bugs I've seen and seemed hollow/thin.

Background:
- Contacted my complex after getting itchy welts and seeing two live ones (ID'd on here as bed bugs or bat bugs). I found no evidence in my bed or on my mattress or in the boxspring. Three treatments with Transport (and another similar chemical) in all rooms. PCOs found no evidence of bed bugs (but I kind of question their attention to detail). They said they inspected surrounding units and also found nothing. I found one live one and one shed near the window (which has the heater) but the PCOs said that they would not harbor in such a hot spot.
- 2 months, no bites! I have a passive cardboard monitor at the head of my bed I check every week. Nothing. Yesterday I had kind of an itchy bump on my head, but there's been a lot of mosquitos and it wasn't as severe as the bites I had before.
- TODAY: Found all this near the window/heater. : (

We keep the window open at night. I'm wondering if these could be actually be bat bugs getting in, and that's why I never see any blood spots? But we're not on the top floor and I've never seen any bats. Or did the pesticide treatments leave some bed bug eggs that are now hatching? I really don't know what to do. I kept comforting myself by saying usually bed bugs live near the bed and that they couldn't go so long without biting...

Any advice or help is greatly appreciated, and thank you so much for the help given thus far.

Hi,

I posted a LONG time ago about having a crawling sensation all over my skin, and I thought I rectified the problem. I found a couple of them on me. It always happens when I'm not looking for them. I'll feel an itch and scratch only to pull off a tiny white bug thing with what appears to be a hook attached to its mouth. Well that was months and months ago.

Fast forward to last night when I felt that crawling feeling again (all over my body) while laying in bed. Then today I was sitting on my daughter's bed cross-legged when I had an itchy feeling in the crease of my leg (under the knee), and went to scratch and pulled off the same exact tiny bug with the hook thing. When I pulled the first two off they left little red prick marks. This one didn't, but it did leave an itchy "bite". The only thing I can think of is lice. Here are the pics:

I just want to start by saying I worked in a hotel a few years back and knew all about checking for bed bugs. I was so crazy about it, that even my husband, who thought I was crazy, would inspect hotel rooms before we entered with out needing to be asked. About 3 months ago I started getting mosquito like bites and I couldn't figure it out. I even stopped going outside because I thought the mosquitos were that bad. Everyone in my home went outside, including our 3 young children. No one else was bit. One night my sister-in-law comes over and starts describing these bites she was getting for a while. I finally felt like it wasn't just me! She coaches high school sports and traveled alot around the state staying in hotels. It never even dawned on me. My brother and sister-in-law were moving that month. They were getting rid of almost everything and gave alot of stuff to us for our children and just to hold in the prior months. I was going crazy with the bites and I finally was to the point I didn't even want to be at my home anymore. I treated for fleas, went on vacation and hoped to return to a bite free home. Well the first night home I had 3 new bites. I tore our master apart l [king for anything and we found....nothing! I started reading this forum and was absolutely positive we had bed bugs. All I had was the bites, but I knew I was right. My husband couldn't have disagreed more. After all, we have 7 people in our home and I was the only one getting bit. About a week and a half ago I woke up with a line of butes from my ear to my shoulder. I flipped the bed and there it was. My proof, my sanity, a live bed bug. I screamed for my husband. Now we don't know for a fact that we got them from family, but we are pretty positive that's where they came from. They aren't the best house keepers and really wouldn't notice if one crawled across the floor, as they have had several insect infestations and never cared. So I found the bug on a Saturday and first thing Monday called a PCO. He was highly recommended. We were supposed to have friends over Saturday night and I called to let them know it was cancelled. It was one of the most mortifying times in my life, but to my shock they understood. There was no judgement! would have felt horrible had they got them because we were to embarrased to say anything . Our PCO sprayed with transport and gentrol and dusted with cimexa. While prepping we found a cluster of them in the top of my father's curtain. All the way across the top. I was sick to my stomach. We carefully double bagged it and trashed it. We also got rid of all of our couches. We bagged, washed and dried everything that was any sort of fabric. We encased mattresses, box springs and pillows. Our PCO does one spray and then we have a 6 month warranty. This is where my anxiety kicks in. I've read they should come back in 2 weeks. I also noticed my father room has a smell to it. I feel like he had that smell when we where growing up and after he moved in I smelled it too. He has been here almost 2 years, so I don't believe they came with him. I feel like by now our whole house would be overrun. Am I correct? If it is the bugs how do I get rid of the smell? My PCO also said to bring everything back in and put it back. This will cause the bugs to come in contact with the chemicals and die. Will this work? I'm sorry this is so long, I just feel like I've lost control. Will this ever end and is it actually possible to beat them??!!??! I feel like I'm in a losing battle! I've been bit twice, maybe once after our first treatment one is one my face, doesn't itch so it may be a pimple. Today we found about 10 blood spots under where my husbands pillow is. Are these good signs?

So I noticed a few weeks ago that my apartment had been invades by bed bugs I've been a basket case ever since!This is so stressful its ridiculous. I had an exterminator come and spray my house Ive seen one bug since hes sprayed and havent been bitten at all! I had to throw out couches that were just bought in February now Im getting rid of my beds too just to be safe! Is it possible with your house being sprayed once that all the bugs are gone??? We have washed and dried every item that was fabric in my apartment and I bought the encasements for both bedrooms too!

My parents' house has an infestation with bed bugs... I've been very careful with my clothes, washing and drying them separately, trying to keep everything away from the infestation... I'm absolutely paranoid of bringing those disgusting little things into my apartment, which is why I've been so crazy. Now, I'm in my apartment and I'm trying to figure out this one thing that's been bugging me....

I've been googling like a madwoman and wondering WHAT does a bed bug egg feel/look like when crushed? I saw a couple white things today on my bed, but they weren't sticky like how normal eggs are. They didn't really seem to match the typical description of a bed bug egg, but whenever I squished whatever it was, it turned into a fine white powder. I've had no really suspicious bites so far (I know what the BB bites look like on me since I was staying at my parents), but I'm curious and I haven't been able to find any answers on the internet...

CAN SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME?!?!

Has anyone ever crushed a BB egg to see what happens??? Because if they don't turn into a fine white powder, then I think I can start sleeping soundly.... Otherwise I'll probably start crying.

Has anyone used this and is it really effective? I'm skeptical.

http://store.doyourownpestcontrol.com/review/product/list/id/234/category/95/

Hello Everyone,

I have a few questions about the transferring of bed bugs. I am scared I might have transferred some to my apartment through my clothing. A little backstory.

Last night I had gone to someone's place. Was on her couch. I was only there for about an hour. Later took a cab and met with friends. About 30 minutes later had 4 itchy red welts that looked similar to mosquito bites on my arm and 1 on lower back. I assume these are bed bug bites from what I've read, but thought it was a rash at the moment. Went home about an hour later and threw my clothes on a chair and took a shower. Then went to bed.

I woke up and realized it could be bed bugs. Inspected my clothing and the chair it was on for bugs. Nothing found. Threw dry clean pants and chair cushion cover into a plastic bag. Threw shirt and shirts it was on top of into laundry and turned it to sanitize.

So now for my questions. What is the likelyhood that I brought bed bugs with me? How fast do they move from one piece of clothing to furniture or other way around? Could they have gone off my shirt and to another surface in my room? When will I know if I have an infestation?

Thanks for any help

I found this insect dead on my bedroom floor - is this a flea? Or a bedbug? I would guess flea ... what do I do now?

http://i59.tinypic.com/2afx3py.jpg

http://i60.tinypic.com/300elig.jpg

http://i57.tinypic.com/20z1qwp.jpg

http://i58.tinypic.com/ete7wl.jpg

Thank you!

I was searching around the house and found this casting, looked it up and it seems like it could be a bb , granted there's not much left to the bug, does anyone know what this is or what it might be?

Thanks!

http://tinypic.com/r/dyaa89/8
http://tinypic.com/r/24q4p3l/8

I was vacumming around my bed and found this, looks like a dead bug or shell casing. I had a bed bug encounter 3 years ago at a friends house. Any help is appreciated. Also I ve been getting small acne like bites in a triangle shape. !

Please tell me if this is a bedbug...! I know I am getting bite...since 2 days ago...!

I found a small bedbug and killed it right away(fat one with blood).

But right after, I found this apple seed size bug, and I smashed it...not sure if this is a roach..or not...I am scared.

Please help...!

I have suspected bed bugs for months now but haven't found any concrete evidence... Until I found several of these in the corner of my bedroom about a month ago:

Bugs.jpg

I thought for sure they were bed bugs (after being paranoid) but now I'm not so sure. I got rid of my bed (I'd been wanting a new one anyway), and treated my bedroom and new bed frame several times with Bedlam Plus. I also put the climb ups under the bed legs and don't have any linens touching anything for them crawl in. Went almost 3 weeks without any bites but have received a couple in the last week. Started to worry they might be in my couch and got more Bedlam but decided to look at the dead bugs once more and think this out. I have done quite a few inspections with a flashlight and besides a couple marks on my sheets that might be fecal stains I haven't found anything else. The stains on my sheet I found almost 6 months ago and no more have appeared anywhere. Nothing in the climb ups. HALP!