Sometimes seeing pictures of bed bugs can help you identify if you’re attracting bed bugs and whether or not you need to start doing something about it.
I’m sure some of us remember that old phrase…
“Don’t let the bed bugs bite”
For the longest time most people thought bed bugs were just some made up creature!
If you’re reading this article, then it’s likely you have experienced (or are currently experiencing) a run in with bed bugs.
To help you out, we’ve curated 53 of the best images and pictures of bed bugs I could find that showcase what a bed bug looks like so hopefully you can identify what it is that’s pestering you.
Ready? Let’s get started!
Ed has been working in the pest control industry for years helping 1,000's of homeowners navigate the world of insect and rodent management. He manages Pest Strategies now helping homeowners around the world!
Table of Contents
First Of All, What Is A Bed Bug?
Bed bugs are flat reddish-brown oval insects ranging from 4 to 5mm in length. They feed on blood and are only active during the night time.
I keep a very clean house, will that keep bed bugs away?
Not entirely, bed bugs don’t care if your house is clean or dirty.
Although, if your house is clean, it will be easier to spot bed bugs if you have them. To keep bed bugs at bay you should take proactive measures such as:
- Keep room clutter to a minimum
- Invest in a mattress cover
- Inspect any hotel you stay at
- Examine 2nd hand furniture for signs of bed bugs (see below)
- Wash and dry your bed sheets regularly with hot water
Read Also: What are the best steamers and vacuums for bed bugs?
Are bed bugs dangerous?
Bed bugs, although very annoying, pestering, and gross, are not carriers of disease unlike mosquitos, which can carry various diseases.
What they will do is bite you multiple times in close proximity while you sleep. The bites themselves aren’t painful, but will leave a reddish hive on your skin. The biting area will look very similar to a mosquito bite although slightly larger and A LOT itchier.
After they bite, they will retreat back to their hiding space. Click here for more on the dangers of bed bugs.
Related Post:
Need help getting rid of a bed bug problem. You need to check out this article when you have a couple minutes.
Where is a common place to find bed bugs?
Bed bugs tend to live in the seams of your mattress, in the box spring, in the folds of loose wallpaper, in your sofa, under your rug, and in any other area that is close to a feeding source. Bed bugs want to be near where they feed, so expect them to be close by when you sleep if you have them.
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Where do they live?
Bed bugs tend to live in the seams of your mattress, in the box spring, in the folds of loose wall paper, in your sofa, under your rug, and any other area that is close to a feeding source. Bed bugs want to be near where they feed, so expect them to be close by when you sleep if you have them.
You’ll find that a lot of bed bugs live in hotels because of the frequency at which people come and go inside of them. Bed bugs don’t prefer hotels, rather there are a lot of people and it’s likely that someone will be carrying a bed bug at one point or another.
Also, unlike lice, bed bugs DON’T like to live in your hair! Some people are convinced and deathly afraid of going to sleep because of this. Not true, continue reading for pictures!
Bed Bug Warning
If you do think you have bed bugs, we highly recommend first consulting with an exterminator before using sprays or any other method of bed bug control. Improper use can and will make your bed bug problem worse. Check out our top ranked exterminators to get a couple free quotes so you can begin the removal process.
How do you get rid of them?
Bed bugs are VERY hard to get rid of mainly because they hide so well. Depending on the size of the infestation, you might have to look very hard before you find the culprit and stop the spreading.
If you’re actively getting bitten, do the following things:
- Inspect your bed and box spring for bed bugs and their droppings (check seams and inside your bed if there are any entry points inside the mattress).
- If you find bugs, clean your mattress, DO NOT throw it out! Ontimesteamcleaning.com wrote a great article on how to go about cleaning a mattress.
- Inspect furniture around your bed and clean thoroughly
- Put all your sheets in a laundry bag, transport to washer, and set temperatures to their highest setting. Throw out the bag in an outside garbage receptacle.
- Vacuum every crevice of your room (bed, underneath furniture, rugs, etc) and empty contents outside your home.
- Continue to sleep in your bed and do not move locations as you could potential move the problem to other areas of your house.
- I would advise against using any traditional pest killers, insecticides, or bug bombs as that may splinter the bugs into more locations and make your situation worse.
53 of the Best Images and Pictures of Bed Bugs
Bed Bug Size Comparisons
1. Here, we have an adult bed bug side-by-side with a black spec in a petri dish to give you an idea of a size comparison.
2. Here’s another example of a bed bug next to a penny for comparison.
3. Staying with the theme of pocket change, here’s a dime next to a bed bug.
4. Here’s a picture of a bed bug on its back after falling over.
5. This is a picture to give you an idea of the size of a bed bug compared to a piece of paper.
6. Here’s another picture of bed bug feces left in the seam of a couch. As you can see, it’s black and in multiple spots.
7. Here’s a bed crawling around in a man’s hair. Although bed bugs don’t normally live in your hair, this is a good size comparison.
8. Here’s another picture of a piece of paper next to a bed bug. These are small bugs!
9. Here is a picture of an adult man with bed bug bites on his legs. Take a look at how close they are. Do you have bites like these?
10. Here’s a 3d image of a bed bug up close. How creepy is this? Take note of how flat they are before they suck your blood.
11. Here is a picture of a bed bug engorged with blood under a microscope. Do you notice how long they get? Do you see dark area? That’s blood being digested.
12. This is a picture of a bed bug crawling on a piece of a blanket. This gives you an idea of how flat these insect actually are!
13. Here is a picture of a bed bug crawling in dirt up close. This bed bug is probably looking for a blood meal.
Pictures of Bed Bugs on Curtains
14. This is a image of a bed bug crawling on my curtain! This just shows you that yes, they can in fact crawl up certain objects. Scary!
15. Here you can see the picture of the bed bug from about 3 feet away and how small it is!
16. Here is an up close picture of the bed bug after I captured it in a plastic bag. This bed bug was very flat and hadn’t had a blood meal for at least a couple of days.
17. Here’s the last picture of took this bed bug crawling around my house. This is close up show so you can see exactly what it looked like!
18. Here is a picture of bed bug feces, larvae, nymphs, and eggs, in the seam of an infested mattress. Does your mattress look like this?!
19. This is a picture of bed bug bites on a man’s stomach. As you can see, they look just like mosquito bites!
20. This is a picture of bed bug’s head under a microscope. You can see all the mouth parts in this image.
21. Here’s an image of the life cycle of bed bugs. You can see all the stages these bugs go through.
22. Here is a bed bug laying on a blue carpet. This picture shows you how round these pests are.
23. Here’s another example of a bed bug crawling around. Notice how its stomach is not dark, which mean’s its probably looking for a blood meal.
24. Here you can see an adult bed bug and a 3rd of 4th stage bed bug crawling in the seam of a couch. The adult bed bug looks to be full of blood.
25. Here’s a bed bug crawling on a man’s arm about to bite it for a quick blood meal.
26. Here’s another example of a bed bug crawling around in petri dish.
27. Here’s a picture of a bed bug in a piece of cardboard.
28. Here’s a good image to show you bed bugs and their eggs.
29. Here’s an example of two bed bugs walking around a blanket.
30. In this picture, you have a bed bug stuck on its back.
31. Here’s a picture of a bed bug far away on a white background to make it really easy to make out all of its detail.
32. Here’s a picture of bed bugs that have infested brick! These guys will infest anywhere near their food source.
33. Don’t let your mattress get infested! Make sure you invest in a bed bug mattress cover!
34. Here’s a really good image of a bed bug parasite engorged with blood after feeding.
35. Here’s a really good shot of a bed bug walking along the top of a mattress.
36. Always check the corners of your mattress in a hotel room!
37. This is a picture of a bed bug taken from the side. You can see its eyes and how flat its body is!
38. Here’s a picture of a bed bug under a light microscope.
Images of Blood on Sheets From Bed Bugs
39. Blood stains are one of many key signs to look for during early stage bed bug problems. This is undigested blood. If you see blood in your bed and you know it’s not yours, check for bed bugs.
40. The below image is NOT a bed bug problem but rather saliva stains. Know the differences and be aware of the key signs! Black spots are possibly fecal matter and red spots might be undigested blood.
41. Here we have a picture of a bug that looks like a bed bug but actually isn’t. This appears to be a stink bug NOT a bed bug, know the difference!
42. Here’s a picture of a hungry bed bug looking for its next blood meal. Notice how its stomach is almost completely transparent. This means it hasn’t eaten in a while.
43. This is a picture of a dead bed bug after a heat treatment. Heat is actually one of the best ways to kill a bed bug.
44. Here is a picture of a couch with bed bugs and bed bug feces left behind. Always check the seams of your bed and couch near where people sleep!
45. Here’s another angle of a man with bed bug bites on his stomach. Take note of the fact that the bites are very close in proximity. Bed bugs tend to bite close together and then retreat.
46. Here’s a picture of a comparing the size of a bed bug and the size of a quarter. They are very small bugs!
47. Here is an image of a women putting a bed bug cover on her mattress to protect it from bed bugs. This is a great idea and one of the best ways to ensure you mattress never gets infested.
48. This is a bed bug full of blood on a man’s hand after a blood meal. Notice how dark its stomach is. That is blood being digested. Eventually the bed bug will poop showing up as black spots.
49. In order to defeat bed bugs it’s important to know exactly what you’re dealing with. Below is a picture of the bed bug anatomy.
50. Bed bugs that have just had a blood meal will appear elongated as seen in the picture below, whereas bed bugs that have not eaten in a while will appear flat and oval shaped.
51. This is a picture of what it looks like to have a bed bug laying on your hand. Notice how small the hair follies are relative to the hand.
52. Here’s a great picture of bed bugs, bed bug eggs, blood stains, and fecal matter near the seam of an infested mattress. Does your mattress look like this?
53. For the final bed bug picture, you can see what a bed bug egg looks like up close. Notice it is white and almost has a shine to it.
Final Thoughts
That’s it, folks. Fifty-three pictures and images of bed bugs. Hopefully now you have some sort of feel for what a bed bug looks like and how to spot one in your own home.
If you think you might have an infestation after going through these images, we highly recommend contacting three to five exterminators for quotes on bed bug removal. Bed bug removal is a very delicate process, which requires a highly skilled exterminator!
Please Note*** If you are attempting to kill or remove a bed bug problem, we highly recommend you consult and potentially hire a licensed exterminator, or else you risk making your bed bug problem worse. To help you, we’ve reviewed the best exterminators in the country and ranked them best to worst. Click to learn more.
