Unfed bugs are 1/4 to 3/8 inch long. They are brown or red-brown in color and the upper surface of the body appears crinkled. Recently fed, they are engorged with blood, dull red in color. Unfed bugs are 1/4 to 3/8 inch long. They are brown or red-brown in color and the upper surface of the body appears crinkled. Recently fed, they are engorged with blood, dull red in color. A bedbug epidemic has exploded in every corner of New York City - striking even upper East Side luxury apartments owned by Gov. Spitzer's father, the Daily News has learned.

Bed bugs can be found almost anywhere in the world but they are very hard to detect especially in the first stage of infestation. Sometimes, your only hope of detecting the presence of bed bugs is through a bed bug bite symptom.

Why Bed Bugs Are Hard to Find

Bed bugs are easy to distinguish once detected. They are reddish brown, oval flat insects that look like small seeds. They are wingless and usually do not grow bigger than half an inch. The reason why they are so hard to find is that they usually bite people in the evening and hide in the morning although there are some that may still bite in the morning. Because of their small size and flat bodies, bed bugs can easily fit in between thin bed slat spaces, furniture cracks and crevices.

How Bed Bugs Feed

These insects can give a bed bug bite symptom to both humans and animals. They survive only by feeding on blood. Upon biting, it can take anywhere from 3-10 minutes for them to fill their bodies with human blood. Since they bite mainly at night, people may not realize that they have been bitten. These insects do not choose a specific body part to leave their bed bug bite symptom on. They can bite on any body part. It is believed though that a bed bug bite does not carry any known medical dangers resulting from transmitted diseases.

Bed Bug Bite Symptom

A bed bug bite symptom may be your first clue that you have the insects in your room and on your bed or mattress. A bed bug bite is not very painful or not painful at all and may simply just feel itchy. Bed bug bites may first look like a series of organized or lined welts that are not significantly raised. The welts may be reddish and swollen at first but will fade in a few days. People with sensitive skins may lose some skin tissue or get skin blisters especially if they violently scratch the welts. Infections and allergies have also been known to occur in some cases.

Bed Bug Bite Treatment

A bed bug bite symptom is usually harmless and some people simply leave the welts as they are until they disappear. A bed bug bite symptom however may become extremely itchy. Scratching vigorously can result in irritating the skin.

The first thing that you have to do is to stop yourself from scratching. You may be able to relive the itchy feeling by washing the welts with antiseptic soap and applying cold compress or an ice pack. If the bed bug bite symptom continues, you may apply an antiseptic or antibiotic cream or lotion. If you think you are developing an allergic reaction take an antihistamine or see your doctor immediately.

Other Links

• Bed bug identification page 
• Bed bug comeback radio interview with Steven Graff (Quality Assurance Manager, Abell Pest Control)