Many people tend to confuse some insects because they cannot tell the difference. If you want to know if you have bed bugs in your home, the first thing to do is differentiate them from other pests to prevent an infestation.
Below you will be able to know some insects or errors that are typically confused with bed bugs.
What Bed Are Bugs Mistaken For Bed Bugs?
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Bed bugs are insects with an oval body and are flat, similar to the seeds of apples. They are light brown to reddish-brown. These insects feed on blood, and when they bite their body, they swell, and their body takes a reddish color.
They usually appear at night to bite their victims; they are very unpleasant pests that can become a severe problem. Bed bugs do not fly or jump; they can crawl across the floor, walls, and ceiling to reach other rooms.
Among the bed bugs that are mistaken for bed bugs are:
Lice
Lice are insects that can be 2 to 3 mm long and are found on the head and neck. They resemble bed bugs in that they crawl around and cannot fly or jump. They can spread quickly just like bed bugs; when you already notice the lice, it is because there is an infestation.
Adult lice have six legs and are tan to grayish-white in color. Lice can live for up to 30 days on a person’s head, but it depends on diet.
Carpet beetles
On the list of which bed bugs are mistaken for bed bugs are carpet beetles. Because of their oval body, they can be confused with bed bugs, but they are very different insects. They are black with white patterns and orange and red scales.
When you look at it from above, you will notice that the carpet beetle’s head is hidden. They have a short antenna and can measure between 2 to 3.8 mm long; adult carpet beetles can fly during the day.
Cockroach nymph
Cockroach nymphs are bright white but then turn reddish-brown when they begin to grow. They have a more cylindrical shape that differs from more oval bed bugs.
They do not feed on blood, and after hatching, their growth will depend on their food. The more water and food the cockroach nymphs have, the faster they will grow. They are often confused with bed bugs, especially when observed in cracks or crevices in low light.
Ticks
They are brown, and their bodies are flat like bed bugs, but their bodies become round when they eat. They have eight legs, and their favorite victims are pets, but they also like human blood.
Unlike bed bugs, their bite is harmless; tick bites are very dangerous. They can cause diseases like Lyme disease, Heartland virus, and more. They burrow into the skin, and that’s when they begin to spread bacteria through the blood.
Swallow insects
What bed are bugs mistaken for bed bugs? These insects are also on this list. They are similar to bed bugs; they are grayish brown, which can be a characteristic to identify them.
Swallow bugs are also called swallow bugs and breed in summer and early fall. You can also see them on the cliffs, and they are not common in the house. Sometimes these pests can reach humans and bite them.
Fleas
They are reddish-brown and look like common bed bugs. Their bodies are oval, and they are much smaller in size. Bed bugs are thinner and flatter than bed bugs. They attack by jumping on their victims and have long legs; fleas do not have wings.
Flea bites are usually very itchy and can carry disease.
Booklice
These bugs are also called booklice and have a long, thin shape between 1 and 6 mm in length. Their antennae are thin and long, and the body is softer than that of bed bugs.
These pests can cause asthma, and their corpses combine with dust and become airborne when you open the windows.
Spider beetles
They resemble bed bugs that they have around, oval body. They can be 1 to 5 mm in length, have a pale brownish-yellow to reddish-brown or almost black color.
Like booklice, some spider beetles species can fly and do not bite, their body has hairs, and their heads are directly connected to their bodies.
