5 ways to tell the difference between a bedbug and a mosquito bite

Mosquito bites and bed bug bites have a lot in common.

What makes even more difficult the identification of both, is that everyone does not have the same reaction (or does not react at all) to bedbug bites. (In fact, some people do not even know what a bedbug sting looks like.) Stings can look like red marks on one person, rashes to another, and blisters on the next person. Because of the wide range of reactions, it is not easy to visually determine if you have been bitten by a bed bug.

But nevertheless, you can use some context clues to decipher which insect is your culprit.

Here are five signs to watch for that will help you determine if it's bed bugs or mosquitoes.

Bed bug bites occur in clusters.

One of the best ways to tell the difference between mosquito bites and bed bites is to watch where the bites occur on your body.

Mosquito bites usually occur in isolation and randomly. Bed bug bites, on the other hand, appear in clusters. The pattern of bedbug bites often appears as a line or zigzag, aligning with the edge of a sheet or mattress, according to the Terminix Parasite Control Company.

Mosquito bites do not last that long.

Even if you despise mosquito bites, it's important to remember that they will go away soon enough if you leave them alone. The ugly red bumps and itchiness that accompany the bites can only last for a very long time.

Compared to bedbug bites, mosquito bites will lessen and heal much faster, according to the Orkin Pest Control Society.

Mosquito bites cause itching more quickly.

If you have even received a mosquito bite in your life, you know that they start to itch almost immediately. Often, you even feel itchy before the red bump appears.

According to the pestseek.com blog, when you talk about bed bug bites, you usually see the lump or rash before you start to itch.

The American Academy of Dermatology indicates that some people develop itching a few days after their first bites, but that others may feel up to 14 days to feel itchy.

Read more:
The best way to prevent a mosquito bite from getting itchy is surprisingly simple

Bed bugs can leave a surprise on your sheets.

A telltale sign of a bedbug is the presence of dark red or black spots on your sheets. If you discover spots and bite marks on your body, this is a good indication that you are dealing with bed bugs and not mosquitoes, according to the pesthacks.com blog.

Disclaimer: Put down your lunch if you eat by reading this.

The dark black or red spots found on the leaves are actually digested blood. Once bed bugs have feasted on their host (that is you), they can excrete some of the digested blood on the sheets. Gross, yes. But the advantage is that the spots offer you an easy way to tell what kind of bug you are dealing with.

Bed bug bites can be accompanied by a rash.

Visually, it can be extremely difficult to distinguish bedbug bites from mosquito bites – especially since everyone reacts differently to bedbug bites. Nevertheless, one difference you might find is that some bed bug bites are accompanied by rashes.

Depending on your allergy to anticoagulant injections of bed bugs in your skin, a rash may appear around bite sites.

Experts recommend that if your skin has a rash, avoid scratching the affected area and contact a health care professional before it gets infected.

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