Bed bugs are small, elusive, and surprisingly common. The good news? Knowing what to look for can help you catch a problem early, before it gets out of hand. Here's how to check for bed bugs in your home, what signs to look for, and when it's time to call in the experts.
Adult bed bugs are small — roughly the size of an apple seed — flat, and reddish-brown in color. After feeding, they become darker and more swollen. Nymphs (young bed bugs) are smaller and nearly translucent, making them much harder to spot.
They don't fly or jump, but they move quickly across surfaces and are experts at hiding in tight spaces no wider than a credit card.
Testing for bed bugs starts with knowing where to look. These pests prefer to stay close to where people sleep or rest, so focus your search on:
When checking for bed bugs, you're not just looking for the insects themselves. Here are the key signs of an infestation:
Bed bugs are experts at hiding, and an untrained eye can easily miss early signs, especially nymphs and eggs. In fact, research shows that 84% of pest professionals were initially contacted about a different pest before correctly identifying a bed bug infestation.
DIY detection can help you spot an obvious problem, but it won't give you the full picture. A free, professional bed bug inspection is the most reliable way to confirm whether bed bugs are present and how far the infestation has spread.
If you do find signs of bed bugs, it's important to act quickly. Bed bugs reproduce fast, and a small problem can grow significantly in a matter of weeks. Our bed bug control team uses a range of proven treatment options — including heat treatment, steam, insecticides, and fumigation — tailored to your situation.
Look for dark spots (excrement), shed skins, and blood stains on your bedding and mattress seams. Catching these signs early — before bites appear — gives you the best chance of addressing the problem quickly.
A professional inspection is the most reliable method to check for bed bugs. Our technicians can identify signs that are easy to miss, and we can use canine detection for a more thorough assessment.
Yes, a basic self-check is a good starting point. Strip your bed, use a flashlight, and look for the key signs listed above. That said, DIY detection has limits so a professional inspection will give you a much clearer picture.
No, bed bugs don’t only live in beds. While beds are their preferred hiding spot, bed bugs can also be found in sofas, chairs, electrical outlets, baseboards, and even behind picture frames, anywhere close to where people rest.
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