How to Inspect for Bed Bugs

When you suspect bed bugs a thorough inspection should be done in all areas where people sleep or rest. Check all possible hiding spots and be mindful that bed bugs can fit into tiny cracks and crevices. Make sure you also check pets. In the early stages of an infestation, bed bugs will be found around the seams and tufts of the mattress, while later on, they’ll spread to cracks in the bed frame and then to gaps behind baseboards, pictures, window and door casings, wallpaper, carpet edges, peeling paint, and other similar shelters. Start by looking in an area 10-20 feet around where you sleep or sit. That’s the distance a bed bug will usually travel. Check for spots of blood left on bed sheets which indicate bed bug biting. Check for brownish-black specks which are the bed bug feces and bed bug shells which are the bed bug exoskeletons. A heavy infestation can be detected by a peculiar musty raspberry odor of bed bug secretions. Check for possible hiding places around the sleeping area such as:

• Seams, creases, tufts, and folds of the mattress and box spring
• Cracks in the bed frame and headboard, and all screw holes
• Between the cushions of upholstered furniture
• Edges of carpets, especially behind the bed
• Between the folds of drapery or curtains
• In the drawers of nightstands, dressers, etc.
• Behind the baseboards
• Around door and window casings
• Behind electrical switch and outlet covers
• Under loose wallpaper, peeling paint, paintings, posters, etc
• In cracks in the plaster
• In telephones, radios, clocks, and similar places

Keep a written record of every room and location where you find signs of bed bugs. Share this record with a pest control professional.