Bed bug bites can be extremely annoying! They’re also often the first sign of an infestation. The fact is, bed bugs need to feed on blood to survive, develop into adulthood, and reproduce. So here’s what happens when they bite you…
Under cover of darkness (usually) they creep out from their hiding places in search of a meal. Attracted to body heat and the carbon dioxide we exhale, they come in search of exposed skin on which to feast.

They can’t bite through clothing, so you will most often find bed bug marks on the face, neck, and shoulders or on arms and legs that were left uncovered.

It takes anywhere from 3 -10 minutes for an adult bed bug to extract a full blood meal.

When it’s done feeding, the little sucker high tails it back to the shadows to digest the meal.

Often the person who was bitten doesn’t wake up at all and is completely unaware they were bitten until later when bite symptoms develop.

Note: Bedbugs have a tendency to defecate (poop) right after they finish a blood meal. So they often leave a calling card on you sheets or mattress in the form of fecal stains.

That’s one of the first symptoms of a bed bug infestation.

Bite Symptoms

Right about now you may be wondering…If their bites are painless, why am I so itchy?!? The common symptoms people suffer are an allergic reaction to bed bug saliva.

Symptoms vary from person to person and reactions could be delayed as long as 14 days. Some people don’t react at all – lucky dogs! Others experience itchy red bumps or swollen welts.

NOTE: Some people may think they feel the bites in the moment, but this is most likely an anxiety response to previous bite reactions.

IMPORTANT NOTE: While they are a symptom of a bed bug problem, you can’t diagnose the situation by bites alone.