It is important to know if your bites are from bedbugs. Aleksey Boyko / Shutterstock
Your bites can be caused by bed bugs once you woke up with them.
Bed bugs usually feed between 1 and 5 a.m. iStock
According to a 2012 study by the American Society for Microbiology, bed bugs generally feed on human blood at night because they are attracted to carbon dioxide and body heat that their host body gives off during sleep.
The main feeding time for bed bugs is between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.
If you wake up with bites you didn’t have the night before, you may be facing a bed bug problem that could spread to the rest of your home.
Bedbug bites often appear in a series, while spider bites usually appear one at a time.
With bedbug bites, there is usually more than one in a row. PARNTAWAN / iStock
If you notice that your skin has red, itchy bites on it, bed bugs are the likely culprits.
According to Healthline, bed bugs often appear in a row or cluster because a single bed bug often bites its host more than once during a feeding session.
Bedbug bites are also most commonly found on the neck, hand, face and arms, according to the UK’s National Health Service (NHS).
Spiders, on the other hand, usually only bite once, and that can be anywhere. Their bites are usually unintentional or in response to a perceived threat.
Spider bites often leave clear puncture marks.
Spider bites usually take the form of puncture sites. yurakrasil / Shutterstock
According to the NHS, spider bites usually leave tiny puncture marks on the skin that are often visible to the naked eye.
In contrast, bed bug bites usually appear as small red spots with darker centers that can swell or itch – especially if you’ve been bitten by bed bugs before, as symptoms don’t always appear the first time.
Bedbug bites can be an ongoing problem, while spider bites are usually a one-time occurrence.
According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms of a typical spider can include red or inflamed skin around the site of the bite. The bite may be itchy too.
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In most cases, common spider bites will heal within a few days and cause no further symptoms.
But with bed bugs, you may notice new bites every day or every few days. They keep reproducing and feeding if you don’t find them and exterminate them.
Bed bugs aren’t dangerous, but some spider bites can cause serious symptoms.
Some spider bites can cause health problems. RHJPhtotoandilustration / Shutterstock
Bed bugs are not known to transmit disease to humans – although an infestation can cause significant psychological stress and lead to insomnia. But some spiders can cause poisonous bites.
According to the Mayo Clinic, of the thousands of species of spider, few have fangs long enough and venom strong enough to inflict a dangerous bite on a human.
In the United States, poisonous species include the black widow spider and the brown recluse spider. Poisonous spiders in the UK include the cellar spider, woodlice spider, and false widow spider.
Bites from certain venomous spiders can cause severe pain in your stomach, back, or chest. You may also have a fever, chills, convulsions, or excessive sweating.
In very rare cases, the skin around the bite site can die off within a few hours or the bite site can develop into an open ulcer. Some people are also allergic to a spider bite, which affects their ability to breathe.
You should see a doctor right away if you experience any of these serious symptoms.
If you suspect you have been bitten by bed bugs, check your home for signs of an infestation.
If you find bedbug bites there are a few steps you need to take in your home. AP Photo / Alex Brandon
A bed bug infestation can progress quickly, so it is important to take aggressive steps to stop the problem early if you notice bites.
If your doctor agrees that your bites are likely related to bed bugs, contact a pest control group and check your home for signs of bed bugs. These can be brown stains or pieces of insects on mattresses, sofas, carpets or curtains.
If you do see signs of an infestation, it is best to seek professional help to smoke out your home rather than trying to resolve the problem yourself.
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