If you’ve ever woken up with a strange lump on your body and no sign of the culprit, you face the uncomfortable chance that a bug snuck in and gnawed on you in the middle of the night. Between the popular myth that you swallow eight spiders a year in your sleep and knowing that there are bugs that can live in your bed, it’s no wonder people make unwelcome visitors nervous overnight. But if you want to freak out even further, read on to learn which bugs are most likely to bite you while you sleep.
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It’s no surprise that a creature called the bed bug is one of the most likely insects to bite you while you sleep. Entomologist and pest fighter Ryan Smith says bed bugs are probably the most common nocturnal bugs and love to hide in your mattress. “A severe bed bug infestation can cause people to wake up from the bite and have trouble sleeping,” he says.
According to Vulcan Termite and Pest Control, you can tell if you have bed bugs by identifying dark spots on the sheets that passed or fed them. “Bed bugs are most active an hour or two before sunrise, when you’re still soundly asleep,” says Vulcan. “As soon as the sun comes up, they hide under the mattress and in nearby crevices.”
Pest expert Jordan Foster says these bugs will only eat for a few minutes, but you might wake up with multiple bites if many of them feast on you. According to Foster, bed bug bites are often painless initially, but can turn into itchy welts, most commonly found on exposed skin. These pests prefer to nibble on the armpits, around the neck, behind the knee, and on the inner thighs.
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If you have pets in your home, you are more likely to be bitten by fleas at night, especially if your pet is sleeping with you. “Fleas are always on the lookout for easy prey, which means they could feast on you while you sleep,” says Smith. Unlike bed bugs, fleas tend to bite around the ankles. These bugs leave extremely itchy, red, and sometimes sore bites. According to Foster, flea bites can even lead to hives or a rash. He warns against scratching flea bites as infection could result.
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Chiggers are tiny red beetles that can lead to very itchy bites. “Humans are the main source of food for chiggers,” says Foster. “This tiny, tiny insect attaches itself to the skin, stays in place for a few days, and then falls off.” A chigger bite can get worse a few days before it gets better. While you can get a chigger bite in your bed, Vulcan notes that the most likely spring, summer, or fall is when you are camping or sleeping outdoors.
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According to Healthline, spiders are more active at night. The good news is that spiders generally only bite when they feel threatened, but if they get caught in your clothes or you curl on them, you might wake up with a small wound. If a spider has bitten you, it will likely only give you one bite, compared to bed bugs or flea bites that usually come in packs. A spider bite can cause swelling, red welts, itching, and a rash, according to Healthline.
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You have probably woken up many times with the familiar itch of mosquito bites. Once one of these pests starts feeding on you with its long, tubular mouth, it will likely keep going, which can result in quite a number of itchy bites. Healthline notes that many types of mosquitoes are more active at dusk and at night, making your sleep a perfect time for them to feast.
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