How to get rid of bed bugs

Bed bugs vs spiders and chiggers

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Spiders are probably one of the most feared insects by humans. Not many are fans of spiders.

Bed Bug Bites Versus Spider Bites

These creepy crawlers can be found lurking in our homes and freaking us out when we see them crawling on our floor. At first sight, our instinct is to squash them with our foot or the nearest heavy object. Did you know, in the US, there are 3,000 species of spiders? That’s a lot of spiders. Spiders can be found gracing windows, doors, dirty spaces and basements. They are mostly attracted to food and water so that’s not great news for humans. Their bites, however are very similar to those of a mosquito or flea bite.

What happens when a spider catches you off guard and takes a bite?

Let’s do a short comparison of bed bugs and spiders:

Bed Bug Bites Spider Bites
1 – 2 weeks 1 week
Itchiness and burning Mild pain, itching, inflammation, redness
Inflamed, red bumps Small fangs, swelling

Spiders come in 2 different categories non-venomous and venomous.

Venomous Spiders Non-Venomous Spiders
Redness Some redness
Swelling Irritation
Burning Rare allergic reaction
Fever, pain, nausea, headache Blister

Treatment

  • Identify the type of spider bite
  • Wash the bite with soap and water
  • Use a cold compress over the infected area
  • Take medication such as aspirin and antihistamines to relieve pain
  • Wrap something around the bite without cutting off circulation
  • Monitor the bite in case of changes and seek medical attention (Call 911) if symptoms worsen

Bed Bugs Versus Chiggers

What are chiggers? Chiggers are also known as the “red bugs” or “cherry bugs.” They are miniscule members of the insect family that spend their time feeding on skin cells and tissue. Unlike their friends, the bed bug, ticks or mosquitos, these little things will not attach themselves to the host to suck blood.

A professor of entomology at the University of Kentucky in Lexington states,” Chiggers are a type of immature mite that spend time feeding on small mammals, and also on humans.”

Chigger bites can cause a serious skin reaction, as with any other bug bites. Even though it may differ from person to person.  Here are some things that can help you differentiate the chigger bite from the bed bug:

Bed Bug Bites Chigger Bites
Very itchy Extreme itchiness
Big enough to spot Extremely small
Small irritation Irritation
Small red spots Red welts

If you have gotten a bed bugs infestation, we created a guide to get rid of bed bugs. Let us know how did it help.

By Thomas
How to get rid of bed bugs