Bedbugs? Or Just Bugs in Bed?
March 26, 2016 12:52 AM Subscribe
Are these creeps (1, 2) bed bugs?
(Apologies for the not-so-great photos. They weren't very photogenic!)
About five days ago I found one of the little bugs pictured above on top of my bed. I trapped him and did a close inspection and compared to stuff I found online about bedbugs. I more or less convinced myself it was not a bedbug based on the following:
1. Body shape is wrong (back portion is more round/spherical than flat/oval, back legs seem to be too far back.)
2. No stains anywhere on sheets/mattress.
Today, I found another one. While seeing a second bug doesn't make me think it's any more likely it is a bed bug, it's enough to make me want to get to the bottom of this.
So. I know it may not be possible to tell based on these photos, but if anyone knows bugs:
1. Do these seem to be bedbugs?
2. If not, any ideas what they are? I know the pictures aren't great.
3. If ID'd in #2, what can/should I do about this? My room shares a wall with the outside and it's an old house, so it wouldn't surprise me if something is making it in from outside. If that's all this is, no problem, I can aim to seal up cracks and the like. But is this a possible infestation that needs to be dealt with? Is it possible that this is a bug that would otherwise negatively impact my life/health?
(Apologies for the not-so-great photos. They weren't very photogenic!)
About five days ago I found one of the little bugs pictured above on top of my bed. I trapped him and did a close inspection and compared to stuff I found online about bedbugs. I more or less convinced myself it was not a bedbug based on the following:
1. Body shape is wrong (back portion is more round/spherical than flat/oval, back legs seem to be too far back.)
2. No stains anywhere on sheets/mattress.
Today, I found another one. While seeing a second bug doesn't make me think it's any more likely it is a bed bug, it's enough to make me want to get to the bottom of this.
So. I know it may not be possible to tell based on these photos, but if anyone knows bugs:
1. Do these seem to be bedbugs?
2. If not, any ideas what they are? I know the pictures aren't great.
3. If ID'd in #2, what can/should I do about this? My room shares a wall with the outside and it's an old house, so it wouldn't surprise me if something is making it in from outside. If that's all this is, no problem, I can aim to seal up cracks and the like. But is this a possible infestation that needs to be dealt with? Is it possible that this is a bug that would otherwise negatively impact my life/health?
Spider mites?
posted by mysterious_stranger at 1:49 AM on March 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by mysterious_stranger at 1:49 AM on March 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
For the last six months I've been dealing with a bedbug problem and those don't look at all like any bedbugs I've seen. Bedbugs don't have such long legs and aren't bright red like that. Bedbugs, to me, look similar to wood ticks.
Can't help you with identifying them, but you probably can consider yourself lucky they're not bedbugs. My guess is that they're some type of spider.
posted by GlassHeart at 1:51 AM on March 26, 2016
Can't help you with identifying them, but you probably can consider yourself lucky they're not bedbugs. My guess is that they're some type of spider.
posted by GlassHeart at 1:51 AM on March 26, 2016
You could also try the bedbugger.com forums (some pros lurk there) but I agree with gloriouslyincandescent, they look like spider beetles. I am super not an entomologist or a pest control professional, I've just had that particular freak-out before. Spider beetles like crumbs and flour, so vacuuming and throwing away old open pantry items could help. (They also feed on lots of other stuff and could well be coming in from the outside, though.)
posted by en forme de poire at 2:18 AM on March 26, 2016
posted by en forme de poire at 2:18 AM on March 26, 2016
(They're not actually spiders, it's a weird misleading name because they look a little spider-y. They should have six legs and a kind of engorged, hunchback-y looking morphology.)
posted by en forme de poire at 2:19 AM on March 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by en forme de poire at 2:19 AM on March 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
I concur with the others. That looks very much like a spider beetle. Count the legs (6 for a beetle) to be sure.
posted by pipeski at 4:38 AM on March 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by pipeski at 4:38 AM on March 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
Definitely not bedbugs.
posted by pintapicasso at 5:18 AM on March 26, 2016
posted by pintapicasso at 5:18 AM on March 26, 2016
These appear to have shiny smooth bulbous abdomens. Bedbugs have flattened, segmented abdomens.
posted by y2karl at 11:45 AM on March 26, 2016
posted by y2karl at 11:45 AM on March 26, 2016
As you noticed. Due to my job, I have seen more bedbugs than the average bear. These are not bedbugs.
posted by y2karl at 11:46 AM on March 26, 2016
posted by y2karl at 11:46 AM on March 26, 2016
Sure looks like eight legs to me, not six.
posted by mysterious_stranger at 1:50 PM on March 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by mysterious_stranger at 1:50 PM on March 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
It makes me so happy whenever the answer on these questions is unambiguously NO. No, those aren't bedbugs. Furthermore, I am pretty sure what you have there is a mite or other arachnid. Look up mite photos, I think you'll see a match.
posted by fingersandtoes at 2:36 PM on March 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by fingersandtoes at 2:36 PM on March 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
Look like spider beetles to me. In my experience with spider beetles, if you're just seeing one here and there it's not really a cause for concern in terms of extermination. But make sure your pantry ingredients are sealed in airtight containers to be safe.
posted by bananana at 10:59 PM on March 26, 2016
posted by bananana at 10:59 PM on March 26, 2016
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by gloriouslyincandescent at 1:48 AM on March 26, 2016