Common Bugs Mistaken for Bed Bugs! 

When are bed bugs not bed bugs? 

Answer – when they are other bugs, mistaken for bed bugs!
At home or in your business premises, you find a bug, but what is it?

Here is a list of bugs mistaken for bed bugs:
The spider beetle - Spider beetles may resemble a bed bug that has just feasted on blood.
What is a spider beetle? These bugs look like small spiders due to their long legs and large, rounded abdomens. Spider beetles mostly feed on garbage and old food items.
These beetles rely on your wheat, rice, barley, and other food grains for their survival and will not bite humans under any circumstances.
The cockroach nymph - Not many people are familiar with the life cycle of Cockroaches, but it all begins with an egg. Once the egg hatches, the immature cockroach is known as a nymph, or baby cockroach. Nymphs are bright white in colour initially, and they harden and darken within a few hours. Cockroaches are bad news, of course, and carry irritants that can trigger asthma.
Cockroaches thrive in moist areas where food is prepared or stored. Prime breeding grounds include restaurants, grocery stores, commercial kitchens etc. You may even see cockroaches hiding in your kitchen, bathroom, or basement. Cockroach nymphs in your home may be a sign of an infestation.

The carpet beetle - Adult carpet beetle varieties vary in length, are oval-shaped, and can appear to be bed bug look-alike. There are many species of carpet beetles, including the black, common, furniture, and varied carpet beetle.
These small pests feast on materials including furs, wools, feathers, or leather, carpeting (hence the name of the insect), and clothes made from natural fibres.
Health Risk: Prolonged contact and exposure to larvae hairs may cause itchiness and rashes, while hair fibres suspended in the air may lead to eye irritation and respiratory problems. 

The flea - These bed bug imposters do a lot of bloodsucking and causing irritation in humans and pets alike.
Fleas are tiny, reaching only upwards of 3.5 mm in size. Fleas can be hard to see with the naked eye, especially as they have a tendency to jump as their major form of movement.
Dogs and cats offer a feast for fleas, and pets are the chief way fleas get inside homes. Look for flea larvae in floor cracks, carpets, mattresses, or pet beds. Fleas especially like places where they can feed on food, animal waste, and adult flea faeces.
Health risk: Though rare, fleas are capable of passing diseases (including typhus and plague) to people. Some people and pets may also experience severe allergic reactions to a flea’s saliva. Your pet may experience anaemia due to blood loss.
Infestation: They become a problem once they attack and stick to the bodies of cats, dogs, and other pets as they frequently suck blood. This is their method of entering inside houses and establishments. 

The tick - They are similar to bed bugs in the sense that they both feed on blood and possess brown, flat bodies. However, their bodies become engorged when filled with blood, and they are potential vectors of certain illnesses.
Ticks attach to humans, pets, livestock, and wild animals. There are many types of ticks, each with different physical traits. Most ticks are small, dark in colour, and flat when unfed.
Ticks are most commonly found attached to their host or outdoors in moist, shady areas with tall grass or overgrown vegetation. Occasionally a tick may be found indoors after being brought inside. Tick infestations indoors are rare, but they can occur if a female tick lays her eggs in your home.
Health risk: Ticks can pass many pathogens, like Lyme disease, to people, pets, and other animals. If these diseases are left untreated, many can become life-threatening

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When your bug investigation hits a dead end and you’re stuck identifying the bug you found, call us!