Bed bugs and dust mites belong to different groups of pests that infest our household and cause various health issues. Dust mites are microscopic (3 microns approximately) and cause severe allergies in susceptible people, especially children and the aged. Bed bug bites are visible and look like mosquito bites. They typically are grouped in 3 or more and look like clusters. Sometimes, your skin may not react as fast to the bed bug venom and you will see no blisters on skin. There may be no itching, but if you find bloodstains, however tiny on clothing or anywhere in the bedroom, you can be certain of having bed bugs. Although dust mites are equally or in some cases more dangerous than bed bugs, the difference between bed bug bites and dust mite bites is that, quite simply, dust mites don’t bite and there is no specific marking on the skin to spot them in your home. The shed skin of dust mites and their feces, which are both microscopic, contain allergens that affect people with allergies, asthma, other breathing disorders and those people whose immune system is compromised because of a recent illness, surgical procedure or their age.

Bed bugs are small parasites that feed on human blood. They require blood meals to grow and reproduce. They typically hide during the daytime near sleeping areas like beds, couches etc. At night, they are drawn by the heat and carbon dioxide emitted by the human hosts. (In absence of humans, bed bugs might can bite the pets like cats, dogs etc). Scabies is a contagious skin condition and, in humans, it is caused by the Sarcoptes scabies humanis mite. These require an incubation period of 2 to 6 weeks, following which, an itchy rash might be developed. The itching is particularly worse at nighttime. Different skin eruptions are often seen in scabies:

Bed bugs bites typically occur at night, since bed bugs prefer feeding on the sleeping hosts. Typically, bugs attack the exposed parts of the body such as arms, legs, upper neck and back. Bed bugs cannot jump or fly; so the bites are usually present in a linear pattern in groups of three or four. Signs of bed bug bites are: Red swollen weals around the site of bite Bitten areas can be itchy, or sometimes painful. Scratching the bites, especially in children, can lead to pus-filled blisters. Spider bites can be outright dangerous: the Black Widow spider bites are often painless but they can lead to severe nausea, vomiting, muscle cramps and seizures. There may be a sudden drop in blood pressure. It is important to seek medical attention if this happens. An anti venom injection must be taken. In many mid western and southern states, Brown Recluse spider bites have been reported. These can also be deadly and can lead to serious wounds and infections. Signs and symptoms include: reddish whiteness of the skin followed by “Bull’s eye” blisters. An anti venom injection must be taken promptly.

If you (or a loved one) are suffering from bed bug bites, chances are that you will have red welts, swollen bumps and rashes on exposed parts of your body, mainly the arms, legs, neck and backs. Bed bug bites are likelier at nighttime, as these pests prefer to stay hidden during the day, and come out when they sense the warmth and carbon dioxide generated by sleeping hosts. Fleas bites are typically associated with presence of pets such as dogs, cats, and other wildlife. Human fleas as well as chicken fleas are also common, depending on the area and availability of host animals. Flea bites tend to leave many signs, typically on arms, lower legs etc. Pet owners might observe intense scratching or other signs of distress in their pets owing to flea bites. In absence of host animals, fleas are capable of biting humans, especially small children. Fleas can jump long distances to latch onto other warm blooded hosts for getting their blood meals. They prefer to hide in furry or hairy animals but will not shy from drinking blood from humans. Fleas bite marks include raised, swollen and itchy red bumps typically on lower legs, arms or other exposed areas under the edges of loose fitting clothes. The red wheals or bumps can develop into blisters within a day or two.