Mosquitos and bed bugs are similar in many regards – they’re small blood-feeding insects that cause itching and discomfort. Even their bites often look similar, which is why many people confuse them.
But confusing these two insects (and their bites) can cause you to mismanage your treatment or even an infestation in your home. The solution? Learn how to distinguish bed bug bites vs. mosquito bites and how to react to each.
And that’s precisely what this guide will teach you – what each insect bite looks like, where it appears, and what symptoms it causes. Armed with this knowledge, you’ll have no issue treating these itchy bites. But that’s not all you’ll learn. You’ll also learn how to get rid of bugs from your home and yard and prevent these pesky bites from happening in the first place. Let’s begin.
Characteristics of Bites
To the untrained eye, a mosquito and a bed bug bite can appear similar. However, inspecting the appearance of your mystery bite more closely will reveal slight yet significant differences. The same goes for the location of bites on the human skin and their timing.
Bed Bug Bites vs. Mosquito Bites: Appearance
Both bed bugs and mosquitos will leave you with reddish, welt-like bumps, but their appearance won’t be identical.
A bed bug bite tends to be smaller and more raised than a mosquito bite. However, bed bugs feed in clusters, so you’ll rarely have just one bite on your skin, like with a tick bite. Instead, you’ll see a cluster of bite marks, often in groups of three to five, following a straight line or a zigzag pattern. Look at each bite, and you should be able to see a red dot, indicating where the bed bug bit you. Sometimes, there might be blisters on top of these bites.
As for mosquito bites, they are typically larger and more pronounced. If you’re sensitive to the proteins in mosquito saliva, the area around the bite will also get swollen due to your immune system's response. Look at the center of a mosquito bite, and you'll see a puncture wound. Though mosquito bites generally appear isolated, there can be multiple bites on the human body, but they don’t follow any pattern (e.g., a line).
Bed Bug Bites vs. Mosquito Bites: Location and Timing
Flea bites typically occur on feet, calves, or ankles, as those are the areas they can reach from the ground. Unlike fleas, mosquitos can fly, which, in turn, means they can bite virtually anywhere on the human body. Though bed bugs can’t fly, they usually “attack” at night while the unlucky individuals are sleeping, allowing them to target various areas of the human body.
Bed bugs will usually bite the exposed skin that comes in contact with the bed (e.g., face, neck, arms, and legs). However, they can also burrow under clothing, so no area is truly safe. They are also mainly nocturnal pests, hiding in bed or mattress crevices until the residents go to sleep.
As for mosquitos, the female mosquito (which does all the biting) must sustain contact for at least six seconds for its saliva to enter the bloodstream and cause a reaction. This contact can happen both through the exposed skin and clothing. Since a mosquito is incredibly light and its proboscis (the mouth part that looks like a needle that mosquitos use to feed) is sharp and thin, you're unlikely to feel it biting unless it's on a sensitive area of the skin like the face or palms of the hands.
Reaction and Symptoms
If you can’t tell which insect bit you based on the bite's appearance, you might be able to do so by the way your body reacts.
Bed Bug Bites vs. Mosquito Bites: Immediate Reaction
When a mosquito bites you, you’ll feel (and see) it almost immediately after. Itchy bumps will soon appear, causing different reactions, depending on how sensitive you are. For some, intense itching is the worst it gets, while others can have a severe allergic response.
As for the bed bug bites, they aren’t necessarily noticeable straight away. It can take hours or even days for you to react to these bites. But once the reaction comes, it’s often intense. The painful or itchy spots flare up the worst in the morning but tend to subside throughout the day.
Bed Bug Bites vs. Mosquito Bites: Common Symptoms
Regardless of the insect that does the biting, remember one thing: Everyone will react differently. And this doesn’t apply only to bed bugs and mosquitos. It also applies to other occurrences like ant bites or lice bites.
When it comes to bed bug and mosquito bites, they are both uncomfortable to endure. Depending on your sensitivity, you can feel a sensation ranging from slight discomfort to an insatiable itch around the area.
Bed bug bites can also cause an allergic reaction in the form of a rash. If the bite gets infected, you can also experience lymph node swelling, a fever, and tenderness of the affected region.
Mosquito bites can also cause an allergic reaction manifesting as hives, blisters, and swollen joints. Although rare, those with a severe allergy can even have an anaphylactic reaction that can be life-threatening and call for immediate medical attention.
Duration and Healing
Knowing how to treat bed bug and mosquito bites and how long they last is crucial for effective relief.
Bed Bug Bites vs. Mosquito Bites: Healing Time
Since bed bug bites can present days after the initial contact, it shouldn’t be surprising they also take longer to heal. After bites from bed bugs, healing can last for several days or even longer. As for mosquitos, fresh bites will only last for a day or two. Afterward, you’ll immediately feel better.
Bed Bug Bites vs. Mosquito Bites: Treatment Approaches
How you’ll treat your bite will depend on the severity of your reaction to the bite(s). Unless you’re allergic to any of these insects, you shouldn’t require medical treatment.
Here are some general tips on how to treat common bug bites:
- Keep the bites clean and dry to help them heal.
- Clean the bites with soap and water.
- Avoid scratching the affected area.
- Use an anti-itch cream to relieve itching.
- Use an itch patch to protect the affected area, minimizing scratching and irritation.
- Apply over-the-counter antihistamine creams.
- In case of a severe reaction, seek emergency medical attention.
Mosquito bites usually won’t require any other specific treatment. As for bed bug bites, you can also try a cold compress and oral antihistamines like Benadryl. However, treating bed bugs also requires getting rid of them from your home, which this guide will soon cover.
Risk of Disease Transmission
There’s another aspect of insect bites that adds a layer of concern – the risk of disease transmission. Luckily, bed bugs aren’t known to transmit diseases. But the same can’t be said for mosquitos.
Mosquitos are indeed a significant concern when it comes to disease transmission, as their bites can spread several serious diseases, including the following:
- West Nile fever
- Malaria
- Dengue fever
- Zika virus
These diseases are so prevalent that mosquitos are often called “the world’s deadliest animals,” causing up to 1,000,000 global deaths annually. This just emphasizes the importance of prevention, using products like mosquito patches for adults and mosquito patches for kids.
How To Get Rid of Bugs
Recognizing and treating insect bites is one thing; trying to prevent them from happening again is another. Since we’ve covered the former extensively, let’s move on to the latter.
Many of these actions can help you rid your home and yard of insects in general, thus avoiding other unpleasant surprises like spider bites. But we’ll also emphasize if a tip can help with a specific insect type.
Do the Laundry ASAP
A bed bug infestation means one thing – your bed needs a thorough cleanup. Start by washing all the sheets, bedding, and linens in hot water. The “hot” part is crucial to actually eliminating these insects, so make sure to use a high-temperature setting on your washing machine and dryer. Do the same with any item that comes in contact with your bed, and wash each load twice just to be sure.
Don’t Forget About the Furniture
Don’t get fooled by their name – bed bugs won’t stay confined to your bed. You’ll also find them in soft furniture like chairs and couches. Again, you need to take immediate action. For bulky pieces of furniture that aren’t moved often, a professional cleaning service or a pest control company is the best way to go. For anything smaller (and washable), take the same steps as you did for your bed.
Check All Nooks and Crannies
Bed bugs, as well as mosquitoes, can hide in the small cracks and holes in baseboards or walls, so make sure to inspect every inch of your home. If you notice any intruders, fill the gaps in to prevent them from living and breeding there any longer.
Install Quality Screens
Mosquitos can live outside full-time, only coming inside to feed. So, your task is to prevent them from getting into the house. You can do so by installing new screens on windows and doors or repairing your existing ones. If there are any large cracks in your window frames, seal them using caulk.
Keep Your Yard in Pristine Condition
An unkempt yard is a potential breeding ground for mosquitos and other pests. So, to prevent them from reigning supreme around your home, keep your yard well-maintained. This includes (but is not limited to) the following:
- Keep the grass trimmed and tidy
- Eliminate any standing water
- Keep rain gutters clear of plant matter
- Eliminate plant debris throughout the yard
Declutter Your Home
Like your yard, your home will need some decluttering to keep the mosquitos away. The same goes for regular cleaning. By keeping your home tidy, disposing of unnecessary piles of clothes, and cleaning even hard-to-reach and dark areas, you can eliminate insect hiding spots and breeding grounds.
Rely on Essential Oils
Many sites or companies will harp on the use of pesticides in and around your home to get rid of unwanted bugs or insects. What they forget to mention is how harmful they are to the environment and to the health of you and your family.
At The Natural Patch Co., we are all about doing things the natural way, and that includes how you repel insects. Instead of spraying harmful chemicals around your family, use all-natural essential oils.
Essential oils have been used for hundreds of years and have stood the test of time. Scents like citronella have been used to repel mosquitoes by indigenous tribes for longer than chemical pesticides have been on the market and are still effective today.
Use our mosquito stickers on clothes to keep you and your kids safe from bites all day. The scent of essential oils is pleasant to people but abhorrent to mosquitoes and other pesky insects, making using these stickers a win-win scenario.
Stay Bite-Free
Knowing the difference between bed bug bites vs. mosquito bites can help you achieve two things – treat their bites appropriately and prevent those critters from nibbling on you in the future. The Natural Patch Co. has you covered in both regards. Use our all-natural products and follow the tips and tricks outlined in this guide, and your home should stay bug-free while your family stays bite-free.
FAQs
What kills bed bugs?
Insecticides like pyrethrins and pyrethroids kill bed bugs.
Where do bed bugs bite the most?
Bed bugs can bite all over your body, but they typically target the body parts left exposed during sleep, such as the face, neck, arms, and legs.
How do you get rid of bed bugs fast?
You can get rid of bed bugs fast by hiring professional pest control services. If you want a DIY approach, thoroughly washing, vacuuming, and steam-cleaning all the infested areas can be a solution (although sometimes only a temporary one).
Are bed bug bites itchier than mosquito?
Bed bug bites can be itchier than mosquito bites since they take longer to heal. However, the level of itchiness typically depends on your sensitivity to mosquito bites and bed bug bites.
