What to Know About Baby Bed Bugs

What do baby bed bugs look like? Should you send for the flamethrower? Settle in as we take you through all you need to know about these little suckers. That old rhyme (“sleep tight…”) doesn't lie.

Bed bugs do bite, and even a baby bed bug can set you to scratching.

Usually, we love a baby animal. Give us a kitten, a puppy, a fluffy chick any day.

But we're sorry to say we've found the exception to the rule. A baby bed bug is a revolting little thing 🤢.

In this article: 📝

Can you see baby bed bugs?

Yes, you can!

Despite what you may have heard, baby bed bugs are visible without a microscope, though they can be hard to see against white bedding.

How do I identify a bed bug nymph?

The word “nymph” usually conjures up soft-focus images of young women languorously frolicking in water.

Sadly, that’s not what we’re talking about here.

Nymph is another word for baby bed bug.

You may have even heard the name instar, which is the scientific term for baby bugs in general.

What do baby bed bugs look like?

Newborn bed bugs go through five stages of development, reaching up to 5/6 mm in adulthood.

They start out at around 1mm long as an egg, looking something like a grain of rice.

They take 4-5 weeks to complete their growing, and adults can live up to 14 months. Eeek.

Bed bug nymphs look almost exactly like their parents, except that they are white or straw-colored and see-through.

As they grow, they get browner and browner, ending up solid brown as an adult.

They have six legs and a flat oval abdomen that plumps up as they feed.

After a so-called “blood feed” (step back Edward Cullen), baby bed bugs may be easier to see because of a dot of red on their bodies.

That’s literally just the blood showing through their translucent exoskeleton.

Just the thing you want to think about as you get in bed, right?

Where do baby bed bugs come from?

Just like us, baby bed bugs come from a mama.

And probably have a whole lot of brothers and sisters.

They can travel from place to place on humans, animals, clothing, or in infested bedding, furniture, and luggage.

Baby bed bugs can live about 4 months without needing to feed, so they find it pretty easy to travel to exciting new destinations.

They tend to hide during the day and come out at night. You'll find them in all sorts of cracks and crevasses, behind baseboards, under box springs, and in electrical outlets.

Even in books!

They also like to hide in the seams of mattresses and of course, in your bedding.

What does it mean when you see baby bed bugs?

Baby bed bugs mean there is probably an egg-laying female around (Alien flashbacks, anyone?).

And if you see one, it's time to launch a full-scale attack to prevent infestation.

They are very good at hiding, and their life cycle means you need to get them at all stages to wipe them out for good.

Do bed bugs really bite?

Yep. Although it's actually more like a puncture.

They first inject the bite site with some anesthetic to numb the area, which is why you don't feel the actual bite. Sneaky.

They then siphon out your blood which takes about 5-10 minutes for an adult bedbug.

The crazy thing is that 30-60% of people never even know they've been bitten.

For those who do have a reaction, while very itchy, it's seldom serious and usually resolves within a week or two.

You can use oral antihistamines, steroid creams, an ice pack, or a thin paste of baking soda and water to help that itch!

How to get rid of baby bed bugs and their familia

This can be done with steam/heat (like washing laundry on high), insecticides, effective use of diatomaceous earth (an insecticide you can buy at most hardware stores), and a frenzy of vacuuming to get them out of the cracks and crevices they like to hide in.

You likely need to do at least 2-3 treatments to thoroughly eradicate them.

It doesn’t hurt to call in a professional to make sure the job is done right.

So, just remember:

Sleep tight. Don't let the bedbugs bite. And if they do, hit them with a shoe (or temperatures above 119 deg F).

💡 More from The 411: What is a Stork Bite Birthmark on a Baby? Why Do Babies Cry? 12 Possible Reasons How to Calm a Crying Baby Baby Acne: Treatments & Causes What to Do About Baby Heat Rash What Causes Ringworm in Babies? Newborn Skin Peeling: What to Know Newborn Chapped Lips: Why It Happens and What to Do Should You Be Worried About Baby Rash? Smallpox vs. Chickenpox: What’s the Difference? Baby Red Cheeks: What to Know Should You Worry About a Newborn Rash? What to Know About Hives on Your Baby Newborn Dry Skin: What to Know and What to Do