Can Bed Bugs Be Invisible?

It’s not uncommon for people to wake up with bed bug bites every morning, even though they have yet to see a bed bug. 

Bed bugs are not invisible. You can see them with your naked eye as long as your vision isn’t too bad. However, they are only about the size of an apple seed, and their young are even smaller, which can make them difficult to spot. 

Can People See Bed Bugs?

Yes, people can see bed bugs with the naked eye. 

But, even an adult bed bug is only the size of an apple seed (5-7 mm), making them hard to spot. 

And newly hatched bed bugs are even smaller, at less than 3 mm. 

Additionally, bed bugs are brown, which can make it easy for them to blend into their surroundings. 

Why Can’t I Find the Bed Bugs in My Home?

You most likely can’t find the bed bugs in your home simply because they are great at hiding. 

Bed bugs are small and are pretty flat if they haven’t eaten in a while, so they can squeeze into any crack or slit large enough to fit a credit card. 

Thus, bed bugs can hide pretty much anywhere. 

Even worse, they prefer dark places, making them harder to spot. 

Furthermore, bed bugs usually only come out of their hiding places at night when the lights are off. 

So, since they typically only appear when you’re sleeping, you may not see them. 

And, yes, it can be frustrating not to be able to find the bed bugs in your home, but if you don’t see them, at least you know your infestation isn’t that big. 

Because in large invasions, the insects will run out of places to hide, and you will start seeing them just about everywhere. 

How to Find Bed Bugs 

The best way to find bed bugs is to look in the places they like to hide. 

And their favorite spots include: 

• On the seams of your mattress 
• On the wall and baseboards behind your mattress 
• Inside cracks in walls 
• In the corner where the walls meet the ceiling or baseboards 
• Along the bottom edge of your boxspring 
• On crevices and ledges on your bedframe 

You should use a magnifying glass to search these areas because bed bugs and their eggs are quite small. 

Signs of Bed Bugs 

To confirm you have bed bugs, you will need to be able to identify the signs of these pests, such as their excrement and bites. 

Bed Bugs 

Of course, the easiest way to verify that you have bed bugs is to see the actual insects. 

And, obviously, you have to know what they look like to be able to identify them. 

So, how can you tell if what you found is a bed bug?

Well, bed bugs are tiny insects that are about the size of an apple seed. 

They are also pretty flat most of the time. 

However, if they have recently eaten, they may have more of a cylinder shape. 

Additionally, a bed bug’s body has creases that resemble stripes, and its end comes to a rounded point. 

You can also identify bed bugs by their medium brown color, which is slightly lighter than a roach. 

Plus, bed bugs have a head and neck that is distinct from the rest of their body, and their neck sections protrude on both sides to give this area an almost circular shape. 

Bed bugs also have six legs, rather small antennas, and do not jump or fly. 

Bed Bug Eggs 

Bed bug eggs are minuscule and can be hard to see with the naked eye. 

Thus, if you are checking for bed bugs, you should use a magnifying glass and a flashlight to check common bed bug hideouts to see if you can spot any eggs. 

You can identify a bed bug egg because it will look similar to a very tiny grain of rice. 

And these eggs are usually white, but they may be a light tan color as well. 

Further, you might be able to see a darker spot inside of them, which is the developing bed bug. 

Also, some of these eggs may be empty, meaning the bed bugs have already hatched. 

Bed Bug Exoskeletons

Bed bugs have to shed their skin so that they can grow. 

Thus, you may notice empty, light brown shells that look like bed bugs. 

If you find one of these, usually dry, casings, you definitely have bed bugs in your home. 

Bed Bug Bites 

Bed bug bites can be hard to distinguish because they look similar to other insect bites. 

However, there are some ways of determining if the bites on your body are from bed bugs. 

For most people, bed bug bites will appear as raised, red bumps that have a clear or dark center. 

Or, if you have dark skin, the bites may be purple or black. 

Also, you will usually find these bites in clusters, normally either in a zigzag or straight line. 

These bites will be itchy as well, and, in some people, they will be itchy to the point that it is painful. 

Another surefire way to figure out if the bites you have are from bed bugs is to see if you can find blood spots on your sheets or pillowcase that line up with the bites. 

For example, if you have bites on your legs, you may find small blood dots near the bottom of your bed. 

If so, there is a good chance that the bites came from bed bugs. 

Bed Bug Excrement 

You might also find bed bug excrement in places where bed bugs like to live. 

Bed bug excrement normally appears as black marks, which may have a lighter brown color around them. 

These spots are typically about the size of a mark from a pen. 

Conclusion 

Bed bugs are not invisible since they are about as big as an apple seed. 

However, because bed bugs are so small and good at hiding, it can be difficult for you to find proof that they are in your house.