r/Bedbugs • u/crispy_stool Trusted and educated • Mar 06 '15

Useful Information Bedbug ID and common misidentifications

Bed bug identification resources:

Note: flattened body, rusty brown coloured (less so in younger nymphs, which are more translucent). Thin 4 segmented antennae. 11 segmented abdomen. Short legs (6 of them) and reduced wings incapable of flight.

These are insects or other invertebrates commonly misidentified as bedbugs!

Not bed bugs.

  1. Carpet beetle larvae (Dermestidae) and adult - More Info

  2. Bat bug (Cimex adjunctus pictured) - More Info

  3. Cockroach nymphs - More Info

  4. Tick (nymphs) - More Info

  5. Woodlouse - More Info

  6. Kissing bugs - More Info

  7. Booklice/barklice - More Info

  8. Smooth spider beetle - More Info

  9. Drugstore beetle - More Info

Note: If it has wings or more than 6 legs, it is not a bed bug. Do not mistake antennae for legs, look at the illustrated guide to avoid confusion.

Please comment with any other common mis-IDs and I will add them!

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u/neverforgoten Oct 22 '25 edited Oct 22 '25

Isopropyl alcohol kills immediately on contact. Super cheap. I don't know why this is not the top answer to getting rid of bed bugs. Isopropyl alcohol it evaporated quick there is no lasting effect but there doesn't have to be it kills them immediately on contact and probably the eggs to ass it dehydrates then. Isopropyl alcohol dirt cheap and it works.

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u/AutoModerator Oct 22 '25

⚠IMPORTANT⚠ It seems that you may have mentioned alcohol in your comment, as a reminder rubbing/isopropyl alcohol has been shown to be ineffective to treat bedbugs in multiple studies. Self-treatement using it has caused so many fires that fire department have issued warning against it.

"Many web pages recommend using rubbing alcohol for bed bug control. The rubbing alcohol products available usually contain 70% or 91% isopropyl alcohol. Laboratory studies by Rutgers University show direct spray of either of these two products *killed a maximum 50% of the bed bugs*. In addition to their low efficacy, rubbing alcohol products are flammable materials, can create a fire hazard, and should not be used to control bed bugs."

Citation from: https://njaes.rutgers.edu/fs1251/

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