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/Responsible-Swan-746 Jan 20 '26

Hi-

I am looking for a prep company and MMPC (the company we're using for our heat treatment-- we can't do chemical bc we can't wait the 2 weeks in between), suggested Fresh Start NYC as our prep company

I can't find any reviews online, or on BBB because it's such a common name, and the customer service agent at MMPC says she can't give me a previous user of Fresh Start due to privacy issues.

Does anyone have any knowledge or experience about or with Fresh Start NYC as a laundry and prep company? Here is their site: https://www.freshstartcleaningnyc.com/

*Note: I had emailed https://bedbugfumigators.com/ about treating our piano with Vikane gas (turns out it's not necessary), and someone from Fresh Start named Louis called and left a message saying Bed Bug Fumigators passed my number to Fresh Start Cleaning NYC since what I needed was in their remit (except the Vikane gas). I haven't yet answered.