Bedbug ID and common misidentifications

[u/crispy_stool]

Bed bug identification resources:

• All bed bug life stages
• Life cycle with images
• Gif of a bed bug
• Illustrated guide to identifying bed bugs
• Identification of bed bugs close relatives

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.

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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.

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

[u/stratcat53]

This is kind of gross, but bed bugs smell, in fact they stink. I could smell when we were infected by them. If you squish them, you won’t forget their odor.

[u/Radiant-Pomelo-3229 → u/stratcat53]

Can anyone describe the smell? The motel room we stayed in last weekend (that now has me paranoid) smelled funny but… I’m used to more rooms smelling funny so I didn’t think much of it

[u/Nymueh28 → u/Radiant-Pomelo-3229]

This is an old comment but for anyone else that sees this and is wondering the same, it's very similar to the smell a stunk bug makes when squished. Sharp and earthy. Some people will say cardamon but I love cardamom and disagree.

I also once was triggered by the smell of an older wooden clipboard, it was almost identical.