Itchy, rashy, red-scabbed skin keeping you up at night? If you find insects in your bed it might be a bed bug infestation. But it could also be a flea infestation or ticks. First, let’s identify the differences between bed bug bites, chigger rash, and flea bites before diving into how to identify bed bug insects.

  • Bite Location
  • Bite Appearance
  • Bite Pattern
  • Bite Severity

Chigger, Flea & Bed Bug Bit Differences

The most common places bed bugs bite in the neck, head, face, and arms. Eeeek! While flea bites usually occur in small clusters of pink dots with a distinct red dot in the center, bed bug bites are larger and darker in color resembling boils. Bites from bed bugs typically occur in a line rather than a cluster-like bite from fleas.

Flea bites usually occur below the waist, while bed bugs usually feed on your upper body. However, if a flea infestation is bad enough or you sleep with pets that are infested, flea bites may occur anywhere on your body. Flea bites are much smaller than bed bug bites.



Chigger bites are more likely to occur on your legs or feet when young chigger larvae attach to your skin when it comes into contact with grass.

Unlike fleas and bed bugs that feed for a few minutes at most, baby chiggers inject saliva that turns your cells into liquid food feeding for several days. The itchiness from chigger bites only abates when they are removed from your skin or leave voluntarily.

Chigger bites are red, itchy blisters that resemble hives and are just as itchy. Chigger bites usually appear in clusters, covering a diameter of a few inches on your legs, feet, or both. That’s because chigger larvae stick together in large groups, waiting for an unsuspecting barefoot child, dog, or cat to brush against them so they can latch on.

Flea, Chigger, and Bed Bug Bite Similarities

Bites from any of these insects are very itchy and may cause large red welts, rashes, and inflammation. This is especially true for people with sensitive skin or allergies exacerbating high histamine levels. Fleas, ticks, and bed bugs can all hitchhike their way into your home from the outdoors, other homes, friends, or infested locations.

How Can I Tell if It’s Bed Bugs?

If you want to see if it’s bed bugs you’ll need to look inside your mattress, bed frame, headboard, and bedding. If you find any small white or gray insects roughly the size of a lemon or apple seed they are bed bugs. If they are red and the size of a small raisin they could be bed bugs that have recently fed on your blood.

Think it’s Bed Bugs?

If you think you identified bed bugs, call your local exterminator right away for bed bug treatment. Don’t let it get worse or try DIY treatments that will likely not work to remove them completely. Hiring a professional, experienced bed bug exterminator is the right choice for you and your family. Call Life After Bugs at (832) 230-6433 today to get started so you can enjoy your Life After Bugs.