List of Bugs That Look Like Bed Bugs

Have you found an insect that is troubling you at night, but it’s not a bed bug? There are many look-alikes of bed bugs. These are the bugs that look like bed bugs but they aren’t actually and you mistake them for bed bugs. Many of these leave bites like bed bugs too. We have researched and prepared this list of insects like beetles, ticks, flat red bugs, and many more which you may confuse for bed bugs.

The feeling of itchiness or bites in the body after you get up from your bed is the worst to have in the mornings. If you feel this often, you would have to check your bed for bed bugs because this is the sign of it. However, you should know the characteristics of these small bed bugs to identify them. 

There could be another reason for the marks on your body, as there are other bugs that look like bed bugs. Don’t stress yourself, we have got you covered by writing all the details about bed bug look-alikes. Read through and find your foe of the bed but first see how to identify bed bugs?

How to Identify Bed Bugs

• Bedbugs are small in size, oval-shaped, brown-colored insects.
• Adult Bedbugs are large as the size of an apple seed.
• Bedbugs can’t fly, but they move quickly with their six legs.
• Bedbugs live on the blood of any creature. Ex Humans, Animals.
• They hide in near your bed, will come in the night to suck out of blood from the exposed area of your body.
• The bite of bed bugs is different from mosquitoes’ bite.

Now, that you know how to identify bed bugs, let’s get on with another important question, “what bugs can be mistaken for bed bugs?“.

List Of Bugs That Look Like Bed Bugs

Below are the bugs that can be easily mistaken for bed bugs because they look like them.

Bat Bugs

• In the list for insects that look like bed bugs, we have added this in the first because of the similarities in the appearances.
• The shape of bat bugs, color, and size all are the same as Bed bugs.
• The only difference, you would find in looks is that Bat bugs have hair on the head. Whereas, bed bugs don’t.

Spider Beetles

• The size and shape of Spider beetles are similar to bed bugs, but the difference factor is color here.
• As they do have black, the red color on their back with thin legs and hair on the head.
• Some of these spider beetles don’t bite, but they can fly.

Cockroach Nymphs

• Cockroach nymphs are nothing but the egg or baby form of cockroaches. 
• You would find these bed bug look-alikes near cracks on the wall, and bed.
• The main intriguing fact about these little insects is that they need badly food elements in the first 10 hours of the birth.

Booklice

• The size of the booklice is between 1 to 6mm. The bodies of these insects are soft, it’s easy to kill them with your hands.
• The color of booklice also differs from bed bugs, as they color either light brown or creamy yellow.
• You would probably find these bugs that look like bed bugs near your bed, as they would like to live in high humidity areas. However, they don’t bite.

Swallow Bugs

• Same like bed bugs, the looks of these swallow bugs are exactly the same but you can differentiate them with the antenna on their heads.
• The bits of swallow bugs can cause some severe reactions to a human body, but you wouldn’t probably find them in your room.
• As they likely to live in barn and bird nests, but you can’t be so sure.

Carpet Beetles

• These flat red bugs are small with an antenna on their heads. They are long between 2-3.8mm. 
• They are dangerous and can be the cause of allergic reactions resulting in dermatitis.
• However, you would not find these beetles that look like bed bugs in the bedroom. As the name suggests, you likely to find these on the carpet.

Fleas

• Fleas are other bugs that look like bed bugs, but they jump everywhere. That could be the reason for your irritation.
• They do have longer legs than bed bugs, round heads. Comes in the size of eight-inch. 
• These flat bugs that look like bed bugs can come to your room if your pet takes them from outside of the house.

Ticks

• The only similarities between ticks and bed bugs are that both live on blood. 
• So, you need to be aware of the looks of these round-headed ticks and your pet doesn’t bring them in your bedroom.
• Lyme, Ehrlichiosis, and Rocky Mountain Spotted fever are the example of diseases that can transmit through ticks that look like bed bugs. 

Mites

• These bugs mistaken for bed bugs lives on rodents and other similar small animals. 
• So, if you have rodents in the house, you would probably have these insects in your house.
• The mite’s bite can cause a lot more pain than bed bug’s bites, as it can go inside your body’s skin. 

Head Lice

• These insects that look like bed bugs can’t fly but can crawl very quickly, and bite around your head or neck.
• The size of the head lice is about of a sesame seed, they also have six legs just like bed bugs.
• They are hungry for food, and can not live without it or it can die in 1 day.

So, this is the list of bugs that look like bed bugs. However, let’s not take this situation lightly. I know, you are getting the question of what could you do in this situation when you find bugs in your house? Below are the reasons for existence of bed bugs and bugs like them.

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Reasons for existence for bed bugs

Check Your Bed Frequently

• The first thing you can do if you feel any itchiness is to check the surface of your bed. 
• If you don’t find anything, that probably means it’s either some other problem or other bed bug look-alikes. More on that in the latter part of this article.

Itch On Your Body

• Sometimes, it could be just the irritation that causes this itchiness in your body, as there are many reasons for it besides bed bugs.
• You should check for the medication for this frequent itchiness if you haven’t found bed bugs or any bugs near your bed.  

Rashes Could Be The Reason

• Rashes could be another reason after repeated irritation on your skin. 
• Now, it is time to consider checking with the dermatologist or any expert medical personnel.

This concludes our article on bugs that look like a bed bug, and how to find them. We hope that this solves all your questions regarding bed bug look-alikes and you won’t mistake them for bed bugs from now on. However, don’t hesitate to ask if you have any other questions.