What’s the Difference Between Bed Bugs and Mites?

Need to get rid of bed bugs or mites? Read on to learn the answers to all your important questions. Need help? Call our professionals today to get started.

Which Bugs Live in Beds?

While it’s never fun to find a bug anywhere in your house, one of the worst places to find a bug is in or on your bed. You probably know that any bug that crawls in your house might find its way into or onto your bed including spiders, cockroaches and ants. But there are only a few bugs that primarily live in or near your bed and very few other places. Read on to learn about bugs that live in our beds. 

Are Bed Bugs and Mites the Same Thing?

Bed bugs are parasites that live in the cracks and crevices of your furniture including your mattress, box spring, headboard, and bed linens. Bed bugs can also be found living in tiny cracks in your flooring, walls, picture frames, wallpaper and any other object within 100 feet of where you sleep. 

House dust mites, on the other hand, are not parasitic and cannot bite your skin. They feed off skin scales or flakes (“dander”) that people and animals shed—this is the primary makeup of dust. 

How Can I Tell the Difference Between Bed Bugs and Mites?

The clearest difference between bed bugs and mites is their size. Bed bugs are visible to the naked eye and are about the size of Lincoln’s head on a penny. Dust mites, on the other hand, can only be seen using a microscope, and are less than 1/10 the size of a bed bug. Bed bugs are brown to reddish brown in color while mites are translucent to white in color. 

Are Bed Bugs and Mites Dangerous?

Though these pests are different and do different things in your home, they can both be a nuisance in different ways. If you have a bed bug infestation, you can find yourself covered in itchy, sometimes painful bites and may find that you experience a lot of sleep disruption with possible psychological side effects as well. Mites may not bite humans, but they can cause a lot of discomfort anyway. Many people are allergic to dust mites. The allergy is to the waste that dust mites leave behind including fecal matter and other secretions. These allergies most commonly present as wheezing, shortness of breath and asthma attacks. 

If you think you have a problem with bed bugs, mites, or any other bug that may have taken up residence in your bed, don’t hesitate to reach out to Pest Control Experts for a great recommendation on a pest care specialist.