Both bed bug and mosquito bites are red and irritating, and they may even seem identical. Though they share some traits, they are descended from distinct species. It might be difficult to distinguish if a bite is from a bed bug or a mosquito.
Because of this, it’s important to pay attention to the little cues and signs that might reveal which bug attacked you.
Knowing the difference between bed bug and mosquito bites can help people respond to bites effectively and take extra steps to avoid getting bitten again.
With the right knowledge, you may assess which therapy will best help your bites to stop itching and bothering you.
Stop waiting for the itching and irritability to become worse!
What Are Bed Bugs?
Bed bugs are little, brown, oblong insects that live upon the blood of people or animals. This insect can’t fly. They can, however, travel swiftly over floors and ceilings.
Each of the hundreds of eggs that female bed bugs may deposit is the size of a little grain of dirt.
For bed bugs to reproduce and lay eggs, they need to feed at least once every 14 days. However, they are also capable of going around a year without eating.
Like ants, bed bugs do not build nests. However, they frequently live in groups in shadowy places.
They typically conceal themselves in beds, headboards, box springs, and pillows so that they may easily reach people in the nighttime.
Typically, bed bugs are more active at night and when people are sleeping. With a long beak, they extract the blood from the skin and ingest it to survive.
Bed Bug Bites
Individuals respond differently to bed bug bites, just like they do to other bites. These effects may not manifest for several hours or days. Bed bug bites can cause uncomfortable and itchy reactions in some people, but they can also cause more severe and painful reactions in others.
Typically, a person will get three to five bed bug bites at a time. The bites themselves are swollen, painful, and itching. Bed bug bites might occasionally have a sore or blister on top.
Bed bugs bite where the skin is exposed at night because they feed on blood and are most active then.
Finding bed insect molt skins in the bed, as well as the pests’ eggs, empty eggshells, or even their bodies, is another way to identify a bed bug infestation. Despite being minuscule in form, they are nevertheless discernible to the human eye.
After emerging from their eggshells, bed bug molt skins and eggshells appear pale white.
What Are Mosquitos?
A member of the “fly” family, mosquitos. Although mosquitoes are little and have a short lifespan, they may nevertheless cause harm to people.
Mosquitoes are often bothersome and occasionally downright harmful due to their itchiness and the illnesses they transmit through their bites.
The grass and bushes close to residential areas are home to mosquitoes. Standing water is their favored nesting location.
They have the ability to spread disease to both humans and animals. Because of the smell of carbon dioxide and other compounds in your sweat, mosquitoes choose humans as their prey.
Long, tubular mouth parts of female mosquitoes allow them to pierce your skin and feast on your blood. When they attack you, they inject saliva into your body while drawing blood.
Mosquito Bites
Only female mosquitoes can bite, and only after making contact for at least six seconds can enough saliva from the insect reach the bloodstream to result in a response.
Mosquito bites look like red pimples with a hole in the middle. Sometimes, if a person is really sensitive, they might develop bigger elevated patches called welts.
Because of how the immune system reacts to mosquito saliva, bites itch.
Between sunset and daybreak, when it is darkest, is when mosquitoes are most likely to bite. Mosquitoes may be drawn to warm environments, human perspiration, and carbon dioxide.
Differences Between Bed Bugs Bites and Mosquito Bites
Bed bugs and mosquito bites differ in various aspects, including how they affect a person’s skin.
Appearance
Bites from bed bugs typically appear in groups and frequently follow a recognizable pattern, like a line or a zigzag. Bite wounds typically develop in places that a person exposes when sleeping.
On the other hand, mosquito bites typically occur in discrete clusters and emerge at random on exposed skin.
Reaction time
Most of the time, bed bug bites go unnoticed, and symptoms only become apparent hours or days later. Symptoms usually go away without additional agitation after a week or two.
On the other hand, a mosquito bite could be immediately itchy and noticeable. Usually, they recover in a day or two.
Infection
In addition to itchiness and discomfort, severe illnesses can be conveyed by mosquito bites. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimate that each year, these illnesses claim the lives of more than 725,000 individuals worldwide.
Many illnesses are spread by mosquitoes, however a few of the most prevalent ones are as follows:
- West Nile fever
- dengue fever
- Zika
- malaria
It is not thought that bed bugs transmit diseases like mosquitoes do.
Symptoms
Bed bug bites and mosquito bites might have different symptoms, which may make it easier for patients to determine which type they have.
Bed bug bites
Bed bug symptoms include:
- small, raised, red bumps in groups of three to five
- frequently, zigzag-shaped bumps on the hands, arms, shoulders, neck, face, and thighs.
- Itchy lumps that might develop into blisters
Mosquito bites
Most people experience itching, red pimples with puncture holes in the centre after being bitten by a mosquito. After the bite, they often show a few hours or days later.
People who have a mosquito allergy might also get:
- hives
- blisters
- fever
- swollen joints
- severe allergic reactions including anaphylaxis
Bite Treatment
A bite or bites might heal faster if they are kept dry and clean. You should resist the urge to scratch or itch. This worsens skin irritation and raises the risk of infection.
Mosquito bites
Typically, you don’t need to treat mosquito bites. Applying a topical antihistamine lotion might relieve those that are very itchy. A cloth-covered ice pack can be used, and the afflicted region can be cleaned with soap and water.
Bed bug bites
The majority of bed bug bites may be treated without a prescription. Treatments include of:
- applying a cold compress
- topical anti-itch or steroid cream application over the afflicted regions
- taking an oral antihistamine, such as Benadryl
If you believe you were bitten at home, treating bed bug bites also requires getting rid of the bugs from your house. Between feedings, bed bugs can survive for up to a year. Therefore, it’s crucial to contact a qualified exterminator who can get rid of bed bugs. After doing this, a bedroom should be cleared of all papers and crevices where bed bugs can hide.