What Do Bed Bugs Look Like?

Compare the bugs you’ve found with these pictures to decide if you’re really dealing with bed bugs. Bed bugs leave 5 signs you can use to identify them even without a live bug.

We also host a gallery of pictures of bed bug bites.

Tap or click on any image to full screen photos. You can also navigate using arrow keys.

Pictures of Bed Bugs

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cimex lectularius, bed bug on skin — A closeup of an unfed adult bed bug on skin.

bedbug close look — An adult bed bug closeup. Note the tiny golden hairs covering it. Source: Gilles San Martin (CC BY-SA 2.0)

bed bug on skin — Bed bug closeup on skin. Helpful for identification! Source: Jiří Humpolíček, (CC BY-SA 2.5)

bed bug biting skin — Bed bug pictured mid-bite, a different angle. Not as flat as an unfed specimen. Source: Jiří Humpolíček, (CC BY-SA 2.5)

bed bug biting skin — Bed bug pictured biting skin, mildly engorged and noticeably red. Source: Jiří Humpolíček, (CC BY-SA 2.5)

pic adult bed bug biting skin — An adult bed bug biting human skin. Not as flat as unfed; you can see the tiny golden hairs.

bed bug cimex lectularius on skin — A bed bug in profile while biting skin.

hungry bedbug — Bed bug with bubbles in abdomen indicating hunger.

cimex lectularius bed bug — A closeup of an adult bed bug on a rug. Source: Gilles San Martin (CC BY-SA 2.0)

cimex lectularius, bed bug — Bed bug anatomy.

red bed bugs semi-flat and engorged — Female bed bugs. One starting feeding, the elongated one has been feeding for minutes. Same exact bug! Like blood accordions. Source: ©2013 Louento.pix (CC BY-ND)

Closeup of a bed bug amongst carpet fibers. Source: Jacopo Werther, (CC BY-SA 2.0)

identify bed bugs size penny — Bed bug skins next to a penny USDA. Nymphs and adults present. Source: ©2009 U.S. Department of Agriculture (CC BY)

identify bedbug size dime — An adult bed bug on a dime for scale. No wonder they’re good hiders. Extremely flat as well. Source: ©2011 Medill (DC CC BY)

bedbugs look like apple seeds — Bed bugs with apple seeds for scale. The engorged ones look just like apple seed. Source: ©2012 Louento.pix (CC BY-ND)

molting signs bed bugs picture — Recently molted bed bugs are clear and not red like adults. Look for shed skins! Source: ©2007 Louento.pix (CC BY-ND)

adult bed bugs picture — Male and female adult bed bugs with two eggs and dark fecal spots. Source: ©2008 Louento.pix (CC BY-ND)

bed bug baby stage — First instar just hatched bed bugs on the right and left of the larger flat adult. Source: ©2008 Louento.pix (CC BY-ND)

bed bug shed skins, an easy symptom — Bed bugs will live amongst their shed skins in infestations. Look for molts as an easy symptom to get them identified. Source: ©2008 Louento.pix (CC BY-ND)

Cimex lectularius, bed bugs group pic — A group of bed bugs. Lighter shaded ones are younger nymphs. Source: Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Pictures of Baby Bed Bugs

baby bed bug biting skin — Bed bug first instar nymph feeding. Source: ©2006 Louento.pix (CC BY-ND)

baby bed bug biting skin — Bed bug first instar nymph starting to suck blood. Source: ©2006 Louento.pix (CC BY-ND)

red baby bed bug biting — A bed bug in its first stage biting. Mid-feed. Source: ©2006 Louento.pix (CC BY-ND)

red baby bed bug biting skin — A first or second instar bed bug feeding. Baby bed bugs turn bright red with blood.

bed bug baby stage — First instar just hatched bed bugs on the right and left of the larger flat adult. Source: ©2008 Louento.pix (CC BY-ND)

pictures baby bed bug early stages — Young bed bug nymphs kept for research. See skin molts from different stages. Source: ©2011 Louento.pix (CC BY-ND)

baby bed bug stages pic — Bed bugs kept in bottles for study. These are 2nd and 3rd stage nymphs. Fecal drops are accordingly small. Source: ©2011 Louento.pix (CC BY-ND)

bed bugs identifying tape — Tape being used to trap bed bugs. Useful method to take identifying pictures. Source: ©2007 Louento.pix (CC BY-ND)

Pictures of Bed Bugs Symptoms

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bed bug shed skins, an easy symptom — Bed bugs will live amongst their shed skins in infestations. Look for molts as an easy symptom to get them identified. Source: ©2008 Louento.pix (CC BY-ND)

bed bug baby stage — First instar just hatched bed bugs on the right and left of the larger flat adult. Source: ©2008 Louento.pix (CC BY-ND)

bed bug symptoms bed — Baby and adult bed bugs, eggs, feces found beneath a bed frame. Source: ©2008 Louento.pix (CC BY-ND)

bed bug symptoms bed boxspring — Bed bug signs around bed boxspring; bugs, nymphs, eggs, feces. Source: ©2008 Louento.pix (CC BY-ND)

crushed bed bug and bite rash on skin — After discovering raised welts and red rash on legs, bed bug was found killed with blood inside. Source: ©2011 Magalie L’Abbé (CC BY-ND)

Bed Bug Hiding Places

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bed bug infested bed — This collapsed bed mattress is infested with bed bugs, likely inside and out. A group can be seen in the deep crease on the right hand side. Source: ©2009 Louento.pix (CC BY-ND)

bed bug symptoms bed closeup — Adult bed bugs, nymphs, eggs, and feces amongst mattress fibers. Source: ©2007 Louento.pix (CC BY-ND)

bed bug symptoms bed — Baby and adult bed bugs, eggs, feces found beneath a bed frame. Source: ©2008 Louento.pix (CC BY-ND)

bed bug symptoms bed boxspring — Bed bug signs around bed boxspring; bugs, nymphs, eggs, feces. Source: ©2008 Louento.pix (CC BY-ND)

bed bugs symptoms bed headboard — Recently fed red bed bug amongst adults, baby bed bugs, molted skins, and feces inside a bed headboard detail. Source: ©2008 Louento.pix (CC BY-ND)

bed bugs hiding in bed frame — Shed bed bug skins and live bed bugs hiding in a slotted bed frame. Source: ©2008 Louento.pix (CC BY-ND)

bed bugs hiding behind headboard — Headboard with bed bug adults, nymphs, eggs, waste. Source: ©2008 Louento.pix (CC BY-ND)

bed bugs in bed mattress — Bed box spring air hole overflowing with bed bugs. Use an encasement. Source: ©2009 Louento.pix (CC BY-ND)

beg bugs symptoms chair — Adult and baby bed bugs, molted skins, white clear eggs, and feces under upholstered chair. Source: ©2007 Louento.pix (CC BY-ND)

bed bugs hiding in screw well — Screw well on side of plastic desk chair hiding bugs, skins, eggs, and excrement. Light droppings are excretory and dark ones are fecal blood. Source: ©2008 Louento.pix (CC BY-ND)

bed bugs mating eggs — Bed bugs mating with milk-colored eggs in crevice nearby. Source: OH-BugMan (CC BY-SA 4.0)

bed bugs infested shoe — Bed bugs inside a shoe fold. Complete with eggs, adults and baby bed bugs. Black spots are blood feces. Source: ©2009 Louento.pix (CC BY-ND)

extreme bed bug infested home — Home completely overrun with bed bugs. Shoes aren’t a normal place for bed bugs to group. Source: ©2009 Louento.pix (CC BY-ND)

picture bed bugs at home — Bed bugs hiding amongst wooden supports. Adults try to lay eggs in safe hideaways.

bed bug symptoms wood shelf — Behind a wooden shelf where baby bed bugs (tannish), adults, eggs (white), and fecal droppings hid. Source: ©2008 Louento.pix (CC BY-ND)

Heavy bed bug infestation door hinge — Severe infestation, bed bugs hidden in door hinges. Tiny nymphs on right (tan), eggs deeper (clear), dark fecal matter all around. Source: ©2009 Louento.pix (CC BY-ND)

bed bugs behind floor trim — Rubber floor trim hiding bed bugs. Bugs are at top corner where there is no adhesive. Source: ©2006 Louento.pix (CC BY-ND)

Thanks for Reading

If you’re dealing with an infestation now, our guide will help you get rid of bed bugsstep by step.

If you’d like to submit an image or are looking for examples we don’t have yet, please let us know in the comments below.

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