Bed Bugs and Bat Bugs: What’s the difference?

What is the difference between the bed bugs and bat bugs? When prehistoric humans fashioned primitive sleeping cots in caves, bed bugs were present. If those caves had a few bats hanging around, they probably had bat bugs as well. Some of the earliest historical writings mentioned these biting pests. Since the bugs are almost identical in appearance, how can you tell the difference?

Bed Bugs and Bat Bugs

Remember the classic bedtime blessing to sleep tight and don’t let the bedbugs bite? These tiny vampires were debated in ancient historical writings. Although human beds and mattresses have evolved over thousands of years, the same bed bugs have been problematic through the ages.

While bed bugs crave human blood, they are related to bat bugs that feed on bat blood. Both are about the size of a pin and are virtually indistinguishable without a magnifying glass. So, if you’ve found that you have a bat bug infestation, you can be sure that you also are infested with bats.

Bat bugs will only turn to humans and pets if their bat hosts are gone. Bed bugs prefer humans and often lie dormant in mattresses and bedding to come out at night for a tiny sip of blood. Both pests leave small, red bite marks that can cause intense itching. Although neither bug is known to transfer diseases to humans, who wants the biting and itching?

• Bodies

Unless you are a trained specialist or have a good magnifying lens, it’s almost impossible to tell the difference between bed bugs and bat bugs. Bat bugs have longer microscopic hairs on their thorax. Both bugs have a dark brown to reddish color with a flat oval shape. Bat bugs are usually about one-fourth of an inch big while bed bugs are a tad bit smaller at about .13 inches.

Does just the thought of these bitsy biters make your skin crawl? Both the bed bug and the bat bugs are insects. They are also classified as true bugs because they have straw-like mouthparts that drink blood or nectar. However, bed bugs and bat bugs don’t have wings to fly, so they get around by crawling.

• Body Sections

Like other insects, their bodies are divided into three sections, head, thorax (chest) and abdomen. Both bugs’ heads have a compound eye on each side. These multi-lens eyes are sensitive to light and motion. Their antennae pair has four segments, and they are used to sense danger and a possible host.

Bed bugs and bat bugs have a mouth with a retractable tube called the proboscis. When the bed bug is on a human or the bat bug is on a bat, they uncoil the proboscis to pierce their hosts’ skin and suck blood. Simultaneously, they inject a substance that temporarily numbs the bite, so their stolen meal goes unnoticed.

• Head

Their head is attached to their thorax, which acts as an anchor for three legs on each side, making a total of six. These legs are segmented and have evolved for quick movement. They have a microscopic hook on their segmented legs that allow them to climb and cling to their hosts.

Bed bugs and bat bugs can scurry up to four feet a minute. If they kept up that speed for an hour, they could cover 240 feet, over half the length of a football field. Their survival depends on their speed and agility.

• Wing Pads

Although they don’t have true wings like most bugs, they have vestigial wing pads. These useless pads are a clue that both bloodsuckers once had wings before they evolved into wingless creatures.

Attached to the thorax is the abdomen, which contains vital organs and their reproductive system. Since they need to expand, the bugs’ abdomen is segmented and opens like an accordion as they ingest blood. If you notice one that has fed, you will see a tinge of red in their blood engorged abdomen.

Both males and females of these pests are about the same size and color. You can tell the difference by looking at the tip of their abdomen. Female abdomens are rounded while males come to a point.

• Behaviors

Neither of these pests are social insects like ants or termites. However, they do tend to gather in the most remote places to stay safely hidden. Like legendary vampires, they are nocturnal and are rarely seen during the day.

They depend on scents, called pheromones, as a warning for danger or a possible host. After they are finished dining on bat or human blood, they release a smell that lets the whole group know that mealtime is over.

What Eats Bed Bugs and Bat Bugs?

Bat and bed bugs detest the light and will sprint if discovered. They are easy prey for natural predators like ants, cockroaches, and spiders. Their only line of defense is to try to outrun the predator.

• Diet

Both bloodsuckers depend on the blood of their host for survival. Bat bugs mostly stick with bats but have been known to feast on humans and other mammals if bats aren’t available. Bed bugs prefer human blood and can also take a little bloody sip from family pets.

No wonder these insects have lasted for millions of years. Although their only source of nutrition is blood, they can withstand going without food for a while. Some bat and bed bugs can survive for nearly a year in hiding without feeding.

• Life Cycle

Bed and bat bugs waste no time reproducing. Females lay their tiny eggs in cracks, crevices, or in fabric. They usually deposit about 50 eggs at a time. In about 14 days, the eggs hatch into immature bugs called nymphs. As soon as they hatch, the larvae are on their own to find a host for a blood meal.

To grow, the nymphs shed their exoskeletons about ten times. They are a fully mature adult in a little over a month and are ready to reproduce. Bat and bed bugs typically live for between six months to a year under the right conditions.

If you see one bed bug or a small cluster of eggs, chances are there are countless that you can’t see. Since a single female can lay up to 500 eggs in her lifetime, it’s easy to see how quickly an infestation can happen. You may not notice a bat bug infestation unless the bats have left.

• Habitats

The enemy of both bed and bat bugs is extreme heat. They prefer cool dark places that make nesting and hiding a synch. Any slight crevice or crack is an open invitation to bed bugs. They also enjoy soft mattresses and bedclothes, hence their name.

Bat bugs hang around with bats in dark, musty caves, abandoned buildings, and hollow trees. They will also join the bats if they infest your attic.

• Damages

Structurally, neither bed bugs nor bat bugs cause damage. They don’t infest human food or trash. Since they’ve no teeth or pincers, they don’t tear holes in wood, cloth, or other materials.

If you have bat bugs, you’re bound to have a bat problem. Bats often harbor pathogens on their body and in their feces that are harmful to humans and pets. Plus, they usually carry deadly rabies. The bat bugs may not carry these, but they are a sign of a hazardous condition in your home.

The tell-tell signs of a bed bug or a bat bug infestation are pinpoint blood stains on bed linen and pillows. Some of these stains are from the fecal matter they leave behind. You may also notice fecal matter and eggs in any crevice in your home.

Bites from bed bugs and bat bugs will start to itch soon after a fresh bite. They often cause small red whelps wherever you’re bitten. They cause such an intense itch that it can make you lose sleep. If you scratch the bites, you can generate a secondary infection.

Having an infestation of either bug can also be psychologically damaging to you and your family. Many people have the misconception that only “dirty” homes and people can get bugs. In fact, bed bugs and bat bugs can infest the cleanest or richest mansions in the world.

Getting Rid of Bed Bugs and Bat Bugs

Bed bugs and bat bugs may be closely related, but one is easier to eradicate than the other. Since bat bugs prefer bats, getting rid of the bat problem in your attic usually takes care of their parasites, too. It’s also easier to exterminate bat bugs with one treatment.

On the other hand, bed bugs crave human hosts, and they are a more complicated case. Since they are so small, are excellent hiders, and are nocturnal feeders, bed bugs are harder to see. They also are so tenacious and multiply quickly, so professional extermination is your best course.

Your best defense against both bugs is prevention. Avoid visiting places with a current infestation because they can attach to your clothing, and you can bring them home. Seal up any cracks and holes in your walls or attack that would be enticing to bats. If you notice any eggs, nymphs, or adults, wash your bedding and clothes in hot water and dry on the highest setting.

You may have read that rubbing alcohol is a cheap insecticide for bed bugs and bat bugs. Rubbing alcohol will indeed kill these pests on contact. However, it isn’t easy to spray the ones you can’t see, and the survivors will keep multiplying. Diatomaceous earth is a natural substance that can dry up the bugs’ exoskeletons and kill them. But even this remedy is limited.

One professional treatment usually clears away biting bat bugs. However, it often takes a few treatments to destroy a bed bug problem. The best way to eradicate bed bugs in one blow is a professional heat treatment. Unlike using alcohol or other DIY remedies, heat treatment destroys all adults, nymphs, and eggs, whether they are visible or not.

Final Thoughts

Have you not been sleeping tight due to pesky bites from bed bugs or bat bugs? Get rid of these unwelcome bloodsuckers with insecticide treatments from professionals. You’ll rest better and won’t be a midnight snack for any more prowling bugs.