Mosquito Bites and Bed Bug Bites: What’s the difference?

What is the difference between the mosquito bites and bed bug bites? Remember watching old scary vampire movies as a kid? As an adult, you’ve realized that these nocturnal ghouls are make-believe. However, tiny bloodsuckers like bed bugs and mosquitoes are real and a cause for concern. How can you tell which bug has bitten you?

The Difficulty in Identifying Bug Bites

Most bug bites have overlapping signs and symptoms that make it hard to identify the culprit. Some insects bite for blood while others bite only in self defense. Either type usually presents as small red bumps or whelps that sting or itch. It may be a single bite, or you can have a cluster from multiple insects attacking you. Unless you have an unusual allergic reaction, bug bites typically go away quickly with a little medicated cream.

If you awaken in the middle of the night with a rash of itchy bug bites, how do you know the culprit? If you’ve been bitten by an arachnid-like a spider, or a tick, the bite will have a tell-tale “bullseye” appearance with some swelling. Plus, spider and tick bites can have more health hazards than other insect stings.

Either way, you need to know what’s biting you, so you know how to treat it. You also want to get rid of the guilty pests. When you notice that some creepy crawly has bitten you, a little investigation can give you some vital clues.

• Mosquito Feeding Habits

Like most people, you probably crave warm summer weather for traveling and enjoying outdoor activities. Unfortunately, it’s also prime season for blood-sucking mosquitoes and other insects. Whether indoors or outdoors, day or night, you are a potential snack for these buzzing miniature vampires.

One of the best ways to differentiate bug bites is to know their preferred environments and their feeding habits. Mosquitoes are a perennial disadvantage of good weather and being around water. When there’s a buzz in the air, you can almost bet it’s a mosquito.

It’s a prevailing myth that all mosquitoes bite humans, and they only drink blood. Entomologists have identified at least 3,000 species of mosquitoes in the world. However, not all these species are known as bloodsuckers. Many of them prefer to dine on nectar.

Did you know that only female mosquitoes bite? The smaller male mosquitoes don’t have the mouthparts for biting flesh, and they survive on plant nectar alone. Even then, these female biters ingest blood for their eggs, not because they like it.

Although many of these flying pests’ prey on animals and humans at night, several species will zap you during the day. They use their highly evolved pheromone sensors to identify prey by the scent of their breath, sweat, and their body temperature. These factors tell the hungry bug that a yummy snack is nearby.

Female mosquitoes have a virtual drilling and suction kit for a mouth. They have a tube-like structure called a proboscis that pierces the host’s skin. As they are sipping your blood like a fine martini, they simultaneously pump an anti-clotting agent into your body. This chemical has a subtle numbing effect and keeps the drop of blood flowing.

If you are bitten during the day, you may notice a mild sting from an invading mosquito and end its life with one smack. Those that prey at night only leaves their calling cards of small, puffy whelps that itch. When several bloodsuckers strike, you’ll have bites here and there on exposed skin.

After the female mosquito has had her fill, she will be ready to lay her eggs. Mosquitos must have calm ponds or stagnant pools of water for laying their eggs. After the females lay their eggs, they will rest for a couple of days, and they are ready for the next victim.

Their microscopic eggs will sink into the soil and will be dormant all winter. The warmth of spring cues then to hatch into larvae that will swim in the water until they morph into adults. This habit is why it’s important not to have stagnant water around your living area.

Fortunately, these flying and biting pests only live about six months, while the males live for only weeks. You’re not in danger of losing all your blood from a mosquito bite. They can only ingest about five microliters, which is about the same volume as a peppercorn.

• Identifying the Bite

Mosquitoes can only bite once during any given bloodsucking session. However, you can be bitten by several mosquitoes at once and have multiple bites. In these cases, the bites will be random and not in a patterned rash.

Most people just notice a small, red itchy bump after a mosquito visit. They are itchy and may burn a little but usually go away within a couple of days. If you are more sensitive, you may have more pronounced swelling or itching. In rare instances, some people may have an allergic reaction that can cause an anaphylactic emergency.

• Are Mosquito Bites Dangerous?

If you are among the majority, a mosquito bite is usually a mild annoyance that resolves on its own. Hardly anyone goes without a bite or two during pleasantly warm weather. However, three species of this pest can be a threat to human and animal health.

According to information published by the Centers for Disease Control, mosquitoes can carry several dangerous diseases. These include malaria, West Nile virus, Zika virus, and dengue. When you scratch and dig to relieve the itching bites, you are also at risk for a secondary infection.

Bed Bug Bites

Like the infamous mosquito bite, bed bug bites cause red bumps with extreme itching. While the mosquito only uses the blood for their eggs, bed bugs depend on it for nutrition. During a bed bug infestation, you are likely to have many bites instead of a few from mosquitoes.

• Feeding Habits of Bed Bugs

Bed bugs usually enjoy a blood feast about once a week. Unlike mosquitoes, both male and female bed bugs are culprits as well as their nymphs. Bed bugs are nocturnal and feed exclusively while their host’s sleep.

Both these biting bugs have a proboscis that pierces the host’s skin almost without detection. After the bed bug is bloated with a drop of blood, it scurries away to its hiding place to digest and eliminate tiny fecal matter.

Also, bed bugs prefer human or animal habitats’ coziness, especially in cracks, crevices, and mattresses. An infestation can include thousands of these pests, their eggs, and nymphs. Unless steps are taken for extermination, they will continue to multiply and feed on humans and pets in the home.

• Identifying the Bite

Depending on your tolerance, a bed bug bite maybe a little smaller than one from a mosquito. They form raised red bumps that may be in clusters due to multiple bites. These bites cause such intense itching that they can cause insomnia.

If you see a bed bug in your house, chances are there is a multitude you can’t see. Finding bed bugs is an almost sure way of identifying a bite. If no mosquitoes are in your house or it’s during late fall or winter, you can almost be assured a mosquito hasn’t bitten you.

• Are Bed Bug Bites Dangerous?

It’s reassuring to know that scientists still have no evidence that bed bugs carry disease. These bitsy biters don’t dig through trash or fecal matter for food, either. However, you are at risk for causing a secondary infection by intense scratching after they bite. You may also lose sleep because you are up all night worrying and digging at bed bug bites.

There’s also a psychological element to bed bug infestations. Most people falsely equate it with those who are dirty and live in unsanitary conditions. Although bed bugs can infest a palace as quickly as they can a humble hut, the implication can cause symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Final Thoughts on Mosquito Bites and Bed Bug Bites

Do the red, itchy bumps on your skin turn you into a living who done it mystery? You can usually tell if the bloodsucker was a mosquito or a bed bug with a little investigation. Either way, professional extermination can save you some blood and preserve your family and pets’ well-being.