Not all insects found in your bed are bed bugs. However, given their shape, size, and coloration, they bear a strong resemblance to bed bugs.
This guide will provide you with an exhaustive list of tiny bed bugs that are not bed bugs.
These insects on your bed, bed sheets, bed frame, and pillow covers can induce panic.
This is because they are bed bug clones and can fool you into believing you have a bed bug infestation.
However, this post will teach you how to identify these bed bug lookalikes like a pro, saving you both money and stress.
To make it easier for you to identify the bed bug duplicates, this post has classified them according to their colors and anatomy.
Additionally, you’ll learn how to get rid of small bed bug-like insects in your bed.
Continue reading.
| Insect | Appearance | Color/ Shape/ Size | Diet | Habitat |
| Bat Bug | Bat bugs and bed bugs are almost identical in appearance. Bat bugs have longer hair on their backs. | Oval / Beige or Dark Brown / 3-5 mm | Bat bugs, as the name implies, feed exclusively on bat or bird blood and will only bite humans as a last resort. | Bat bugs can be found primarily in chimneys and attics. They will migrate to mattresses and bed frames if food becomes scarce. |
| Black Carpet Beetle | The shiny black bodies of black carpet beetles contrast with the brown legs. In contrast to bed bugs, they have wings. | Bristles covered in reddish brown / Oval / 3-5 mm | Attracted to flowers, carpet beetles feed on pollen and nectar. Although they do not bite humans, their bristly hair may elicit an allergic reaction in some individuals. | They find their way into homes through chimneys, attics, basements, cracks in walls, and indoor plants. |
| Book Louse Bug | They are smaller than bed bugs, translucent, and are frequently confused with bed bug nymphs. | Elongated/Gray, light brown, or colorless 1 to 1.5 mm | Book lice are attracted to fungi and anything that grows mold. They are not aggressive toward humans and do not feed on them. | Book lice are most frequently discovered in damp areas such as kitchens and bathrooms. Additionally, they can be found beneath wallpaper, on the sides of windows, and in other moist areas. |
| Cockroach Nymphs | Cockroaches in their nymphal stage are comparable in size to bed bugs and have the same distinctive brown coloration. In comparison to bed bugs, cockroach nymphs have long antennae.. | 2-4 mm / Brown / Cylinder | Cockroach nymphs do not feed on blood like bed bugs do, but they may bite humans if food becomes scarce. | Cockroach nymphs prefer dark, moist areas near food sources, such as cupboards and behind refrigerators. |
| Fleas | Fleas are significantly smaller than bed bugs. They appear to be more slender and oval in shape. Fleas are vertically flat, whereas bed bugs are horizontally flat. Fleas, on the other hand, have long, powerful legs, with a thicker hind pair for jumping. | Oval and vertically flat / Black, Red, Brown / 1/8 inch | Fleas, too, are blood suckers. Fleas prefer animals to humans as hosts. Fleas will not hesitate to bite humans if an animal is not nearby. | Fleas can hitch a ride into homes when they find a host. Fleas thrive in carpets and on pets. |
| Spider Beetle | Spider beetles are less than half the size of bed bugs. They have elongated legs and two protruding antennae. They resemble a spider when viewed from above. | Reddish-brown to black metallic sheen / Round globe body / 1.5-5 mm | Scavenging spider beetles feed on grains, dried fruits, and even bird and rodent droppings. They rarely bite humans. | Spider beetles are nocturnal and are frequently found in pantries and attics. |
| Swallow Bug | Swallow bugs, like bat bugs, resemble bed bugs in appearance, except that their bodies are completely covered in fine and long hair. | 3-5 mm / Grayish / Oval | The barn swallow is the preferred blood source for a swallow bug. If human blood is not available, swallow bugs will feed on it. | In homes, swallow bugs are frequently discovered emerging from walls or ceilings, particularly on upper floors, possibly from a nest made by a swallow. |
| Wood Ticks | Ticks, whether wood ticks or dog ticks, have two primary body sections and are classified as arachnids (insects that have eight legs.) | 3.5-15 mm / Brown with grey patterns / Oval, flat | Ticks in the woods survive by feeding on the blood of humans and animals. While bed bugs bite in clusters or lines, ticks seek out a warm place to rest and then burrow their heads into the skin until they have finished sucking. | Ticks cling to humans and animals as they pass. Ticks are most frequently found indoors on pets, in crevices, and between floor boards. |
| Head lice | Head lice affect only humans and are typically gray in color, but can take on the color of their host. Head lice are incapable of jumping or flying. | Females are approximately 1/16 to 1/8-inch long and flat in shape, while males are slightly smaller. | Head lice affect only humans | If you do not treat head lice, they will continue to feed on your blood and may deposit dark red feces on your scalp.
Where head lice typically congregate: Head lice congregate in the lower back of the head and behind the ears. |
| Drugstore Beetles | The color is similar to the color of bed bugs. But drugstore beetles’ color is more tan or dark brown than the bed bugs’ color. | Their shape is oval, but their color eesemble bed bug. | They feed on stored human food. | They’re usually found in homes. |
| Weevils In Bed | These are pantry pests | To begin, weevils’ mouths have a visible snout. It’s a small projection from their mouth that immediately alerts you that this is not a bed bug.
Second, it’s the shape of the body. Despite their color resemblance to bed bugs, weevils have an oblong rather than an oval body shape. Additionally, the weevils’ heads are quite prominent. It is not as small as the bed bugs. |
They feed on stored food | They can be found in homes, and offices. Some times, outdoor too where food is plenty. |
5 Tiny Black Bugs In Bed That Are Not Bed Bugs
On the bed, the most common bed bug doppelgängers are tiny black bugs.
These bugs’ shapes are so similar to bed bugs that if you are unfamiliar with them, they can easily fool you into believing they are bed bugs.
However, bed bugs are reddish-brown or brown in color. Additionally, they are oval.
That’s the first thing to know about bed bugs.
Here are the tiny black bugs that look like bed bugs in your bed –
Carpet beetles are available in a variety of colors. They can be black, brown, or a variety of other colors and patterns on their backs.
The carpet beetles that infest many homes are black.
Carpet beetles infest homes, laying eggs on animal-derived fabrics and materials.
As a result, carpet beetles prefer to lay their eggs on clothing and accessories made of leather, wool, silk, and feathers.
However, these black carpet beetles will also make their way up to your bed. They have an oval shape and are slightly larger than bed bugs.
Carpet beetles are attracted to light and may fly into your home. So, while inside your home, they can get into your bedroom and bed too!
They’ll hide in the gaps between the mattress and headboards, as well as bed frames, on your bed.
Additionally, you would notice black carpet beetles crawling across the bedsheet.
Therefore, if you see a bed bug-like creature with visible wing pads on its back and is black, you can relax. This is not a bed bug infestation.
It is, in fact, a black carpet beetle. And it is not venomous. Additionally, carpet beetles can enter your vehicle.
Spider Beetles – Small insects that live in beds but are not bed bugs
Spider beetles are another type of bed bug that you may encounter in your bed.
However, spider beetles are more of a pantry pest than a bed bug.
How and why do spider beetles manage to find their way into your bed?
To be honest, there is no reason for it. Once pantry pests have gained access to your home, they can appear anywhere.
This is especially true when they are searching for a way out of your home or a place to lay eggs.
Because spider beetles are reddish-black or reddish-brown in color, an untrained eye may confuse them with bed bugs when viewed from above.
However, there are distinct visual distinctions between spider beetles and bed bugs.
To begin, they resemble spiders. Three pairs of legs and a pair of antennae are readily visible.
Second, spider beetles are excessively shiny and reddish in color. Bed bugs, on the other hand, are not.
Spider beetles have a lustrous abdomen that makes them easily identifiable. Additionally, the abdomen is not flat. It is crowned with a hump.
Bed bugs, on the other hand, have a flat abdomen.
Humans are not bitten by spider beetles. They are only interested in dry foods stored in your pantry.
Female American dog tick / National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases / CC BY 2.0
Ticks, like bed bugs, are blood-sucking parasites that can be mistaken for one another. What is the critical distinction?
Their leg count. Bed bugs are insects with six legs, while ticks are arachnids with eight.
Ticks bite humans, domestic animals, livestock, and wild animals. There are numerous tick species, each with its own unique physical characteristics. When unfed, the majority of ticks are small, dark in color, and flat.
Ticks are most frequently found attached to their host or in moist, shady areas with tall grass or overgrown vegetation.
On rare occasions, a tick may be discovered indoors after being brought in. Indoor tick infestations are uncommon, but they are possible if a female tick lays her eggs in your home.
Ticks can transmit a variety of pathogens, including Lyme disease, to humans, pets, and other animals. Many of these diseases can become life-threatening if left untreated. It is critical to understand how to identify a tick and how to remove a tick.
Is it a bed bug or lice infestation? These two pests are frequently confused.
Because lice are host specific, they cannot migrate to you from infested dogs, and you cannot transmit this pest to your dog.
Head lice affect only humans and are typically gray in color, but can take on the color of their host. Females are approximately 1/16 to 1/8-inch long and flat in shape, while males are slightly smaller. Head lice are incapable of jumping or flying.
If you do not treat head lice, they will continue to feed on your blood and may deposit dark red feces on your scalp.
Where head lice typically congregate: Head lice congregate in the lower back of the head and behind the ears.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), head lice can cause severe scalp itching and insomnia.
Scratching excessively can increase your risk of developing a secondary skin infection. Knowing how to remove lice safely and effectively can help you manage these risks.
Booklice, whose color ranges from translucent white to gray or brown, are frequently confused with adult and baby bed bugs.
Where booklice conceal themselves: Booklice feed on the moldy paste of old book bindings and wallpaper. If you find booklice in your pantry items, this could be a sign that mold is growing on your food.
Health risk: These insects are an annoyance but pose no threat to human health. Typically, their damage is minor.
Booklice, also known as psocids, are not true lice. Despite their resemblance to lice, these tiny insects feed on mold and fungi rather than blood.
How to Get Rid of BookLice
Infestations of insects can be hazardous to one’s health, property, and food. Additionally, they can be humiliating. Here are some suggestions for minimizing their presence in your home.
While black-colored insects may end up in your bed, you can prevent their entry by keeping your closets and pantries clean.
The insects consume fibers and many lay their eggs in fabric. A clean closet will eliminate eggs and repel intruders.
Ensure that you inspect your pantry on a regular basis. Black bugs are attracted to a variety of different types of food, depending on the species.
This includes syrupy and sugary substances, grains, and moldy food. Ascertain that you are not retaining expired products. Inspect containers for insects that have made their way inside.
Combine one drop of peppermint oil with one ounce of water. Fill a spray bottle halfway with the mixture and get to work. Insects despise being touched and smelling.
They’ll seek alternate locations. Additionally, the peppermint aroma contributes to the air’s freshness.
Neem oil is a natural pesticide that kills all types of insects and bugs without posing any danger to household residents.
Neem oil can be sprayed around the bedroom and other areas to assist in eradicating a black bug infestation.
Diatomaceous earth is an extremely toxic insecticide. Extracted from single-cell algae, it is particularly effective against insects with tough exoskeletons. DE is non-toxic to humans or pets and quickly kills any insect it comes into contact with.
Maintain clean bedding by frequently washing and hot drying or steaming. Encasements can also help, as they keep black bugs out of your box spring and mattress.
However, they must be properly encased (i.e., the correct size) and installed. Creatures hiding beneath the bed will become trapped. No new bugs will be able to enter, and existing ones will be easily detected.
If none of the aforementioned home remedy facts work, contact pest control professionals. The majority offer a complimentary inspection, bug identification, and estimate.
They have the knowledge and experience necessary to eradicate any black bugs from your bed.
6 Tiny Brown Bugs In Bed That Are Not Bed Bugs
This section contains the greatest number of bed bug doppelgängers, as the bugs you’re about to discover are reddish-brown or brown in color.
Both colors are associated with bed bugs. Additionally, seeing any of the following bugs on your bed may lead you to believe they are bed bugs.
Fleas bite and feed on your blood.
Additionally, they can be found in your bed.
The most common way for fleas to get onto your bed is when your flea-infested pet dog or cat spends significant time on it.
Many people confuse fleas with bed bugs due to their striking resemblance to the color of the bed bug.
Fleas are reddish brown in color. Thus, at first glance, they may appear to be bed bugs.
However, bear with me. There is one significant visual distinction between fleas and bed bugs.
It is their form.
Fleas, on the other hand, are not oval and flat like bed bugs.
Fleas are small and have a slightly tear-drop shape to their bodies. Additionally, they have long visible legs that they use to jump.
Bed bugs, on the other hand, do not jump. They scurry.
If you examine fleas and bed bugs under a magnifying glass, you’ll notice another distinction.
Bed bugs have antennae, whereas fleas lack them.
However, fleas in the bed leave behind itchy bites similar to those left by bed bugs.
Fleas can conceal themselves in the gaps between bed frames and headboards. This makes them quite visible on pillowcases and bedsheets.
To learn more about how fleas get into your bed and how to get rid of them, visit our post here.
Weevils are pantry pests that are quite common in kitchens and, to many people’s surprise, bathrooms as well.
Weevils are attracted to electric light bulbs. Weevils are pantry pests that infest stored grains and enter homes to lay their eggs.
When adult weevils fly across your home at random, you may find weevils in your bed.
Alternatively, newly matured adult beetles have emerged from their pupae stage and are actively seeking mates.
The best part is that weevils are not bed bugs or other soft furnishings infesters
They cause no damage to the interior of your home. Weevils are solely concerned with the food in your pantry.
Weevils, like bed bugs, are reddish-brown in color.
However, weevils and bed bugs have two significant anatomical differences.
To begin, weevils’ mouths have a visible snout. It’s a small projection from their mouth that immediately alerts you that this is not a bed bug.
Second, it’s the shape of the body. Despite their color resemblance to bed bugs, weevils have an oblong rather than an oval body shape.
Additionally, the weevils’ heads are quite prominent. It is not as small as the bed bugs.
Another pantry pest that is the same color as bed bugs is the drugstore beetle.
Though drugstore beetles are classified as pantry pests, they consume a variety of foods.
Additionally, they are capable of consuming stored medications.
As a result, there is likely something for them to eat in every corner of your home.
Additionally, they can be found in your bed.
The drugstore beetles infest homes, where they lay their eggs on stored food. Internally, high humidity and electric lights attract drugstore beetles.
The larvae that hatch from the eggs laid on stored food by adult drugstore beetles cause damage to the food.
Drugstore beetles are capable of flight and can make their way up into your bed and bedroom. However, they do not bite humans.
The color is comparable to that of bed bugs. However, drugstore beetles are more tan or dark brown in color than bed bugs.
Additionally, their shapes differ.
The beetles sold in drugstores are not oval. Their shape is similar to that of a capsule, with a visible head and a mouth concealed beneath it.
If there is one bug on this list that professionals mistake for bed bugs, it is the swallow bugs.
To be honest, it’s difficult to tell the difference between swallow bugs and bed bugs with the naked eye.
You’d have to examine them with a microscope or at the very least a magnifying glass.
Swallow bugs and bed bugs are distinguished by their antennae.
Bed bugs have somewhat long antennae that point forward.
By contrast, swallow bugs’ antennae resemble a mustache on their mouths and are quite small.
The swallow bugs’ antennae are parallel to their mouth and do not point forward.
Additionally, experts believe that bed bugs are darker than swallow bugs.
What are swallow bugs, then?
Swallow bugs, which resemble bed bugs, are parasitic on barn swallows and cliff swallows.
These insects live in swallow bird nests and feed on the blood of hatchlings and adults.
When the swallow birds depart, a small number of these swallow bugs remain.
Once inside your home, the swallow bugs begin looking for alternative blood sources.
This occurs when swallow bird nests are located within the compound or property of your home.
That is when swallow bugs will make their way to your bed and begin biting you. Yes, swallow bugs bite and feed on humans.
However, there is a catch.
Swallow bugs are incapable of reproducing without their primary hosts, swallow birds.
As a result, they do not pose an infestation threat to your home in the same way that bed bugs do.
The bat bug is another brown bug that resembles a bed bug.
Bat bugs are parasites that feed on the blood of bats.
However, can they sleep in your bed? Not at all.
However, if there are bats in your neighborhood, which is relatively uncommon in urban areas, bat bugs may infest your home.
The reason bat bugs bite is the same as the reason swallow bugs bite, which is a lack of primary hosts.
Both bat bugs and swallow bugs are close relatives of bed bugs, which gives them a similar appearance.
Both of these insects are common in homes and are frequently mistaken for bed bugs.
And the primary reason swallow bugs or bat bugs are present in your home or property is the presence of their hosts’ nests.
Are bat bugs capable of biting humans? Yes.
Some bat bugs may fall off their primary hosts, bats, when they leave your property.
These bat bugs will seek blood meals from other sources. This is when they bite.
As mentioned previously in this post, carpet beetles can also be brown.
Additionally, brown carpet beetles can make their way into your bed for the same reasons that black carpet beetles do.
Clover Mites – Tiny Red Bugs In Bed That Look Like Bed Bugs
Infestation with clover mites in your home
Clover mites are a type of non-biting mite that enters homes during the autumn months.
These mites are frequently found in homes that have a lush garden or yard.
Clover mites are red and have a spider-like appearance. Additionally, they can gain access to your bed.
What, then, leads people to believe that clover mites on mattresses are bed bugs?
There are two points to make.
To begin, there is their size. Clover mites are about the size of bed bugs.
Their red color can also lead people to believe they are bed bugs if they are unfamiliar with their true color.
The second and most compelling reason is that when clover mites are crushed, a red liquid is released, leaving a red stain on the fabric.
The same thing occurs when a bed bug has consumed its blood meal is crushed.
The only difference is that when a bed bug is crushed, blood splatters out.
Clover mites feed on grasses, clovers, and tiny seedlings in the open.
They begin entering homes in the fall through small gaps and cracks in the walls and windows.
When temperatures drop, clover mites seek a warmer location to hibernate.
That is how they gain access to your home.
Clover mites are not venomous. However, once inside the home, they will quickly spread and become a nuisance.
However, the presence of clover mites can cause allergic reactions in susceptible individuals.
How To Get Rid Of Tiny Bugs That Look Like Bed Bugs In Your Bed
There are distinct methods for eradicating each of these tiny insects that resemble bed bugs.
Cleaning the kitchen and caulking the cracks and gaps around the windows and walls are the keys to preventing weevils, drugstore beetles, and carpet beetles from entering your home.
To learn more, consult our guide on pantry pests, which details the entire process.
If you have biting bed bugs or their doppelgängers such as bat bugs, swallow bugs, or fleas in your bed, it is critical to eliminate the source of these bugs.
This means you must remove any swallow bird nests or bat habitats from your home or property.
If your pet has fleas, treat it immediately. Flea-infested pets are a possible source of fleas in your bed.
Additionally, use a steam cleaner to clean your bed mattress. Steam cleaners generate heat that kills all insects, including bed bugs that are hiding in your bed.
Maintaining proper hygiene inside the home, trimming overgrown bushes and shrubs around the perimeter, and lowering the humidity levels all help to protect your home from bugs and clover mites.
A dehumidifier is an excellent way to maintain a healthy level of humidity in your home.
The majority of insects are moisture-seeking. Additionally, if you live in the south or states with high humidity, a dehumidifier will reduce the attractiveness of your home to bugs.
Myths and Facts About Bed Bugs
Continue reading to learn everything you need to know about those tiny, black bugs that have taken up residence on your bed and how to eliminate them effectively.
Facts
At night, bed bugs become active. They are not strictly nocturnal in their behavior. The majority of people are awake during the day, and without anything to suckle on, they spend their time inactive.
At night, your warmth alerts them to the fact that food is being served, which sends them scrambling for the best spot.
In clothing, bed bugs can thrive. They thrive in particular in clothing that is not washed on a regular and frequent basis, such as jeans and jackets.
Regular house cleaning assists in the prevention of bed bugs. Eliminate clutter and properly store items to prevent them from taking up residence beneath or inside objects.
Bed bugs are capable of surviving in subzero temperatures. They can withstand temperatures below zero and remain dormant for an extended period of time.
This is referred to as entering a state of diapause.
Temperatures between 21 and 26 degrees centigrade are ideal for bed bugs. Regrettably, the temperature ranges maintained in the majority of homes are ideal for bed bugs to thrive and multiply.
At any stage of their life cycle, bed bugs die above 46 degrees, the temperature at which an exterminator heats a room during a heat treatment session.
A female bed bug can lay up to 500 eggs during her lifetime. When a bed bug reaches maturity and has an adequate food source and an ideal temperature, she can lay up to five eggs per day.
Bed bugs are a problem that affects only the poor. This is partially true, as bed bugs prefer to hide and thrive in cluttered environments. Bed bugs, on the other hand, can thrive in luxurious mattresses in opulent mansions.
Cleanliness, on the other hand, may only mitigate the severity of an infestation.
You will not feel the bite of a bed bug. Bed bug saliva contains proteins that act as a pain reliever, a vasodilator, and an anticoagulant, allowing them to bite and feed while you are sleeping.
Bed bug bites can be dangerous to one’s health. The most common side effect of a bed bug bite is itching, which is often accompanied by unsightly welt marks.
The true danger arises when you scratch the bites, allowing bacteria to enter the wound and cause infection.
Typically, simply washing the bite and applying an unscented cold cream or aloe vera gel will resolve the issue.
Bed bugs are becoming increasingly resistant. Bed bugs are evolving resistance to pesticides that were previously effective.
Bed bugs can be acquired almost anywhere. Bed bugs are expert clingers and can be easily transported from one location to another via your clothing. After a long trip, place all your used clothing in a bathtub.
You could easily check to see if you were accompanied by bed bugs, as they couldn’t climb up the porcelain sides. Following that, you may proceed to wash your dirty clothes in hot water.
Myths
You’re in desperate need of a new mattress. Even if you purchase a new mattress, bed bugs hiding on rugs, carpets, and curtains will make their way back to your bed.
Bed bugs are capable of flight. They cannot, and they are incapable of even jumping.
Bed bugs emerge only at dusk.
These tiny black insects are unconcerned with whether or not the lights are on.
They, like mosquitoes, are only attracted to body heat and carbon dioxide, and they do not need to wait until nightfall to attack.
Bed bugs thrive in urban environments. They could care less whether you live in a cottage or a skyscraper.
They are only concerned with a constant supply of blood and hiding places.
Female bed bugs are the only ones that bite.
Male and female bed bugs both bite, but females bite more frequently because they have a lot of reproduction to do on a daily basis.
Bed bugs are known to transmit diseases. Bed bugs do not transmit disease. There have been no reports of a bed bug transmitting disease from human to human.
Summary
The nine minuscule insects on your bed that are not bed bugs –
- Carpet beetles in black
- Beetles with spiders
- Beetles from drugstores
- Weevils
- Carpet beetles, brown
- Fleas
- Swallow insects
- Bat insects
- Mites of clover
Ticks and booklice are two other bugs that do not look like bed bugs but can be found in your bed.
See also Baby Bed Bugs – Bites, Pictures, Control & Look ALikes!