It might be aggravating to wake up in the morning with insect bites all over your body and have no idea which ones are to blame. It might be difficult to determine which insect was responsible if you weren’t present when the bite occurred.
This is because almost all household insect bites look the same, itch, and leave a mark on the affected area. The most difficult bites to distinguish are spider and bed bug bites, which have a lot of similarities.
However, with careful examination and knowledge, you may determine which insect is responsible for the bite on your skin without needing expert assistance. This article will look at both bites and the difference between a bed bug bite and a spider bite.
Why Both Bugs Bite
Bed bugs bite because blood is their only food source, so they will bite humans or other animals to get blood. On the other hand, spiders feed primarily on smaller insects, so they have no business biting humans.
They may only bite if they are held against their will and feel threatened, in which case they will bite humans or other animals to get away from danger. With this in mind, let’s look at the difference between a spider and a bed bug bite.
Differences between spider and bed bug bites
There are several differences between a spider bite and a bed bug bite. Here are some of the differences between bed bug and spider bite;
Bed bug bites mostly occur within the hours of midnight to the early morning hours, but a spider can bite at any time.
Bed bugs bite exclusively to obtain blood. This is why they prefer to feed at night when their victims are sleeping and completely still, as this eliminates the need for them to battle with movement. Although they can be found in other parts of the house, they prefer to hide on mattresses because this is where their victims go to rest after completing their daily activities.
So they hide and wait for their victims to sleep so they can feed in the dark, usually between the hours of 1 and 5 a.m. A spider has no business jumping into your bed to bite you while you sleep. It stands to gain nothing from biting you. A spider can bite anytime you get too close to it.
You can get bitten during the day while resting on the bed, or you can get spider bites at night while at sleep. As long as they feel threatened by you or if you hold it in your hand, they will bite.
Clustering Bites VS Single Bites
When bed bugs bite, they do so in small clusters. For bed bugs, feeding will not just happen with one bite. When they feed at midnight, they come out as a group and then go back in. Depending on the number of bed bugs in your mattress, you may see four or more bites at a time, grouped in a zigzag or straight-line pattern not too far apart.
When bed bugs feed, they like to organize themselves into a specific pattern, after which they go back into hiding; and they will always find an area that you leave open while you sleep.
A bed spider will bite only once and then flee if it feels threatened. Nonetheless, three bites in a row by a spider is not impossible. House spider bed spider bites do not operate in groups, so this is a rare occurrence.
Spider bites leave two small wounds that look like someone punctured your skin twice with a needle, while bed bug bites only leave red patches.
Although all spiders have two fangs, not all of them are long enough to create visible wounds. To find the holes in some wounds, you may need a magnifying lens. Whether you use a magnifying glass or your eyes to examine the wound, you should see two extremely close holes but not too deep.
In addition, the region around the wound will swell slightly. There will be no swelling in the event of a bed bug, only itching and spots for spider bed bug bites.
Spider bites hurt; bed bug bites itch
Although not all spiders carry venom that can cause serious symptoms in humans, the presence of venom in their bites causes the affected skin to swell and hurt. Depending on the type of venom carried by the spider, some will not hurt unless you apply pressure, while others will hurt if you apply pressure.
While it varies with the type of skin in question, if the skin is not extremely sensitive, there will be no pain in the case of bed bugs. However, if the skin is sensitive, the person may experience slight pain a short time after the bite.
When bitten by a bed bug, the skin will become red and irritated, causing an itching sensation. Itching can be dealt with by using any home remedy or cream for bug bites.
Spider bites are bigger
Spider bites can enlarge up to the size of a knuckle, while bed bug bites are never larger than a pimple. It is common for even the most common spider bite to become enlarged. It depends on the spider and the victim of the bite. If your bite mark is growing big enough for you to be concerned, you can assume it was not from a bed bug.
Spider bites Can Be Infectious
Bed bug bites do not open the tissue; instead, they leave patches on the skin. Bed bugs bite by inserting their straws into the bloodstream, gently removing the straws, and filing them under their skin. Because bed bug bites do not hurt and their straws are so small that they do not leave an open wound, the victim’s skin regenerates and covers the spot.
A bed bug bite can still become infected if you scratch it to open the skin and create a wound, whereas a spider bite leaves open wounds, making it easy to become infected, and scratching it only makes it worse.
When a spider bites a person, the venom creates a wound and kills cells around the affected area, making it more difficult for the skin to heal itself. If you leave a bed bug bite unattended, the skin will heal itself, but if you leave a spider bite unattended, it will only worsen, and you may get significant symptoms sooner rather than later.
Furthermore, bed bug bites can persist for up to a week or two before the skin heals naturally, whereas spider bites can last much longer and require medical intervention to recover.
Dangers Of Getting Bitten
Bed bug bites have never been known to cause life-threatening symptoms, but there are some spiders whose bites can cause serious symptoms such as chest pain, fever, excessive sweating, and, in some cases, the victim’s inability to breathe.
There have also been cases where the skin around the bite begins to develop into an open wound. The good news is that such spiders live in areas that humans rarely visit.
Preventing Bed Bug Bites
If you’re dealing with a bed bug infestation, you’ll want to take steps to prevent them from biting you. One way to do this is to use a bed bug repellent cream on your skin. These creams contain ingredients that repel bed bugs, making it less likely that they’ll bite you.
Conclusion
Although bed bug bites and spider bites have some similarities, such as itching and skin irritation, one can tell which insect bit them in the night using the information provided in this article and a close examination of the affected area.
If you are still unsure of which insect bit you in the night and are unable to examine the affected area closely, you can show it to a medical professional, who should be able to assist you.