Waking Up With Bites? A Portsmouth Pest Controller Explains the Signs of Bed Bugs

Unexpected bites, suspicious marks on your bedding or tiny insects near your mattress? Kevin from KV Pest Control explains what to look for, how bed bugs enter your home and what to do next.

You wake up scratching. There are strange little marks on your arms or legs, but your partner hasn’t got a single bite. You’ve checked the bedding, looked under the mattress and started wondering whether something is sharing your bed.

Could it be bed bugs?

It’s a question Kevin from KV Pest Control hears from homeowners across Portsmouth and the surrounding areas.

Bites alone cannot confirm bed bugs. Some people develop noticeable, itchy marks while others show little or no reaction. The most useful clues are physical evidence: live insects, small dark spots, shed skins and eggs around the bed or nearby furniture.

And sometimes, the culprit is something else entirely.

“I’ve been to properties where customers were absolutely convinced they had bed bugs, only to discover something completely different,” Kevin explains.

On one inspection, a customer had spotted insects on her bed and feared the worst. They turned out to be weevils.

Finding an insect on your bed doesn’t automatically mean it is biting you. Fleas, mosquitoes and certain mites can also cause confusion, while skin irritation may have other causes. Getting the problem properly identified is the first step.

How do you know if you have bed bugs?

Adult bed bugs are small, flat, oval insects, usually reddish-brown and around the size of an apple pip. Younger bed bugs are smaller and paler, making them harder to spot.

They hide in narrow gaps close to where people rest or sleep. Although mattresses are an obvious place to check, the insects may be tucked away in the bed frame, headboard or nearby furniture.

Look for:

• Live insects in mattress seams, furniture joints and small crevices.
• Small dark spots that may be bed bug droppings.
• Pale shed skins left behind as young bed bugs grow.
• Tiny, pale eggs attached to surfaces in hidden gaps.
• Small blood marks on bedding, although these can have other causes.

“Headboards and bed frames are two of the most common places I find them,” says Kevin. “I’ve also found them underneath bedside cabinets and hidden inside sofas.”

Use a torch to check accessible mattress seams, bed slats, furniture joints and the backs of headboards. Avoid carrying furniture into other rooms to inspect it.

If you find a suspicious insect, keep it in a sealed container or take a clear photograph so it can be identified.

Why am I getting bites but my partner isn’t?

Sharing a bed doesn’t mean sharing the same reaction to bites.

One person may develop itchy, visible marks while another has little or no noticeable reaction. That means your partner having clear skin does not rule out bed bugs.

Equally, waking up with marks does not prove bed bugs are present. Bite appearance alone is not a reliable way to identify the insect responsible.

Kevin’s approach is to look for evidence before recommending treatment. That helps avoid unnecessary expense and ensures the actual problem is addressed.

Can second-hand furniture bring bed bugs into your home?

Yes. Bed bugs can travel unnoticed in furniture, luggage, bags and other belongings.

They are not a sign of a dirty home. Even a spotless property can become infested if bed bugs are brought inside.

Kevin recalls visiting a customer who had recently brought second-hand bedside cabinets into her house. Within approximately a week, she had discovered bed bug activity in three rooms.

The cabinets were suspected to be the source. Finding activity so soon did not necessarily mean the infestation had developed from scratch in that week; infested furniture can introduce insects that are already present at different life stages.

Before bringing second-hand furniture indoors, carefully inspect:

• Mattress seams and upholstered edges.
• Joints, screw holes and cracks in bed frames.
• The backs and undersides of headboards.
• Drawer joints and the undersides of bedside cabinets.
• Sofa seams, folds and the areas beneath cushions.

A quick glance may miss insects hidden deep inside furniture. If you notice suspicious spotting, shed skins or live insects, get advice before bringing the item home.

Can bed bugs spread between bedrooms?

Unfortunately, yes.

Bed bugs can move between rooms themselves or be carried in bedding, clothing, bags and furniture.

Kevin has attended shared houses where activity has spread across several bedrooms, making treatment more involved.

Moving to sleep on the sofa or in another bedroom may feel like an escape, but it can encourage bed bugs to follow and spread the problem. Carrying potentially infested belongings around the property can also transport them.

Get advice before moving furniture, clearing a room or changing where you sleep. If items need to be moved, Kevin can explain how to handle them while reducing the risk of spreading insects.

Will shop-bought bed bug sprays solve the problem?

Not necessarily.

Bed bugs hide in places that sprays may not reach, and some populations are resistant to commonly used insecticides. Killing a few visible insects does not mean the hidden insects or eggs have been eliminated.

Kevin regularly encounters customers who have tried several products without resolving the infestation.

Unsuitable or incorrectly applied treatments can also disturb bed bugs and cause them to move into other hiding places.

Steam can kill bed bugs and eggs when it reaches them under the right conditions. However, results depend on the equipment, application and whether all affected areas can be reached. Steaming the visible surface of a mattress alone may leave insects elsewhere in the room.

Before spending money on several DIY products, establish what you are dealing with and ask for advice on a suitable treatment plan.

What should you do if you suspect bed bugs?

First, don’t panic. Finding one suspicious insect does not tell you how extensive the problem is.

Take these practical steps:

1. Keep any evidence. Save a specimen in a sealed container or take clear photographs of insects and suspicious marks.
2. Record where you found it. Note the room and the location, such as a mattress seam or headboard joint.
3. Avoid moving belongings between rooms. Keep potentially affected bedding, bags and furniture in place until you have advice.
4. Pause before spraying or throwing furniture away. Treatment may be possible, and moving items can spread insects.
5. Arrange a professional assessment. Proper identification helps establish whether treatment is needed and which areas require attention.

Before a major clean or clear-out, photograph the evidence and ask what preparation is appropriate. Cleaning can form part of bed bug control, but it should fit the inspection and treatment plan.

How does KV Pest Control treat bed bugs?

At KV Pest Control, treatment begins with a discussion about what you have noticed and an inspection of the areas where activity is suspected.

Once bed bugs are confirmed, Kevin explains the proposed treatment and provides a preparation checklist. This helps you understand what needs to happen before the visit and how to avoid interfering with treatment afterwards.

The approach combines targeted professional steam treatment and appropriately selected insecticides.

Steam is applied to suitable areas where bed bugs may be hiding. Insecticides are used where appropriate to help control remaining activity.

“Our standard approach is a minimum of two treatments, three weeks apart,” Kevin explains.

Follow-up treatment helps address insects that may have hatched or emerged since the first visit. The number of visits needed depends on the infestation and the findings during treatment.

Customers also receive instructions about cleaning, using the affected rooms and handling belongings. Monitoring devices may be used to help assess ongoing activity.

It is a methodical process, with preparation and follow-up playing an important part.

Worried about bed bugs in Portsmouth?

Bed bugs can affect family homes, flats, rented properties and shared accommodation. There is no need to feel embarrassed about asking for help.

The important thing is to identify the problem and take sensible steps before it spreads.

KV Pest Control provides bed bug inspections and treatment across Portsmouth, Southsea, Waterlooville, Havant and surrounding areas.

If you have found suspicious insects, spotting around your bed or other signs of activity, contact Kevin to discuss what you have noticed and arrange an inspection.

Visit our Bed Bug Treatment page to find out more about the service, or contact KV Pest Control to discuss your next steps.