Bed Bug Bites VS Spider Bites – How to Tell the Difference

The ultimate guide on how to tell the difference between being bitten by a bed bug, and being bitten by a spider.

Insect bites. They’re not exactly desirable regardless of which creature did them, right? However, some insect bites are far more distinguishable than others, whereas some are similar. So how can you tell the difference between two that have similarities?

Two bites which are often confused, is the bite of a bed bug, and the bite of a spider. So how can you really tell the difference between the two if the symptoms are so similar?

Read on for the ultimate guide on how to tell the difference on whether you’ve been bitten by a bed bug, or you’ve been bitten by a spider.

If You Woke Up and Found the Bite, this is Likely a Bed Bug Bite

The first tell – tale sign that it’s a bed bug you’ve been bitten by rather than a spider, is if you woke up and found the bite.

Generally speaking, the bed bug will feed on human blood during the night, which is where the bite actually comes from. The entire reason they are attracted to humans as their hosts, is because of their body warmth, and the carbon dioxide they produce – both of which tend to increase when we are sleeping.

The peak feeding time for a bed bug tends to be between 1 AM, and 5 AM.

You’ve woken up with bites which weren’t there the night before? It’s likely a bed bug problem.

Bites Which Appear in a Line Formation Are More Likely to be from a Bed Bug than a Spider

If the bites appear in a straight line formation, then it’s likely they’ve come from a bed bug rather than a spider.

According to experts, the bites of a bed bug will appear in either a line or a cluster. The reason for this? Because one single bed bug will bite its’ host more than once during a feeding session. Yuck.

They don’t fly or jump either, meaning they crawl across your skin, and are less likely to cover a lot of ground.

In comparison, a spider will only bit you once, usually – and this is normally an act of self – defence.

Furthermore, on NHS advice, we can confirm that bed bug bites are likely to be found in the following areas:

• Neck.
• Face.
• Hands.
• Arms.

 Whereas spider bites can occur just about anywhere on the body.

Spiders Will Tend to Leave Puncture Marks When They Bite a Victim

When a spider bites its’ victim, it’s usually the case that two distinct puncture marks are left.

Although these are tiny, it is possible to see them with the naked human eye, and the puncture marks tend to be side by side.

In comparison, the bite of a bed bug will look like a small red dot, and they may swell or itch. They are similar bites, in that they both have dark red centres, however with bed bug bites, there are no evident puncture wounds.

If the Problem is Ongoing Rather than a One Time Occurrence, it’s Likely a Bed Bug Bite

Whereas spiders tend to bite a victim once, bed bug bites can become an ongoing problem.

Therefore, a typical spider bite may include red and itchy inflamed skin around the bite area, but the bite itself is likely to heal in as little as a few days, and you will notice no further symptoms – other than in severe reactions, which you should always seek medical attention for.

In comparison, with bed bugs, it might become a frequent occurrence, and you could notice a few new bites every couple of days.

Whereas the Bite of a Bed Bug Doesn’t Tend to be Dangerous, the Bite of a Spider Can Be

Last of all, but by no means least, the bite of a bed bug although uncomfortable, isn’t usually dangerous, and will clear up itself within a short time frame. However, some spiders are dangerous when they bite.

It might only be a select few spiders, but the ones we’re talking about do have venomous bites, and can be a danger to humans. This is only the case if their fangs are long enough, and their venom strong enough. An example of this, would be the Black Widow Spider.

If you are bitten by a spider and begin to have a severe reaction, you should always seek medical attention.

 Thanks for reading!