Bed bugs do not build nests like ants or bees, but they aggregate in hiding places called harborage areas near where hosts sleep, and locating these areas requires thorough inspection with flashlight and knowledge of their preferred hiding spots. To locate bed bug harborage, start with your bed, which is the most common area, inspect mattress seams, piping, tufts, zippers, and tags with flashlight and magnifying glass, especially along edges and corners, then check box spring seams, edges, and underneath, including where fabric is stapled to frame. Inspect headboard and bed frame, especially cracks, screw holes, joints, and behind headboard if attached to wall. Check nearby furniture within 5 to 8 feet of bed, such as nightstands, dressers, and upholstered chairs, inspecting drawer joints, screw holes, and undersides. Inspect behind baseboards, electrical outlets, picture frames, and peeling wallpaper near bed, as bed bugs hide in dark crevices. Look for signs like live bugs that are small, flat, oval, reddish-brown about apple seed size, dark fecal spots like ink dots, rust-colored stains, translucent shed skins, and tiny white eggs in clusters. Bed bugs are nocturnal, so inspection at night between 2 AM and 5 AM with flashlight can reveal them. Use interceptor traps under bed legs to catch bugs and confirm activity. Finding harborage helps pest control target heat treatment and insecticide application.
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