Many bugs are mistaken for bed bugs due to similar size, color, and habitat in homes, leading to misidentification. Common bugs mistaken for bed bugs include carpet beetles, which are small, oval, brownish beetles whose larvae feed on fabrics and have bristly hairs, found in closets and carpets, but they do not bite humans. Bat bugs are the most similar, nearly identical to bed bugs and require microscope to distinguish, they feed on bats in attics and will bite humans if bats present. Swallow bugs feed on birds and look similar. Fleas are small, dark, jumping insects that bite ankles and cause itchy welts, but they jump while bed bugs crawl. Booklice are tiny, pale, soft bodied insects found in moldy books and damp areas, not biting. Cockroach nymphs, especially German cockroach nymphs, are small brown insects with longer antennae that move faster than bed bugs. Spider beetles are small, brown, spider-like beetles found in pantries. Ticks can be mistaken when engorged with blood. To distinguish bed bugs, look for key features, bed bugs are flat, oval, reddish-brown about apple seed size, do not jump or fly, hide in mattress seams and headboard crevices, leave dark fecal spots like ink dots and rust-colored stains on sheets, and bite in line or zigzag pattern at night, and professional identification is recommended for certainty.
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