How to catch bed bugs.

Catching bed bugs is crucial to confirming a bed bug infestation.

The first step in identifying a bed bug infestation is to look for signs of bed bugs. And the most important thing is to find live bed bugs. This generally isn't hard but in some situations it isn't as easy as you might think. This can be a real problem, especially if you are in a situation where you need to prove a bed bug infestation in order to get a legally obliged party like a property manager or landlord to take action.

Let's say you've inspected your home and you've seen what appear to be fecal stains on your mattress but there are no other signs of bed bugs. Chances are you don't have a problem. But maybe you have been waking up with bites on exposed area of your skin and are suspicious. At this point, you really need to find a bed bug to make a positive identification.

Another situation that can present a problem is hotels. Hotel rooms are cleaned regularly. It is possible that a hotel room could appear to be bed bug free but in fact have an infestation. In this situation, it's hard to feel 100% safe.

In both of these situations, the best thing you can do for peace of mind is to try to catch a live bed bug. There are two main approaches to catching bed bugs.

Intercepting Bed Bugs

The first approach is to intercept them as they try to get in and out of the bed. This approach works best if you have a bed with 4 separate legs. There are two things that make this approach an easy choice: it's simple and it's cheap.

Bed Bug Vaseline Trick

The bed bug vaseline trick is a form of interception. Using the bed bug vaseline trick, you coat the legs of your bed with vaseline. When a bed bug tries to climb up it will get stuck. You can check the legs daily and you'll know whether you have bed bugs are not.

If you have wooden legs on the bed, use wax paper to make a sleeves that fit around each leg of the bed. Then coat the wax paper in Vaseline. Read Bed Bug Vaseline Trick for more information.

The vaseline trick is a bit old school. It works but it can be messy. It's also not a good idea if you have pets.

Double-sided Tape

An update is to use double-sided tape. Again, if you have wooden legs, make a sleeve out of paper and then use the tape on the paper.

Climbup Interceptors Passive Bed Bug Monitors

If you want to get serious, the Climbup Interceptors are a great idea. These bed bug monitors are small plastic cups that fit under each leg of the bed. They work with metal or wood beds and are both safe and clean.

Climbup Interceptors have two separate chambers, an inner chamber that catches bed bugs trying to exit the bed and an outer chamber that catches bed bugs trying to enter the bed. This is helpful information if you're trying to kill bed bugs.

Using these monitors is as simple as taking them out of the package and putting one under each leg of the bed. Check the monitor in the morning and you'll know if you have bed bugs. You can purchase the Climbup at USBedBugs.com by clicking the image to the right.

What's nice about these is that you could travel with them easily. They're not going to be 100% conclusive for a one night stay but for their price it would be worth having the extra comfort. Then if you find out your hotel room has bed bugs after all, you can deal with the situation appropriately and prevent bringing an infestation to your home. Bedbugs in Hotels and Hostels tells you how to handle that situation.

Trapping Bed Bugs

Trapping bed bugs gets a little more high-tech.

Bed bugs are attracted to carbon-dioxide and heat. The way a bed bug monitor trap works is to emit a combination of carbon-dioxide, heat and scents to attract bed bugs. Monitors are designed so the bug can get in but can't get out.

The product you are likely to see is the NightWatch Bed Bug Trap and Monitor.

The NightWatch runs on a timer. For a period of time it emits CO2, heat and scent, luring the bed bugs in. When you run a NightWatch for 2 weeks and it doesn't catch any bed bugs, it is 99% conclusive that you are in the clear and do not have a bed bug infestation.

Many bed bugs exterminators will lease this monitor to you. These monitors are around $500, so leasing is a good option for many people. Also, if your bed doesn't have legs and you can't use any interception methods, this approach would still work. If you are a landlord or property manager, buying a monitor would be a good idea where they would serve well in detecting early infestation. The same goes for hotels, hostels and shelters.

The NightWatch is simple to use. Set it up on the floor, plug it in, insert the lure and CO2 source, set the timer, and you're on your way. Then just check the monitor in the morning.

Go to BedBugSupply.com if you want to learn more about or by the NightWatch.

Now that you've caught a bed bug...

If you have bed bugs, you'll catch one of them sooner or later. When you do, you know for sure that you have an infestation.

If you're having trouble identifying the bug you caught though, check out these Bed Bug Pictures for comparison. And always consider checking with a local university's entomology department or calling a bed bugs exterminator to take a look