Insect Bites - What is Biting Me?

[sally987921]

I was wondering if anyone can help me identify what type of insect it is that keeps biting me and an inexpensive way of getting rid of them.

I was first bitten about 6 months ago when my partner returned from a backpacking trip around Romania. My first thought was that we had bedbugs but I have had the misfortune of being bitten by bed bugs in the past (whilst travelling around Eastern Europe) and these bites are much different. Time went by and I wasn’t bitten again for about two months but the space between attacks got smaller and I am now being bitten every single night.

As a short term solution, I have moved the mattress from the bedroom into the living room and have been sleeping in there but this is not ideal.

I have thoroughly checked the bedding and have not seen any sign of bed bugs or droppings and do not own any pets so I know that it is not fleas doing the damage.

I thoroughly cleaned the bedroom with disinfectant and applied a flea treatment (just in case) but neither worked.

Eventually I asked a pest control company to come in and have a look around but they could not find anything either. The pest controller was shocked by the size and quantity of the bites I had received and said he had never seen anything like it. He said they could treat the room, which would cost me a lot of money, but could not guarantee that it would solve the problem!!

Any thoughts/suggestions would be gratefully appreciated.

[albaqwerty]

If you could take a photo and post it on here, it might be helpful to them who could advise.

Have you destroyed everything he came back with as that might be harbouring the nasties?

[sally987921]

Are you suggesting I post a photo of the bites? The insects themselves are invisible.

My partner moved out (with all of their possessions) about two weeks ago...

[albaqwerty]

If you posted a photo of the bites, then a friendly knowledgeable AB'er could advise on what cream or not to put on or avoid. See your pharmacist or GP as well.

[sally987921]

I will take a photo and try to upload it but my computer skills may get the better of me ;)

Thank you for the suggestion but I have consulted a pharmacist & the nurse at my work and have been given creams that do help but the bites are a little embarrassing (especially when I am bitten on the face)...

[snags]

Are you sure they are actually bites and not a skin allergy etc? Get yourself down the Docs...

[lilacben]

Just a thought but it couldnt be a spider biting you could it.? As you say your face gets bites on as well.?

[albaqwerty]

I know about computer skills (I haven't any, typing is about the best I can manage!!)

If bitten on the face, could I suggest you get rid of the pillows?? Are they foam or feather? Nasties could get into either tho and cause bites.

[cupid04]

Do these bites coincide when your other half has been on his travels?
Perhaps he is unintentionally bringing home some foreign bug in his dirty laundry.

[sally987921]

Thank you all for your responses.

They are insect bites and they only happen when I sleep in the bedroom. I have moved the mattress (and pillows) to the lounge and do not get bitten in there.

If it was a spider, do you think I would have spotted it by now or are they crafty? Also, wouldn't a spider move about the house?

[sally987921]

Hi Cupid - my partner has now moved out and I am still being bitten each night I sleep in the bedroom. A while back now we did sleep in the louge for about a month (thinking that this might starve the insects and they would move on) but as soon as we moved back into the bedroom we were both bitten again.

[sandyRoe]

I'd bet that they are bedbug bites. They live in cracks in the frames of beds and only come out to feast, on you in this case, every 4 to 8 weeks.

[albaqwerty]

Another silly question from me, do you sleep with bedroom windows open but living-room windows closed? Or vice versa?

[sandyRoe]

Look at image 5 here. Are your bite marks similar?

http://www.medicinene...slideshow/article.htm

[sally987921]

Albaqwerty - I live close to a main road so I have to keep the windows closed at night (and most of the daytime too).

SandyRoe - The bites are similar to those in the picture but the pest control guy from Rentokil checked for bed bugs (and their droppings) and did not find anything to suggest it was bed bed bugs. As mentioned before I have had the misfortune of being bitten by bed bugs whilst travelling around Eastern Europe about a year ago and the bites were a lot different and the sheets had little blood spots on them in the morning from where I had been scratching in the night and killing the little bugs. This is different, unless bed bugs in London are different to those in Europe..

[albaqwerty]

I hope you get it sorted soon and are better quickly. x

At the moment, I'm out of thoughts and suggestions xx

Ohh, another suggestion has occured, post the info in Health as well. I know it's double posting but maybe the viewers of that thread could help more??

[bagpuss63]

Poor you, all I can add is clean the wooden base with disinfectant,(weekly) or suggest if its a divan base, then maybe that needs replacing if you don't get bitten in living room. Good luck-also see the actual Doctor, rather than the nurse-tell them how long its been, have you tried the repelant sprays?

[mumsie_wumsie]

well if you are absolutely sure its not bed bugs, then it must be something your partner bought back from Romania,and has somehow infested your bedroom. And if the pest control man didn't know what it is, then the best option is to have your room sprayed and see if that does cure your problem. Good luck.

[sally987921]

Thanks again everyone.

I have tried repelant sprays and these have not worked either. I guess I will have to pay a lot of money to have the place fumigated and just pray that this works. It is a rental property and I am due to move out in mid October but would not like to leave the problem for the landlord or next tenant!

[mrsweasley]

I agree with last 2 posts, but didn't like to say, but will now-could your ex partner have been a carrier o even (if slpit was nasty) have left you 'present' in bedroom? If you are moving, I would clear bedroom early,and get disinfectant shampoo for carpet,and IF you take problem with you, buy new base for bed.Don't pay money when you are leaving