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7 Common Myths About Scabies vs Bed Bugs And How It Affects Health

If you’ve landed on this article, chances are you’re dealing with a nasty pest.

The thought alone of bugs living in your home is enough to get most people itching. Nonetheless the idea of harboring an infestation.

Knowing if you’re dealing with Scabies vs Bed Bugs can help you determine what the next steps are.

Here are 7 differences between the invasive critters so that you can take action against them.

1. Terminology

To learn the difference between the two creatures, you should first know their true names.

Bed bugs belong to the order Hemiptera, meaning they are loosely related to other bugs such as cicadas, aphids, and leafhoppers. Their specific family is Cimicidae and the common beg bug is also known as Cimex lectularius.

Scabies, on the other hand, belong to the subclass Acari. This is a classification of arachnids that includes mites and ticks.

Although they belong to different scientific families, they are both parasitic species.

2. Size

The easiest distinction between the two buggers is this: you can see bed bugs with the naked eye. They are quite small, typically the size of a small apple seed.

Scabies, however, seem invisible. They are microscopic parasites that burrow beneath the skin.

Bringing us to our next distinction: how do each of these pests feed?

3. Feeding

To a bed bug, your exposed skin is a meal invitation. They can feed up to ten minutes without drawing attention.

Then, they may slip away and hide for months without another meal.

Scabies are a little bit different. They burrow beneath the skin and feed from within. There, they lay their eggs and live the rest of their lives.

Regardless, each creature leaves marks when they prey on humans.

4. Bites

Bed bugs feed on any exposed skin, thus the bites can appear anywhere on the body. Bites look like raised red welts and become itchy within a few days.

Scabies leave bites that look like a red rash. They tend to burrow in crevices of the body, such as armpits, elbows, and between toes.

Scabies bites are more likely to crust over and fester. Unfortunately, it may take weeks to a few months after infestation for these bites to appear.

With the appearance of each bite comes terrible itching.

5. Itching

While both critters leave itchy bites, scabies tend to be much itchier. This is why bites from scabies tend to fester and become infected.

Scabies bites also become itchier at night. This isn’t true for bed bugs.

Bed bugs feed at night, and as they do, they inject an anesthetic into your body. This is how they feed without you noticing them.

6. Signs

The previously mentioned bites are the only way to tell if you have scabies. There will not be any other external signs or indicators that they are there.

Bed bugs have an array of indicators, however, because they live outside of your body.

Your sheets may have rusty or reddish stains from crushed bed bugs. You may also see dark spots of dried blood from bed bug excrement.

Additionally, bed bugs leave traces of their bodies. You may see small, pale skins that are eggs and eggshells. You may also see the bugs themselves if they are at mature size.

7. A Big Difference in Scabies vs Bed Bugs: Removal

The only way you can kill scabies is with a medicated cream. The same isn’t true for bed bugs.

Bed bugs cannot withstand extreme temperatures, so high heat is often used to exterminate them. Seek professional help if you find yourself with either parasite infesting your home.

Don’t Let It Affect Your Health Any Longer

Aside from physical ailments of bites and itchiness, these pests will lead to you getting less sleep and less peace of mind.

Now that you know the difference between scabies vs bed bugs, you can take action to restore your home and your health. Seek out a professional for prescribed skin cream or for extermination, depending on which pest you’re dealing with.

Take an extra minute to read these easy pest control tips that can save your overall health.