Is There a Bug That Looks Similar to a Bedbug?

Bedbugs, named for their preferred habitat, feed off blood, ideally from humans. They're oval in shape, with reddish-brown coloring, tiny hairs covering their bodies and a flattened appearance. Several species of insects share similar traits.

  1. Appearance

    • Bat bugs, swallow bugs and poultry bugs all appear nearly identical to bedbugs. You can distinguish bat bugs and swallow bugs by the length of their hair. Bat bugs have long, silky hair covering their bodies. Swallow bugs have shorter hair, but it's noticeably longer than a bedbug's. Poultry bugs have longer legs than bedbugs, and more prominent mouth parts.

    Habitat

    • Swallow bugs, poultry bugs and bat bugs will rarely make their homes in mattresses or other similar furnishings as bedbugs do. Poultry bugs live in close proximity to poultry. Swallow bugs live in the nests of cliff or barn swallows. Bat bugs find homes in bat-infested areas. If one of these finds its way into your home, it likely arrived via its preferred host.

    Prey

    • Bedbugs are the only of these species whose preferred host is humans. The others' preferred hosts are their namesakes. Bat bugs and sparrow bugs in particular, however, will bite humans or other warm-blooded animals in times of desperation.