Bedbugs: New strange odour, exoskeleton and spots on mattress are signs to look out for

Bed bugs are tiny insects, with adults reaching 5mm long. Adept at hiding in dark crevices, they are often not noticed by most people but there are definitely signs they are there. Spotting a new unusual smell wafting from your bedroom and seeing exoskeletons or spots could indicate a bedbug infestation.

Bed bugs have exoskeletons, which mean they shed an outer shell at different stages of their life cycle.

Look for shell-like remains on bedroom furniture, or wherever you may be laying your head at night.

Like all living things in life, bed bugs have the need to release themselves too.

This means tiny black specks can indicate they’ve been defecating all over your belongings.

Bed bugs are not considered a medical or public health hazard.

While bed bugs are commonly associated with poor hygiene habits, the truth is, anyone is susceptible to a bed bug infestation.

Bed bugs are drawn to large cities due to the increased number of human blood meals in close proximity to one another.

While scientists have shown that bed bugs are capable of carrying human pathogens, there is little evidence that they have the ability to pass those pathogens on through bites.