Where Do Bed Bugs Hide? How to Find Every Hiding Spot in Your Home

TL;DR

• Bed bugs hide in tight cracks, seams and crevices as close as possible to where you sleep: the bed first, then the furniture and walls around it.
• Start with the mattress seams, tags and zippers, then the box spring, the joints of the bed frame and the space behind the headboard.
• Most are usually found within 3 to 4 feet (about 1 metre) of the sleeping person (University of Illinois Extension).
• Then empty the nightstand and check the baseboards, carpet edges, outlets and wall hangings near the bed. Finish with couches and chairs where anyone rests or sleeps.
• If a crack will hold a credit card, it could hide a bed bug (US EPA). Search with a flashlight and a stiff card like a credit card.
• Need help? Get a quote from a recommended local exterminator through Pest Agent's referral form.

Bed bugs hide in the seams, joints and cracks closest to where you sleep, which is how you can wake up with a fresh row of bites, strip the sheets and still find nothing. A flat body lets them slip into gaps you would never think to check, and they only come out in the dark.

Every hiding spot you miss is a spot that keeps feeding the infestation after you think you have dealt with it. The bed is only where the search begins: the longer bed bugs go unnoticed, the farther from the mattress they settle.

Where Do Bed Bugs Hide?

Bed bugs hide in tight cracks, seams and crevices as close as possible to where people sleep. In a typical home, that means the bed first, then the furniture and walls right around it. To learn more about the pest itself, see our bed bug guides.

Why Do Bed Bugs Hide Near Your Bed?

Bed bugs hide near your bed because that is where their food sleeps. Health Canada explains that bed bugs prefer places where they can hide easily and feed regularly, like sleeping areas, and that they come out at night, attracted by the carbon dioxide you breathe out. Unlike lice or ticks, bed bugs generally do not live on people: after a meal, they usually crawl back to a hidden spot to digest (University of Kentucky).

How Far From the Bed Do Bed Bugs Hide?

Bed bugs usually hide within a few feet of the bed. According to the University of Illinois Extension, most are typically found within 3 to 4 feet (about 1 metre) of the sleeping person, although a few may be 20 feet (about 6 metres) or more away. Yale Environmental Health and Safety notes that they tend to live within 8 feet (about 2.4 metres) of where people sleep, but can travel more than 100 feet (about 30 metres) in a night. As an infestation grows, bed bugs spread farther from the bed, and our guide on whether bed bugs can infest the whole house explains how that happens.

How Small a Space Can a Bed Bug Hide In?

A bed bug can hide in a crack no wider than a credit card. Adults are about 5 to 7 mm long, the size of an apple seed (US EPA), and Health Canada notes they can reach up to 10 mm. Their flat bodies can fit into crevices no wider than a toothpick (University of Kentucky). Young bed bugs (nymphs) may be only about 1.5 mm long, and eggs are white and about 1 mm long, often almost impossible to see on most surfaces (Health Canada). The US EPA sums it up with a simple rule: if a crack will hold a credit card, it could hide a bed bug.

What Materials Do Bed Bugs Prefer?

Bed bugs tend to prefer wood and fabric over metal or plastic, according to the University of Kentucky. That is why wooden bed frames, upholstered headboards, fabric couches and the seams of mattresses are their favourite spots, while metal and plastic are less attractive to them.

What Are the Most Common Bed Bug Hiding Places?

The most common bed bug hiding places are the seams of the mattress and box spring, then the bed frame, the headboard and the furniture right next to the bed.

Mattress Seams

Mattress seams are the number one bed bug hiding place. The US EPA lists the piping, seams and tags of the mattress among the first places to look, and Health Canada adds zippers and cushion tufts. Run your light along every seam on the top, sides and bottom, and look into the folds of mattress pads too.

Box Spring

The box spring can offer bed bugs many places to hide, especially along the upper seams and underneath (University of Kentucky). Health Canada also lists the inside of box springs. Lift it and stand it on its side to see the underside.

Bed Frame

Bed frames hide bed bugs in their cracks, joints and screw holes. The US EPA lists cracks on the bed frame and notes that bed bugs can even hide in the head of a screw. HealthLink BC points to cracks in wooden bed frames in particular.

Headboard

The headboard, and especially the space behind it, is a classic bed bug hiding place. The University of Kentucky notes that in hotels, the area behind the headboard is often among the first places bed bugs become established. Health Canada advises checking in behind and around the headboard, and if yours is mounted on the wall, take it down to look.

Nightstands

Nightstands sit within reach of the bed, so bed bugs hide in their drawer joints, cracks and contents. Health Canada lists night tables as a possible hiding place, HealthLink BC suggests checking under lamps and other items on nightstands, and the University of Kentucky advises emptying nightstands and dressers to examine them inside and out.

Baseboards

Baseboards are a common hiding place once bed bugs move off the bed. The University of Kentucky notes that bed bugs often live along baseboards, and Health Canada's room check includes mouldings, trim and window frames.

Carpet Edges

Carpet edges can hide bed bugs along and under the edge of wall-to-wall carpeting, especially behind beds and sofas (University of Kentucky). Lift a loose corner if you can. For more on this spot, read about bed bugs in carpet.

Wall Hangings

Wall hangings give bed bugs a dark, quiet gap against the wall. Health Canada and the University of Kentucky both list the backs of picture frames, posters and mirrors, especially those hanging above or near the bed.

Electrical Outlets

Electrical outlets and switch plates can hide bed bugs in the gap between the plate and the wall. Health Canada lists electrical outlets and light switches as places to check, and the University of Kentucky mentions outlets and switch plates. Never poke into an outlet: Health Canada suggests checking behind the cover plate, and a professional can remove it safely.

Curtains

Curtains can hide bed bugs in their folds, according to the US EPA, especially when they hang close to the bed. Check the hems and pleats.

Where Else Do Bed Bugs Hide in Your Home?

Bed bugs hide outside the bedroom wherever people rest for long periods, and in anything that has been close to an infested bed.

Couches

Couches are the next most likely bed bug hiding place after beds. The University of Kentucky says upholstered chairs, recliners and sofas often come right after the bed, and they can become major hotspots when someone sleeps on them. Check the seams, between and under the cushions, and the underside of the frame.

Electronics

Electronics can hide bed bugs when they sit close to the bed. The University of Kentucky lists clocks, phones, televisions and smoke detectors, and the US EPA mentions appliances in heavily infested rooms. Our guide to bed bugs in electronics explains how to check and treat them without damaging your devices.

Walls

Walls can hide bed bugs under loose or peeling wallpaper, in cracks in plaster and at the junction where the wall meets the ceiling (Health Canada, US EPA). The US EPA lists these spots among the places to check in heavily infested rooms. See our guide to bed bugs in walls to learn what to do.

Luggage

Luggage, backpacks, clothing and even books can carry bed bugs from one place to another, according to HealthLink BC. Check the seams, pockets and folds of your bags after a trip or a stay somewhere you suspect bed bugs.

Cars

Cars can hold a few bed bugs that rode in on bags, clothing or used furniture, and the University of Kentucky also lists offices, theatres and public transportation among places where bed bugs occur. Check car seats and their seams the same way you check a couch.

Where Do Bed Bugs Hide During the Day?

During the day, bed bugs hide in the same cracks and seams near your bed where they spend most of their time. The University of Illinois Extension explains that during the day they usually hide in cracks and crevices near where the person sleeps, and Yale lists mattress seams, box springs, bed frames, headboards, dressers, cracks and the clutter around a bed.

What Time Are Bed Bugs Most Active?

Bed bugs are most active at night. According to the University of Illinois Extension, they are typically active from about 9 p.m. until 7 a.m. That is why you rarely see them during the day.

Can Bed Bugs Come Out in the Daytime?

Bed bugs can come out in the daytime, especially when they are hungry or when you sleep during the day. The University of Kentucky notes that hungry bed bugs may feed in daylight if that is when the person in the bed normally sleeps, so night-shift workers may not be protected. Seeing a bed bug in daylight does not rule out an infestation.

How Long Can Bed Bugs Stay Hidden Without Feeding?

Bed bugs can stay hidden for a long time without feeding: from several weeks up to a year and a half, according to Health Canada. The University of Kentucky gives a typical range of about 1 to 4 months in heated homes, and up to a year or longer at lower temperatures. An empty room or stored furniture is not automatically safe.

How Do You Check Bed Bug Hiding Places?

Checking bed bug hiding places takes a flashlight, a credit card and a slow, methodical search that starts with the bed.

Tools for a Bed Bug Inspection

A bed bug inspection needs only a few tools. Health Canada recommends a flashlight and a stiff, flat-edged object, like a credit card, to reach into cracks and crevices. A magnifying glass can help with eggs and young bugs, and a sealed plastic bag or a piece of clear tape lets you collect a bug for identification, as HealthLink BC suggests.

Signs to Look For

The signs to look for in each hiding place are the bugs themselves and the traces they leave behind:

• Live or dead bed bugs, reddish-brown and flat when unfed
• Dark spots of droppings that may bleed into the fabric like a marker would (US EPA)
• Rusty or reddish stains on sheets or mattresses from crushed bugs (US EPA)
• Shed skins, usually tan, from growing nymphs (University of Kentucky)
• Tiny white eggs and eggshells, about 1 mm long (US EPA)

For the full list of warning signs, read our guide to the signs of a bed bug infestation.

Step-by-Step Bedroom Inspection

A step-by-step bedroom inspection works from the bed outward. The University of Kentucky notes that a thorough inspection means taking the bed apart and standing the pieces on edge, and that it can take up to several hours.

1. Strip the bed and check the sheets and pillowcases for spots and stains.
2. Check every seam, tag, zipper and tuft of the mattress, top and bottom.
3. Stand the box spring on its side and check the upper seams and underneath.
4. Check the joints, cracks and screw holes of the bed frame.
5. Take down or pull out the headboard and check behind it.
6. Empty the nightstand drawers and check inside, underneath and the joints.
7. Check the baseboards, carpet edges, outlets and wall hangings near the bed.
8. Finish with couches and chairs where anyone rests or sleeps.

Interceptor Traps

Interceptor traps catch bed bugs as they travel to and from the bed. The University of Kentucky describes them as small plastic dishes that bed bugs crawl or fall into but usually cannot climb out of. Place one under each leg of the bed and of the couch. A trap under each bed leg can also create a barrier between the bed and the floor.

Bed Bug Detection Dogs

Bed bug detection dogs can find small, scattered infestations that people miss. The University of Kentucky notes that properly trained dogs can be quite effective, but that reliability can vary from one inspection to the next, so ask for a dog alert to be confirmed by a visual check. Many Canadian pest control companies offer canine inspections.

Checking a Hotel Room

Checking a hotel room for bed bugs starts before you unpack. Health Canada advises putting your luggage in the bathtub or on the luggage rack, never on the bed or the floor, and using metal luggage racks rather than wooden ones, since bed bugs can hide on wooden stands. Then check the mattress seams, the headboard and the furniture with your flashlight and a credit card. If you find signs, ask for a different room.

When to Call a Pest Control Professional

Call a pest control professional as soon as you find live bugs or clear signs in their hiding places. Health Canada strongly recommends hiring a licensed professional pest control operator, because bed bugs hide in so many places that home treatments often miss some. If you have bites but cannot find any bugs, read our guide on what to do when you have bites but no bed bugs. To understand what a professional does, see our guide to bed bug pest control, and you can get a quote from a recommended local exterminator through Pest Agent's referral form.

How Do You Get Rid of Bed Bug Hiding Places?

Getting rid of bed bug hiding places means sealing, encasing and clearing the spots around your bed, so bed bugs have fewer places to settle and are easier to spot. These steps do not replace treatment, but they make it and future checks work better.

Mattress Encasements

Mattress encasements take away the most important bed bug hiding place. A zippered encasement on the mattress and box spring leaves no seams for bugs to hide in, and the University of Kentucky notes that once it is zipped shut, any bed bugs inside eventually die. Choose one with a secure zipper and keep it on: Orkin Canada recommends leaving encasements on for 18 months or longer, since adults can survive over a year without feeding.

Clutter

Clutter gives bed bugs more places to hide and makes them harder to find. Health Canada's first prevention tip is to get rid of clutter, and the University of Kentucky notes that excess clutter hinders both inspection and treatment. Keep the floor and the area under your bed clear, and avoid storing items under the bed.

Sealing Cracks

Sealing cracks removes permanent hiding places. Health Canada advises sealing all cracks and crevices on wooden bed frames, between baseboards and in walls, and vacuuming often, including under and behind beds.

Second-Hand Furniture

Second-hand furniture is one of the easiest ways to bring bed bugs home. Health Canada says to never take a mattress or sofa from a curb, to check every item you bring home for the first time, including used books, and to insist that a new mattress be sealed before it is delivered.

Washing and Drying

Washing and drying kills bed bugs hiding in fabric. Health Canada notes that bed bugs die at about 50°C and recommends putting small or dry-clean-only items in a hot dryer for 30 minutes or more. Washing alone will not kill all of them, so always finish with the dryer. For a complete plan, read our guide on how to prevent bed bugs.