When did the bedbug bite? - briefly
Bedbugs feed during the night, usually while the host is asleep, because they are nocturnal parasites. A bite is delivered within minutes of contact, often leaving a small, itchy, red spot.
When did the bedbug bite? - in detail
Bedbugs are nocturnal hematophagous insects; they emerge from their hiding places after darkness falls to locate a host. Feeding typically begins shortly after the host is settled in bed and continues for several minutes, with most activity occurring between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. The insects are attracted to body heat and carbon‑dioxide, which increase as a person lies still under the covers.
The feeding cycle follows a predictable pattern. After a blood meal, a bedbug retreats to its refuge to digest the blood, molt, or lay eggs. Digestion lasts 5–10 days, after which the insect re‑emerges to feed again. Consequently, a single individual may bite once every few days, but a population can produce nightly bites because different members are at various stages of the cycle.
Several variables can shift the exact moment of a bite:
- Host activity – movement or waking during the night can interrupt feeding, prompting the bug to search for another site.
- Ambient temperature – warmer rooms accelerate metabolism, causing earlier and more frequent feeding.
- Light exposure – sudden illumination can drive bugs back to their shelters, delaying the next feeding attempt.
Identifying a recent bite relies on observable skin reactions. Typical signs include:
- Small, red, raised papules, often clustered in a line or array.
- A central puncture point, sometimes with a faint dark spot from the insect’s saliva.
- Itching that intensifies within a few hours after the bite.
The age of a lesion can be estimated by its evolution:
- 0–12 hours – sharp redness, minimal swelling, intense itching.
- 12–24 hours – swelling peaks, redness spreads, possible formation of a tiny vesicle.
- 24–48 hours – redness fades, swelling recedes, itching subsides.
By correlating the stage of the skin reaction with the known nocturnal feeding window, one can infer the approximate time the bite occurred. For example, a fresh papule with intense itching likely resulted from a feeding event within the preceding 12 hours, i.e., during the night’s active period.