Bat Bugs, like their close cousins the bed bugs, are insect ectoparasites that live outside the body of their hosts but survive by sucking blood from mammals. While bed bugs prey on humans, bat bugs – as their names suggest – choose bats for their hosts. They look startlingly alike, however, there are differences.
Both these bloodsucking insects belong to the family Cimicidae. There are two common species of each, Cimex lectularius and C. hemipterus among bed bugs, and the African bat bug (Afrocimex constrictus) and the Eastern bat bug (Cimex adjunctus) among bat bugs.
Bat bugs look very much like their cousins the bed bugs, and it’s difficult to tell the two apart. A bat bug is reddish-brown, flat and oval in shape, and between 1.5 and 7 mm long. Bat bugs have longer hairs in the upper thorax and the sides of the abdomen than those on bed bugs.
See above. Bed bugs look like bat bugs, except for a less hairy upper thorax and abdomen.
Both bed and bat bugs are common in the US. Bed bugs live all over, especially in the tropical and sub-tropical parts of the country. Bat bugs are common in the US Midwest.
While bed bugs live in and around spots where humans sleep, sit or live, bat bugs have a different host – namely bats. Therefore, bat bugs are frequently found near their hosts, such as caves, eaves, chimneys, and attics. They can occasionally fall into the house proper (or migrate if their hosts fly away) and live close to humans, at which point they will drink human blood if they get really hungry (luckily, that could take a year).
Bat bugs and bed bugs are similar in the following ways:
Due to the many similarities, but the decidedly higher health risk of bat bugs (see Table 1 below), it may become very important to distinguish which types of infestation you have.
Table 1 below lists some of the differences between bat bugs and bed bugs.
Table 1
Summary of Differences: Bat Bugs vs. Bed Bugs
| Characteristic | Bed Bugs | Bat Bugs |
| Body Feature | Shorter hairs in upper thorax and abdomen | Longer hairs in upper thorax and abdomen |
| Host | Humans | Bats (especially small brown bats) |
| Feeding Habits | Sucks blood every 7-10 days from sleeping humans | Bat Bugs feed numerous times, day or night, if possible |
| Location | Around beds (mattresses, box spring etc.), furniture, carpets | Bat roosts, e.g. eaves, chimneys, attics, and cellars. However, they can come into human areas if they lose their bat hosts and will occasionally bite. |
| Manifestation | Lays 200+ eggs in a lifetime – usually 10 months to a year. | Female bat bugs need a blood meal before laying eggs, but can then reproduce very fast, laying hundreds of eggs at a time. It is common to see multiple generations of bat bugs in a single generation. There is speculation (without definitive proof) that bat bugs cannot reproduce without a bat host. |
| Carrier | Bed bugs do not carry diseases, neither do their bites cause diseases. | Bat bugs’ bites do not cause diseases. However, they can carry pathogens that can cause serious diseases. They can come from bats (e.g. rabies) or bat guano (e.g. histoplasmosis). |
We discuss many of these factors elsewhere, but there are some telltale signs of bed bugs or flea infestations:
Bed bugs only come out to feed every 7-10 days and are known to bite multiple times along a straight line. Due to anesthetics in their saliva, the bite marks may take a few days to appear. When they do show, they represent a raised red welt.
Bat bugs, as described above, do not often bite humans. When they do, their bites also contain saliva and the reactions on humans may be more severe than bed bug bites, in terms of itchiness and the level of pain. Also, different people react differently to bat bug bites.
Both bed and bat bug bites are found in clusters or straight lines (but close together).
Both can bite during the night, but Bat Bugs can occasionally bite during the day if really hungry.
If you get bitten by a bed bug or a bat bug, there are some DIY remedies, but medical help should be sought if something gets seriously infected or other side effects are present.
Bed bug bites are typically treated with anti-itch or calamine lotions, antihistamines and pain relievers if necessary.
.Bat bug bite effects can last for a week or two and can be treated with calamine lotion, anti-itch creams, and OTC pain medication. Using antihistamines such as diphenhydramine is often recommended given the potential for a more severe reaction.
There are pesticides for both bat and bed bugs, which can be administered by exterminators. Here are some DIY solutions.
To get rid of bed bugs, the most common measures include:
The above treatments, with some variations, will also help some with bat bugs, but some are only temporary fixes. Two of the best fixes for curing a bat bug problem are:
Typically, a 2-3 week period may be needed before all bugs are eliminated.
Vacuuming, laundry, and thorough cleaning from time to time and maintaining hygienic conditions in and around homes is the best solution. In addition, and especially if bats have been spotted around your house, you may want to call an exterminator.
Bed bugs are common, while bat bugs are relatively rare as far as homes are concerned. If you do get them, though, there are dangerous diseases that they could have brought in. So look out for tell-tale signs and tackle the problem fast.
