Do Bedbugs Prefer Some People in Kingston?

This question comes up in almost every household with bedbugs: couples, brothers and sisters sharing a room, a student and a flatmate. The answer matters, because the wrong conclusion leads people to check the wrong bed, or to decide there is no problem at all.

Being Bitten Is Not the Same as Reacting

A bite mark is not made by the bite itself. It is the skin’s response to the saliva the insect injects while feeding. Some people swell and itch within hours. Some take days to show anything. Some never show a mark at all, however often they are fed on.

So in the bed with one person covered and one person clear, the likeliest explanation is that both are being bitten and only one is reacting. The person with no marks is not being spared; they are just not getting the warning.

Are Some People Actually Bitten More?

Sometimes, a little, for plain practical reasons rather than taste:

• Whoever sleeps on the side nearest the wall or headboard is closest to where the bugs are hiding.
• Someone who sleeps for longer or more still gives them more time to feed.
• Bare arms, legs and shoulders outside the covers are easier to reach.
• The person who stays in the bed while the other is away is the only one there to feed on.

People also give off slightly different amounts of warmth and scent, which is how bedbugs find a host, and that may make a small difference. It is not enough to protect anyone, and nothing you eat, wash with or spray on yourself will keep them off.

What It Means for Checking the Bed

Do not judge where bedbugs are by who has bites. Look for the insects and what they leave behind, and look on both sides of a shared bed:

• Small dark spots along the mattress seams and piping, and on the corners of the base.
• Pale, empty shed skins in the joints of the frame.
• Live bugs behind the headboard and in the screw holes.
• Tiny rust-coloured marks on sheets and pillowcases.

Also check the bed of anyone who shares a room or swaps beds, even if they insist they are fine. The London guide to early signs of bedbugs shows what to look for, and where bedbugs hide that get missed covers the less obvious places.

When Only One Person Reacts in a Shared House

In a student house or a family home, one person with bites is easily dismissed by everyone else. If nobody else reacts, it can look as if the problem is that one person’s skin. It is worth someone checking the bed rather than arguing about it. An inspection in the borough from £120 gives a clear answer, and the Kingston page covers treatment for the whole house.

Looking After the Person Who Reacts

Reactions can be uncomfortable and disturb sleep. A pharmacist or GP can advise on itching and skin reactions. Anyone showing signs of a severe allergic reaction, such as difficulty breathing or swelling of the face or throat, needs 999.

What does not help is moving the person who reacts into another bed. The bugs follow, and the other bed becomes a second problem. Keep everyone where they sleep, and have the room treated. Our guide on moving furniture between rooms explains the same logic for beds and sofas.

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