What a Bedbug Is A bedbug is a small (about the size of an apple seed), flat, reddish-brown bug that can be found in homes all over the world. It hides during the day and comes out during the night to look for blood. A bedbug has a special ingredient in its saliva (spit) that keeps blood from clotting while it's eating. What a Bite Looks and Feels Like If a person gets bitten by a bedbug, the bite will feel itchy. Bedbug bites look like little red bumps (similar to mosquito bites) and they can sometimes happen in a line on the body. What You Should Do If you think you've been bitten by a bedbug, wash the bites with soap and water. To help with the itching, put some calamine lotion or a cold compress (like ice wrapped in a clean towel) on the area. Or an adult can find an anti-itch cream or medicine at the drugstore for you. Try not to scratch the bites too much because this can make them become infected. What a Doctor Will Do If you get an infection from scratching bedbug bites, a doctor will need to prescribe medicine to clear up the infection. How to Avoid Getting Bitten The best way to avoid getting bitten by bedbugs is to keep your room uncluttered so bedbugs won't have places to hide. It's also important to change your sheets once a week and vacuum the floor regularly. If you think you have bedbugs, ask an adult about the best way to get rid of them. Back to Articles Related Articles Hey! A Bee Stung Me! Bee, or honeybee, is the word many people use to describe any flying insect that has wings and a stinger. Learn more about bees. Read More Hey! A Scorpion Stung Me! Scorpions are about three inches long (about the length of a crayon), with eight legs and a small pair of claws that look like crabs' claws. Read all about them. Read More Hey! A Fire Ant Stung Me! Fire ants think they're hot stuff. Learn how to handle them in this article for kids. Read More Hey! A Mosquito Bit Me! There are thousands of different kinds of mosquitoes in many different sizes and colors. Learn all about mosquitoes and how they bite you in this article. Read More Hey! A Tick Bit Me! A tick attaches itself to the skin of a person or animal and sucks blood. If you have a dog, it may have picked up a tick before! Learn more about ticks in this article for kids. Read More Hey! A Flea Bit Me! A flea is a small (no bigger than the head of a pin) brown bug with a hard shell. Learn more about fleas and how they affect you in this fun article just for kids. Read More Hey! A Louse Bit Me! Lice need to suck blood to survive, and they sometimes live on people's heads and lay eggs in their hair. Get the lowdown on lice in this article. Read More Hey! A Chigger Bit Me! Chiggers are a tiny red type of mite. Learn more about itchy chiggers in this article. Read More Hey! A Gnat Bit Me! A gnat is a very tiny insect, no bigger than the head of a pin. Learn more about gnats. Read More Hey! A Tarantula Bit Me! A tarantula is a black, hairy spider that is about two to three inches long. Learn all about spiders and tarantulas in this fun article for kids. Read More Hey! A Brown Recluse Spider Bit Me! The brown recluse spider is one of six poisonous kinds of spiders in the United States. Learn more about the brown recluse spider. Read More Hey! A Black Widow Spider Bit Me! The black widow spider is one of six poisonous kinds of spiders in the United States. Learn more about them! Read More Rashes Learn about rashes in a flash. Check out our article just for kids! Read More Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor. © 1995-2021 KidsHealth®. All rights reserved. Images provided by The Nemours Foundation, iStock, Getty Images, Veer, Shutterstock, and Clipart.com.