What's biting me? (how much, home, living in)

[Magnolia Bloom]

It could be bedbugs, even if your mattress is new. Bed bugs can live in your new mattress - 'Don't let the bed bugs bite'- msnbc.com

"Back then, we bought nine mattresses and opened them up. What we found was shocking.

Beneath new covers, filthy old materials were contaminated with urine, fecal matter and dangerous fungi, all of which can seep out through the cover over time. We also found a dead bedbug with its eggs."

[Krulik]

There is an epidemic of bed bugs in many cities in the US. They can move around in your suitcases after a hotel stay for example.

[Zeerow6]

Bed bugs are back and they're not going away anytime soon. Do a thorough inspection. Check all furniture, top and bottom. Look at baseboards, the wall at ceiling(stains), electric wall outlets, bed frames.

If you suspect bed bugs, get some professional help soon. If the infestation is localized in one bedroom, control will much quicker and less on the wallet. Typical charges for bed bugs may run $1200-1500 for homes, or $250.00 per room. Lots of work involved for homeowner, and pest control tech.

If you travel, use some precautions.

[notmeow]

My husband is getting bites everywhere mostly on his legs they are small bumbs in a red circle in the size of a quarter and it does happen alot at night while he is asleep in bed, it turned out to be mosquitos, We have only seen the darn thing floating around once in a while and sometimes we do not see them at all but he still gets bitten so that could be what it is...

[Kenny48]

Answer is NO-See-UMS they are all over this area, especially if you live near any source of water. They leave itchy red welts mostly on your legs, that take awhile to go away. If you go outside in the evening, you are sure to get bitten.

Use bug repellent when you go out walking. They claim there are natural ways to repel these nasty critters, but I haven't found any that actually work! and I take all kinds of vitamins.

[Annetoun]

I started getting bit every night about a month and half ago. At first I figured it was a mosquito...but have never seen one in the house. The bites started on my feet, toes, ankles then worked its way up to my legs...occassional bites on my hands. I thought it might be bed bugs so I washed all my bedding in hot water, throughout the mattress and moved to sleeping on the couch. I pulled my bed apart...inspected it from every angle looking for some sign of bed bugs but found nothing...no blood spots on the mattress or anywhere near it. When I moved to sleeping on the couch, the bites stopped for about a week or two. Its been a few weeks on the couch and this morning I woke up with a cluster of about 8 bites on my lower stomach, one on my arm and two on my leg! They itch like crazy! I don't know what these bites are...and can't afford to call the pest control. There are 4 adults living in this house and no one else is getting bit. I have a cat but he doesn't seem to have fleas because he doesn't scratch at all and he doesn't go outside. and if he did have fleas then other people in the house would be getting bit too I would assume. Does anyone have any advise or knowledge of what could be biting me?? I've also ruled out an allergic reaction because I stopped using the new static dryer sheets, thinking maybe it was that, but I'm still getting bit. Someone please help!!

[Keeper]

It could be no see'ums or mosquitoes. Ironically they do not bite everyone in a group of ppl.

Here is a link to pictures of Bed bug bites.
Bedbug Bites

[nucat78]

Spiders, centipedes (?), millipedes (?) ?

I've seen some reddish brown c-pedes or m-pedes in the house here. Not sure if such exist in Florida. I got a nasty bite on my left knee the other night - much larger and itchier than a "skeeter".

[jambo101]

Get up in the middle of the night and check the bed,i suspect what ever is biting you will be visible, looking in the daytime is not the best time to look as these bugs maybe nesting within your mattress.

[Robhu]

Since you mention the bites are only on your legs I would suspect fleas or chiggers. (if they are chiggers where you live.)
It may not be from in your house. It may be from being outside from varmints that live in grass or weeds. Or even bare ground.
Bedbugs aren't picky. They bite everywhere. And you should see small dots on bedding like small felt tip pen marks.
If it is chiggers, they burrow under the skin and leave very small red bumps that itch like crazy.
Try to remember what you did and where you were the day before the night you seemed to get the bites. Where you outside, in the house all day, etc?
By the way, fleas tend to congregate under pine trees in the fallen needles. Have you been around any pine trees if there are any where you live?
Do you have a dog? Does it sleep with you on the bed at the foot of the bed?
Just some things to think about in a process of elimination to try to figure out the cause.