Finding out whether you have bed bugs starts with a careful look, not a panic. A calm inspection of a London flat takes about an hour and needs only a torch, a plastic card and your phone. This guide shows where to look, what you are looking for and how to record it.
The NHS says bed bugs are small, flat insects that live in furniture and bedding, and that adults are around 5mm long. They hide by day and come out at night. Therefore you will often find signs before you find the insects themselves.
Before you start
Pick a time in daylight when you are not rushed. Strip the bed and put the bedding straight into a sealed bag. Turn on every light and keep a torch handy for dark gaps.
Wear gloves if you like, but you do not need special kit. A stiff plastic card, such as an old loyalty card, helps you run along seams and crevices. Keep your phone ready, since a clear photo is the most useful thing you can collect.
Work in one direction, starting at the bed and moving outwards. In a small London flat the bedroom, living room and hallway sit very close together. As a result, bugs can use any of them.
What the evidence looks like
There are four main types of evidence. Each one tells you something different, so look for all of them.
- Live insects: reddish-brown, flat, oval and about the size of an apple pip. Young ones are paler and much smaller.
- Cast skins: empty, pale shells left behind as young bugs grow.
- Faecal spotting: small dark brown or black dots, like pen marks, that smear when wet. The NHS lists small brown spots on bedding or furniture as a sign.
- Eggs: tiny, pale and stuck in crevices. They are very hard to see without a torch.
Blood spots on sheets can also appear. However, they are not proof on their own. A scratched bite or a small cut can leave the same mark.
Step 1: the bed
Start with the mattress. Check the seams, piping, labels and tufts, then lift the corners and look underneath. Bed bugs favour the places closest to where you sleep.
Next, move to the bed frame. Look along every joint, screw hole and slat end. If you have a divan, check the fabric cover underneath and the wheels or feet. A torch held at a low angle shows spots that overhead light hides.
Finally, check the headboard. Many London flats have wall-mounted or fixed headboards with a gap behind them. Pull the headboard away if you can, and look at the back, the wall fixings and the gap between wood and plaster.
Step 2: furniture around the bed
After the bed, check bedside tables, drawers and any shelving within a couple of metres. Pull drawers fully out and look at the runners and the underside. Moreover, check the backs of picture frames and any books or boxes stored under the bed.
Then inspect the sofa. The NHS advises checking furniture, bed frames and other hiding places when looking for signs. Lift the cushions, run your card along the seams and zips, and look under the sofa where the fabric is stapled to the frame.
Step 3: skirting boards, sockets and edges
Move to the room’s edges. Look along the skirting boards near the bed, especially where they meet the floor. Check the gaps behind curtains, the curtain rail ends and any loose wallpaper.
Sockets and switches are worth a glance too. Switch the power off at the consumer unit first, and do not remove any socket covers unless you are confident doing so. A look around the edges with a torch is usually enough.
In older London conversions, gaps often run between floors and walls. For example, a Victorian flat might have old pipe holes or cable channels. Bugs can use these routes, which matters if you share walls with neighbours. Our guide to bed bugs in London flats and shared buildings explains how they move between homes.
Step 4: photograph and keep a specimen
Photograph anything that looks like evidence. Take one wide shot to show where you found it, then a close-up. Put a coin or a ruler beside it so the size is clear.
To keep a specimen, trap it with clear tape or tip it into a small sealed container. Label it with the date and room. Do not squash it, because a crushed insect is hard to identify.
Write a short log as you go. Note what you found, where and when. A tenant who keeps a log and photos is in a much stronger position when talking to a landlord. Our renters and landlords guide explains who normally handles what.
How reliable is a visual check?
A visual check can confirm bed bugs, but it cannot rule them out. A peer-reviewed review of detection methods notes that visual inspection is time-consuming, needs experience and is non-specific. Hence a clear result today does not mean you are in the clear.
Research also shows bed bugs wander further than people expect. A study of bed bug movement in apartments found that many insects were caught well away from the bed. So widen your search beyond the bedroom if you find anything.
If your first check is clear but you keep waking with marks, repeat it weekly. Consider whether the marks might have another cause, as set out in our post on bed bug bites and what else they could be.
What to do next
If you find evidence, stay calm and avoid spraying shop-bought products. They can scatter the insects into other rooms. Bag and wash bedding, tell your landlord or managing agent in writing, and read our urgent bed bug help guide for sensible next steps.
The NHS advises contacting your local council or a pest control professional, since bed bugs can be hard to find and may resist some insecticides. Our post on heat and insecticide approaches explains the main options so you can ask informed questions.
Local starting points
Every borough runs its own services, so check your council’s current page. If you rent in the east, our guide on what Hackney renters should check is a good place to begin. Residents in the south east can read the Lewisham area guide, and those in outer east London can use the bed bug guidance for Barking and Dagenham.
In the centre, the City of London area guide covers the Square Mile. Further out, see the Sutton area guide and bed bug advice for Ealing households. Each page points to the council’s own pest service so you can check the current details.
Common questions
How long should a bed bug check take?
Plan for about an hour in a one-bedroom flat. Start with the bed, then move outwards to the sofa, skirting boards and sockets. Rushing is the most common reason people miss evidence.
What should I do if I find one insect?
Photograph it, then keep it in a sealed container or a piece of clear tape. A photo and a specimen help a professional or your landlord identify it. Do not assume one insect means a large infestation, but do keep checking.
Can I tell if bed bugs are gone just by looking?
Not reliably. Bed bugs hide in tiny gaps, so a clean-looking bed does not prove they have gone. Repeat checks over several weeks and use monitors to catch anything you miss.
Is a bed bug check the same as a treatment?
No. A check finds evidence and shows where the problem sits. Getting rid of bed bugs usually needs professional help, as the NHS advises.