There's an article here which says it's very difficult to tell from the appearance of a bite whether it comes from bedbugs, and suggests searching the room for the actual bugs instead.

I've been bitten by them in India, and I'm not sure about those bites. The row of three at the bottom right looks a bit like what I had, a few evenly spaced dots. But the longer lines at the top look different. If you don't know how you got them presumably you haven't been staying in a hotel. So, it's probably just a rash of some kind.

I've stripped the bed and am in the process of washing and drying the sheets, mattress pad, and dust ruffle in HOT hot hot hot dryer air. I see no bugs or signs of bugs. I did spend the night at a friend's house last week. She travels a LOT and had the suitcase on the bed that night? Ugh.

During the day, bedbugs generally hide outside the sheets in the nearest spot that is not disturbed, like tucked into that corner ribbing of the mattress or boxspring. Before you remake the bed, inspect the matress, boxspring and frame. You won't need a magnifying glass, but a flashlight will help.

If you sleep in a well tucked bed, they will go for your arms, shoulders or neck, whatever is nearest and exposed. They won't crawl into your hair.

The suitcase bit is somewhat of an urban legend. The bugs travel in clothes that had been on a floor overnight.

Well, if there's no spots or bugs you're probably in the clear. It's not a big deal anyway, they're pretty harmless, just annoying.

I was eaten alive at a Best Western in SF, but the line of bites was longer.

It's a huge deal, alas. Definitely check the mattress lining (underneath the piping, etc.) and hideyholes in the bed frame. Bed bugs like wood, so they will often hide in crevices of the frame itself or even in places not on the bed. Like the backs of picture frames, in books, in the nightstand, and a million places you won't think of.

The reason it is a big deal is that if you already have an infestation -- which you very well may not -- the extermination process is a huge pain in the ass.

But look hard before panicking. Also, look for little drops of blood on the sheets. You could have just been bitten by spiders or other harmless creatures 'o the night, but those lines of bites are suspiciously like bedbug bites.

I'm actually thinking it might be some rogue poison ivy, which has also presented like this on me. There's absolutely *no* evidence of bedbugs that I can find, after practically ripping apart the bed. And there's been no new bites since this happened.

This calls for a celebratory drink after work next week. How 'bout MoJoe's?

They don't look like the ones I had, if that's any comfort.

mudpuppie--i hear the bites can look a lot of different ways!

chewie--maybe so! let's email tomorrow.