Bedbugs can hide in many places, including on bed frames, mattresses, clothing, furniture, behind pictures and under loose wallpaper.

Signs of bedbugs include:

• bites – often on skin exposed while sleeping, like the face, neck and arms
• spots of blood on your bedding – from the bites or from squashing a bedbug
• small brown spots on bedding or furniture (bedbug poo)

Bedbug bites can be raised and itchy. They're often in a line or grouped together.

Some people have a reaction to the bites. They can be very itchy and there may be painful swelling.

A severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) is also possible but rare.

Bedbug bites usually clear up on their own in a week or so.

Things you can do include:

• putting something cool, like a clean, damp cloth, on the affected area to help with the itching and any swelling
• keeping the affected area clean
• not scratching the bites to avoid getting an infection

A pharmacist can help with bedbug bites

You can ask a pharmacist about:

• mild steroid cream like hydrocortisone cream to ease bedbug bites (children under 10 and pregnant women should get advice from a doctor before using hydrocortisone cream)
• antihistamines – these may help if the bites are very itchy and you're unable to sleep

See a GP if:

If you think you have bedbugs, you should contact your local council or pest control service.

It's very difficult to get rid of bedbugs yourself because they can be hard to find and may be resistant to some insecticides.

There are some things you can try yourself, but these are unlikely to get rid of bedbugs completely.

Find your local council

You can find your local council on GOV.UK.