Initially, I assumed it was just rice, but the reality was far more unsettling

She didn’t wait to see what would happen. Stripping the bed, she stuffed every sheet, pillowcase, and blanket into scorching-hot wash cycles, then attacked the mattress seams with a vacuum and steam. Each pass felt like a small battle won against something that had already invaded the most intimate corner of her life: her sleep. The shame, the disgust, the crawling sensation on her skin—none of it was imagined.

When the pest control technician confirmed early-stage activity, he also delivered the only good news she’d hear that week: she had caught it just in time. A few more days and those eggs would have hatched, spreading through furniture, outlets, even neighboring apartments. Her story is a warning written in white, oval specks: if you see “rice” in your bed, look twice—and act immediately.