There are more creatures that live rent-free in homes than people are aware of. With some of these critters not evolving in millions of years, getting rid of them can be a difficult task. While they are not as horrifying as the scariest prehistoric creatures that were not dinosaurs or the biggest spiders in the world, they are hugely annoying.
✕ Remove Ads
One tiny invisible creature puts travelers at high risk of infestation because they are from countries that travel the most. Fortunately, while infestation gives the ick factor, if taken care of fast enough, it can be minimized before running rampant through the home.
A big issue that travelers face that many do not think about is bed bugs. Once believed to be a pest that only lives in dirty, dingy motels, today, bed bugs live anywhere there are travelers. This means the nicest hotels and resorts face the same threat as lower-star hotels, hostels, and vacation rentals. The more travelers visit a location, the higher the risk of bringing bed bugs home, which is why it is important to know what to do to keep bed bugs at bay so an infestation never occurs.
✕ Remove Ads
Related
I Found Bed Bugs In My Hotel Room, Here Are 7 Things I Do Now Before Every Stay
Here are seven essential steps I take to avoid hotel bed bugs and prevent bringing them home after a personal experience.
Travelers Are At Higher Risk Of Infestation By Bed Bugs
The more travelers come into an establishment with their luggage and clothing, the easier it is for bed bugs to begin their infestation
Close
There is a common misconception that bed bugs are only found in dirty, seedy establishments. In reality, bed bugs are present everywhere frequent travelers go. This is because bed bugs can easily attach themselves to bedding, luggage, and even clothing and move from one location to another going completely unnoticed.
A breakdown of the total percentage of guests who witnessed bed bugs in their rooms includes:
✕ Remove Ads
Type Of Establishment
Percentage Of Bed Bugs
Five-Star Hotel
20%
Four-Star Hotel
30%
Three-Star Hotel
38%
Two-Star Hotel
16%
One-Star Hotel
9%
Motel
20%
Hostel
4%
Vacation Rental
19%
Bed and Breakfast
10%
Making the situation even more difficult to stop the spread of bed bugs, is that many travelers do not know what a bed bug looks like. Because of this, the brown, apple-seed-shaped insects can go unnoticed or be completely misidentified as another bug.
✕ Remove Ads
Additionally, bed bugs can move through the "voids in walls", wires, and pipes to get from one room to another. This means if one room is infested in a hotel, motel, or other place for travelers to rest, rooms nearby likely are as well.
Consequently, for most travelers, the first signs they have been around bed bugs occur after they have spread the bugs to their homes.
Related
Air India Passengers Spot Bedbugs In The Seat Cushions Of New York-Bound Flight
Passengers were recently horrified to discover bed bugs on their seats during an Air India flight from Mumbai to New York.
Signs Bed Bugs Are Present And Have Caused An Infestation
Bed bug bites may be the first sign of a bed bug infestation, but there are other signs that the critters are in the home as well
Close
✕ Remove Ads
Unfortunately, unless bedding, carpet, and wallpaper/paint are consistently monitored, there is no way to know bed bugs have made their way into the home until they bite. Because of this, if there are suddenly several bite marks with no known source, the best place to start checking is the mattress.
Bed bugs are nocturnal insects. They are not often seen during the day, which can make them difficult to find. Instead, the bed bugs come out at night to feed on humans and animals in their vicinity. It is the aftermath of the bites that makes it clear an infestation has occurred.
While bites are the earliest signs that bed bugs are present, there are other telltale signs that bed bugs have hitchhiked their way from a vacation destination to a home. Those signs include:
✕ Remove Ads
Rust-colored spots on the bed from bites Rust-colored spots on the bed from blood-swollen bed bugs being accidentally smashed Bug droppings Molted bed bug skin Bed bug shells
Any of these signs require the immediate removal of bed bugs. Just how difficult a job it is will depend on how bad the infestation is.
Related
7 Strangest Animals Ever Discovered
What are the strangest animals ever discovered? Many strange animals are out there, but these seven are especially weird and interesting.
How To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs
Bed bugs can be eradicated without professionals if the infestation is localized but if too large, experts may be needed
Close
Just how easy it is to get rid of bed bugs depends on how massive the infestation is. This is why ridding the home of bed bugs as soon as they are discovered is of the utmost importance.
For infestations that are not housewide, it may be possible to get rid of bed bugs without calling in a professional. The key is to use either high heat or freezing temperatures to get rid of bed bugs.
✕ Remove Ads
The best ways to ensure that bed bugs die and do not return include: Wash and dry bedding and clothes exposed to bed bugs on high heat Freeze bedding and clothing for a few days in plastic bags Scrub cracks and crevices of a mattress with a stiff brush to remove eggs and any undiscovered bed bugs Keep clutter out of living spaces to give bed bugs one less place to hide Fix cracks in paint or wallpaper as both are known places for bed bugs to congregate Vacuum consistently
If these tips do not work, it is likely because the infestation is too large to be handled without a professional. Professionals will come into the home with pesticides and steam machines to eradicate the bed bugs. But be forewarned, the price range for this is hundreds to thousands of dollars.
✕ Remove Ads
Being exposed to bed bugs may not be harmful, but it feels creepy knowing bugs are waiting for humans to sleep so they can attack. Therefore, keep homes tidy, check beds for bugs when on vacation, and consider sanitizing luggage before bringing it into a home after vacation. It might be a bit of extra work to do this, but if it stops an infestation of bed bugs from happening, it is well worth it.