Bed Bugs – What You Can Do To Help Protect Against Bed Bugs This Vacation Season.

How to accurately identify a bed bug:

An adult bed bug is a oval shaped, flat insect typically 1/4 inch in length – about the size of an apple seed, though newly hatched bed bug nymphs are smaller. They are brown in color but will appear red and swollen after feeding.

Bed bugs are parasites that feed on blood by biting humans and other animals. They are attracted to the carbon dioxide that we breath out, especially while we are sleeping. They prefer to stay hidden and are most active in the late hours of night and early morning. Because of their elusive behavior and small size, an infestation can be difficult to not only confirm, but eradicate.

Tips to prevent bringing bed bugs back home with you after a vacation:

Bed Bugs are excellent hitchhikers, they will climb on to luggage and purses, clothing, and shoes, putting you at risk of bringing a bed bug infestation back to your home while traveling. This is why it is very important to keep an eye out for bed bugs and follow a few tips below to help reduce the chances of bringing a bed bug back from vacation with you.

While on Vacation:

Inspect your room before unpacking! Check mattresses and mattress seams, looking for bed bug excrement and shed skins. Inspect behind headboard and around the bed frame in the hotel room. They are excellent at hiding, so make sure to check small cracks and crevices in the room and to check any other furniture like chairs and couches. A small flashlight will help you more easily see these areas and increase your chances of spotting a bed bug should there be an infestation in the room.
Protect your luggage and your belongings – As stated before, bed bugs are excellent hitchhikers and while an inspection of the room will help spot any possible bed bugs, a couple tips to prevent them from coming back home with you is to keep your luggage off of the floor – place it in the tub since bed bugs have difficulty climbing smooth vertical surfaces or on the luggage rack if one was provided.
If you do happen to spot signs of bed bug activity or believe you may have an infestation in your hotel room, notify the staff immediately. You can request to stay in another room, as far from the infested room as possible, or consider staying in another hotel.

When You’re Back Home from Vacation

Inspect Your Bags – Make sure to thoroughly inspect your luggage and any other bags for possible bed bug hitchhikers. It is recommend you unpack in your garage or a utility room in your home to more easily spot bed bugs and keep them secluded to that area should one travel back home with you.
Inspect Your Clothing – Place all the clothing you brought on your trip with you into the dryer on high heat for at least 15 minutes, this should kill any bed bugs that were hiding inside and prevent them from spreading further and causing an infestation in your living areas.
Vacuum Luggage – Use a handheld vacuum to thoroughly clean out your luggage and bags you traveled with. This will capture any bed bug adults, larvae, and possible eggs before they can spread further in your home. Dispose of the vacuum bag in an outside trashcan and clean the vacuum to make sure no bed bugs are stuck inside still

If You’re Worried You Brought Bed Bugs Back Home

Due to the elusive nature of bed bugs and the fact that they are such good hitchhikers, it can still be possible to bring back a bed bug or two with you from vacation. They don’t discriminate and are not a “sanitation” issue like other pests. A bed bug may have gotten on to your luggage or clothes during a plane ride, public transit like subways or busses, or even during a rideshare trip. If you believe you have a potential bed bug issue in your home, don’t hesitate to call Clear Pest Pros of Clearwater. Our expertly trained technicians know exactly where to look for potential bed bugs and have the tools and materials necessary to not only fully inspect your home, but treat any rooms that may have bed bugs as well.

Call Clear Pest Pros of Clearwater Today to Schedule Your FREE Full-Home Bed Bug Inspection – 727-800-2992