Bed Bugs – What To Look Out For

Bedbugs are everywhere!!!

 

Hotels, Resorts, Motels, Hostels and even the humble home.

 

They have been around for centuries where they were thought to of originated in the Middle East.  Adult female bedbugs can lay on average 200 eggs  in a lifetime and as many as 500.  Bedbugs are small blood sucking creatures that only feed on blood, primarily us humans but also other warm blooded animals.

 

They are nocturnal, hibernating during the day within cracks & crevices in or around bedding and furniture and  venturing out in the dark to feed on their warm blooded victims .  Generally the bedbug is not associated with any serious cross infection or trasmission of disease to humans.

 

They do bite though and can cause an allergic recation, generally associated with localised swelling and of course itching.  A bedbug is also a very hardy insect.  Not only are they great at hitching a lift and adapting to any new environment they are also extremely difficult to erradicate effectively once that have established themselves.

 

All in all, they are bloody annoying and unless a bedbug infestation is treated once detected they will only continue to spread and increase in numbers.

 

Below is a checklist for bedbugs – taken from www.badbedbugs.com.  Good luck and remember “Goodnight, Sleep Tight, Don’t let the Bedbugs bite!”

The first thing you should do is to spot check the bed. Peel back the bed sheets and check the mattress, running your fingers along the upper and lower seams. Make sure to check the mattress tag and plastic around the edges (see the picture above); bed bugs often hide there.

 

Check for tiny black spots (smaller than the size of poppy seeds) behind the headboard, translucent skins or actual bedbugs. Bed bug spots (fecal matter) are dark brown to black in color and stick to the surface. If it falls off, then it’s not a bed bug spot. You can also take a wet towel and wipe the spot to see if it smears and if so, then it may be fecal matter.

 

Check the bedside table or any other furniture or fixtures near the bed. Bedbugs don’t like the light, so they’ll be hiding in areas that are usually dark or have very low light.
Are there shed skins – as the bed bug develops, it sheds the skin which looks like the bug. Also look for tiny white eggs (like rice) along the edge of the mattress.

 

During the early stages of infestation (if you or someone just brought one home), the bug bug(s) usually hide out in the mattress ( and headboard). If this is your home and you’re concerned you might have a few in bed with you, it would be wise to buy a mattress cover; this will seal in the bed bugs and over time, they will die. See our section on Mattress Covers to learn exactly what type of cover you need (standard covers will not work).

 

Utilize the luggage stand in the hotel room to keep your bags off of the floor where bedbugs can easily get into your things and end up hitching a ride home with you. Never dump your luggage on the bed.

 

If you see powder in the drawers or on the headboard, it is likely that the room has already been treated for bugs by an exterminator.

 

If you do see a bedbug or signs of one, inform a manager immediately. You may request another room but remember the bedbugs could easily be in other parts of the hotel as well. Personally, I would leave and find another hotel if there is any sign at all of bedbugs.

 

Other signs of bedbugs may include itching or a foul smell. The odor has been described a number of ways, most say it resembles spoiled raw beef, musty odor or a sweet odor such as fresh red raspberries.

 

Just because the room or hotel is new does not mean it’s free from bedbugs; bedbugs find rooms by riding on the cloths or luggage of others and may have been been hitching a ride on the last occupant.

 

When you’re ready to leave double check your luggage as well as individual items within your suitcase. This may seem cumbersome, but preventing a bedbug infestation is a LOT easier than dealing with one!

 

If you spot a bedbug within your luggage, wash the item in hot water and blow dry on high heat for 20-30 minutes. Then place the item in a zip lock bag, which should keep any bedbugs out.

Areas bugs bugs like to hide

Bedbugs love gaps in just about everything, so check:

 

• behind baseboards
• around door and window casings
• around window sills and frames
• behind electrical and telephone switch plates
• between flooring and wall components
• where materials meet to form a gap
• around pipes (water, drain, electrical conduits
• seams, creases, tufts, and folds of the mattress and box spring
• bed frames and head board
• under night stands and drawers
• storage units
• items such as furniture that may have hollow legs
• between upholstered furniture
• between the folds of drapery or curtains
• in your alarm clock

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Tagged as: bed bug, bed bug checklist, bed bug control, bed bugs, bedbugs, get rid of bed bugs