If you’re sleeping somewhere other than home,  beware . Bed bugs in hotels are on the rise. Hotels and motels are some of bed bugs favorite hangouts.

Before you check out your hotel room’s minibar or oceanfront view, give it a thorough bed bug inspection—and until you’ve done that, stash your luggage in the lobby.

“Bed bugs are least likely to be found in the bathroom,” says Missy Henriksen, vice president of public affairs for the National Pest Control Association. “They don’t like the tile floors and there aren’t as many hiding places. They like to be closer to where people may be sleeping.”

Here’s how to check for bed bugs in hotels:

• Pull back the linens and check all the way around and under the mattress and behind the headboard.
• Look for blood stains or small black dots that look like mold or ground pepper.  Check for the bugs themselves, also. Bed bugs are about the size and shape of an apple seed, and you may find them hiding in corners or seams of the bedding.
• Next, broaden your bed bug search to the area immediately surrounding the bed: behind picture frames, under the telephone and alarm clock, and even in books.
• Check in the cushions and seams of any couches or soft chairs, and in the closet before putting your clothes away.

Studies have shown that most bed bugs are found within 15 feet of a bed, but some may still be further away.

Leaving suitcases and bags on the floor—or on a second spare bed—may be one way to bring home an unwanted souvenir.

For the duration of your trip, keep your bags on the desktop, on top of the dresser, or on a luggage rack in the room. (Don’t leave clothing lying out, either!)

For extra protection, keep your suitcase encased in plastic during your trip. Storage and luggage retailers also sell  zip-up bags  specifically for this purpose.

Inspect and vacuum out your suitcases before storing them away and if you’ve invested in a plastic luggage case, keep it sealed up until you need it next.

Bed bug bites can be a pretty uncomfortable and might make you sick so it’s’ best to be proactive when on the road.

Treatment for bedbugs

Bed bug elimination is not a simple proposition.  HEAT is the Bed bug’s biggest foe. At 130 degrees Fahrenheit,bedbugs and eggs are destroyed. Some liquid treatments are effective in certain situations.   Atkins Pest Control uses the HEAT process in combination with liquid treatments for the best results possible!

If you suspect that you’ve brought home bed bugs from a recent trip or vacation, contact Atkins Pest Control to conduct an inspection. WE CAN HELP YOU WITH THAT!

Author: Roger Beasley- Pest Control Manager.