It's that time of year again, presents to buy, travel plans to make, family to visit, yes, the holidays are upon us! There are bags to pack, tickets to buy, long lines to wait in, and planes to catch before that fateful day. Oh, the stress of it all! Sure, you love the turkey and the stuffing and the pumpkin pie; you even love spending time catching up with your family over coffee and games, but getting there is more than a chore. Unfortunately, this year there is one more stress to add to your holiday travel checklist. Bed bugs! These resilient creatures have made a huge comeback in the past decade and are now the pest enemy number 1 for travelers this holiday season. The best way to avoid spending the holiday with these pests as you travel and inadvertently bringing them home with you is by knowing the facts. So let’s take a look at what you need to know about bed bugs this Thanksgiving
The first thing to understand is that bed bugs do not just live in beds. True, they are commonly found there; and hotels and motels often play host to these pests. But that is only the beginning of your worries. Bed bugs can actually be found anywhere that people can be found. Planes, trains, buses, boats, taxi cabs, and more can harbor bed bugs. You can also come into contact with them while shopping at the mall, doing laundry at the laundry mat, visiting a hospital, reading a book at the library… Do you get the picture? Bed bugs can literally be anywhere!
The next thing you must understand is that bed bugs move from place to place by hitchhiking a ride on any unsuspecting person or in their personal belongings. They are small and their eggs are even smaller – and sticky! These pests can easily catch a ride, with the person being completely oblivious to their presence.
Finally, you should understand what their bites look like. Bed bugs will leave red, itchy welts similar to those left by mosquitoes. The difference is that mosquitoes will typically only bite once and move on, but bed bugs feed several times leaving groups of bites that are in a linear or cluster pattern.
So what should you do as you travel home for the holidays this year? Be vigilant, stay alert, and know what you are looking for. Bed bugs leave behind subtle signs when they are present. Here’s what you should look for:
- Small, red spots (blood stains) in seams and on surfaces of beds, sheets, blankets, seats, sofas, and other places people frequently sit or recline.
- Small black fecal flecks in these same areas.
- Shed casings that these insects leave behind as they grow.
- The insects themselves. They often resemble a small apple seed with legs.
If you have the unfortunate experience of bringing bed bugs home with you from the holidays, don’t panic. Stay calm and contact the bed bug specialists here at American Pest Solutions. Our highly trained bed bug experts can quickly identify a bed bug infestation, discover their hiding places, and safely and discreetly eliminate them. Bed bugs are sneaky travelers, they are elusive and difficult to eradicate, and they bite leaving itchy welts; but when they meet up with the pros here at American Pest Solutions bed bugs become dead bugs. Guaranteed.