Wil-Kil Pest Control's Pest of the Month: Fun in the Sun and Bed Bugs?

If you’re like me, you can’t wait for warmer weather and to say goodbye to all this snow.   Every year, millions of Americans look forward to escaping the cold temperatures for popular spring break destinations down south. So whether you’re heading to Galveston, Texas, Panama City, Fla. or even Mexico, be careful not to bring back some unwanted guests, like bed bugs!

From hostels to five-star hotels, bed bugs have become much more common in all types of lodging facilities. I have personally found bed bugs in my hotels on numerous occasions. However, there are several tips that spring break travelers can do before, during, and even after their vacation to avoid finding bed bugs in their hotel or bringing them home in a suitcase.

• At hotels, thoroughly inspect the entire room before unpacking. Check behind the headboard and next to the baseboard as well as in and behind the night stand. Then pull back the bed sheets and inspect the mattress, especially the box spring seams. Bed bugs are easily noticeable with the naked eye, but bringing a flashlight will definitely help in dark areas. Bed bugs also leave behind black pepper-like droppings that may be signs of bed bug activity.
  
  
• Set your luggage away from walls and do not place it on the bed. I store my suitcase on a table or in the bathroom. You can also place it in a trash bag or a protective cover during your hotel stay.
  
  
• Do not pile dirty clothes or shoes next to the bed. Bed bugs can detect your body odors left behind on these items and hitchhike back home unnoticed.
  
  
• If you see anything suspicious, notify the hotel management and change rooms immediately. Be sure your new room is not adjacent to the infested room. I recommend moving to a different wing of the hotel.
  
  
• After your trip, inspect your suitcases thoroughly before bringing them into the house.
  
  
• Wash all of your clothes (even those that have not been worn). You can also place backpacks and shoes in the dryer on high heat for at least 20 minutes to kill all life stages of bed bugs. Personally, I store my suitcase in my garage and NOT in my bed room.

Inspecting for bed bugs in your hotel during a trip is not fun and may seem like an additional task when you’re trying to get some R&R. But it could be the difference between enjoying a great trip and having it turn into a bed bug nightmare.

About Shane McCoy:
Shane McCoy is the Technical Training Director for Wil-Kil Pest Control, a regional pest management company providing quality pest management for residential and commercial properties throughout the Upper Midwest. As an Associate Certified Entomologist with over 18 years of experience in pest management, Shane’s blog provides expert tips and tricks, timely information and solutions for coexisting with the insect life and critters around  us. To learn more about Wil-Kil Pest Control, please visit www.wil-kil.com. You can also follow the company on Facebook and Twitter (@WilKilPest).