Bed Bugs Are Everywhere This Holiday Season

Can you believe that it’s here already? The holiday season is upon us and the first ‘big day’, Thanksgiving, is literally days away. As much as you love hanging out with family eating turkey, stuffing, and all the fixings, you have to admit that all that packing and traveling is a bit stressful – and that’s without any weather delays! This year you have an added worry as you travel to Grandma’s house. With the resurgence of bed bugs in every city across the country, the chances of you bringing them along for the holidays has increased dramatically. The best way for you to reduce your anxiety about bed bugs is to get informed and understand how you can avoid them. So to that end, here is the information you need to know and the warning signs for you to consider as you travel home for the holidays.

The first thing you need to understand is that bed bugs are not just found in beds. They can be found anywhere there are people. Common places to pick these creatures up include: hotels, motels, libraries, schools, dorms, department stores, hospitals, laundry mats, and the list goes on and on! Also keep in mind that they are commonly found in all modes of transportation including planes, trains, boats, taxi cabs, buses, and more. Also, don’t make the mistake of thinking that Grandma’s house is safe. It typically takes months for infestations to grow to the extent that they become obvious; and any visitor – even Aunt Sue – can have them secretly on board when they walk through the door and smother you in hugs and kisses.

The next thing you need to know is how bed bugs travel. This bug’s favorite way to travel is to hitchhike. They will secretly climb upon you or a family member as you travel and tuck into your shoe, pant leg, purse, luggage, computer bag – you name it – if they can ride along, they will use it. You should also know that most people don’t even realize that they have these bugs riding along with them which is one of the reasons why these bugs have so easily made a comeback in the past decade.

So what are you to do this holiday season? Be vigilant, stay alert and know what to look for. You should quickly inspect your seat in public transportation, any home or hotel you stay in, and any other areas you visit during your trip. The signs to look for are obscure, but if you get in the habit of looking for them, you could avoid an unexpected house guest this Thanksgiving. Again, be sure to check everywhere you are going to be – beds, furniture, plane seats… So, what exactly are you checking for? Here’s the list:

• Look for small, red spots in seams and on surfaces of beds, sheets, blankets, seats, sofas, and other places people frequently sit or recline. These could be blood stains that these sloppy eaters leave behind as they feed.

• Look for small black flecks in these same areas that could be feces from these insects.

• Look for shed casings that these insects leave behind as they go through their growing process in all these areas.

• Look for the insects themselves. They often resemble a small apple seed with legs.

• Check electrical outlets in walls for a black streaky discharge running out of them as bed bugs often hide in these outlets.

One last item that you need to know is what their bites will look like. The bed bug will usually leave itchy, red welts similar to a mosquito bite. The way to tell them apart is to know that mosquitoes typically bite with singular bites, and the bed bug will bite several times in a linear or cluster pattern.

If you notice any of these signs as you travel, you should immediately notify the person in charge (yes, even if it is Grandma) and move to another room. If after all your travels you find that you were unable to avoid bed bugs, don’t panic. American Pest is right here with discreet, effective solutions for bed bug infestations. Just give us a call and we will send one of our highly trained experts to inspect your home and discuss the options with you. Those bed bugs will not be biting long when America Pest is on the case.