Spring Break Bed Bug Check List

Swim Suit. Check! Sun block. Check! Beach ball. Check! Are you ready to take on spring break? It can be a little overwhelming trying to make sure you haven't forgotten anything. But don't worry. You'll be able to check bed bug safety off your list after reading this awesome and informative blog.

• Check bedbugregistry.com and see if bed bugs have been reported at the place you're staying. Bed bugs do not just infest dirty run down motels. They can be found in nice motels too--as well as hotels, resorts, cruise lines, villas, cottages, huts, and cabins. This bug will live anywhere humans sleep or lounge. They have even been found in movie theaters, bus lines, and airplanes.

• If you want to be sure you're not walking into a disaster, call the place you'll be staying and ask them how they protect against bed bugs. If they say they do routine inspections, that is a good sign. Bed bugs are hard to control, because this isn't a bug that comes in from the outside, it is brought in by guests. The only real way to prevent this bug from being a problem is by having routing bed bug inspections.

• When you arrive, leave your bags in the car, or put them on the hard tile floor in the bathroom to keep them safe.

• Now it is time to do a quick inspection of your room. Peel the covers down and look for bugs. They will look a lot like the bug on this page. Actually, they will look exactly like the bug on this page. Even as baby larvae, bed bugs look the same--only much much smaller.

• Look for dried brown blood stains on pillowcases, sheets, and bed coverings. Bed bugs tend to drip from the mouth after a blood meal. I know: gross.

• Bed bugs like to live inside mattresses, chairs, and couches. Check all of the seams and corners of these items for black sticky gunk. That gunk is feces. And if you find it, it is time to move on to another room, or a new set of accommodations.

• Use a flashlight to check the backboard, furniture, and outlets. If you see tiny brown bugs, you're going to want to identify them. Larvae can bite just as easily as adult bed bugs, even easier.

• During your stay, keep your luggage in plastic bags, and don't leave clothes laying around, especially if you see or hear anything suspicious.

• When you get home, check the seams of your luggage for bugs or white eggs.

• Be sure to wash and dry all your clothes on the hottest temperature. This will kill bed bugs of any stage.

Spring break is a once in a lifetime experience for most. Don't let it be ruined by ugly red, rashy welts, and emotional trauma. Use this checklist to keep these blood eaters from wrecking your fun and hitchhiking home with you. It may seem like a lot, but the sooner you check for bed bugs, the faster it will be. And, the sounder you'll sleep. Stay safe, and have a blast!