Before you unpack your suit case and try to squeeze yourself into the tightly tucked in hotel sheets, first make sure that you don’t have company.
Bed Bugs.
They have been a huge problem for the last eight to ten years in Worcester, MA and some of the most common places that they are found is in hotel rooms. It doesn’t matter if its a five star resort or a one star shack, always be sure to check these five spots before settling into your room. It might make you want to carry around the best handheld vacuum to help you combat the bed bugs. If you find that you have a bed bug problem or suspect that you do, you should consider reaching out to a bed bugs removal service to stamp out the pests once and for all. Bed bugs can be the worse if they find their way into your home, when this happens, you will have to find a pest control services that can help you to get rid of them. If you are a renter you may want to find out does renters insurance cover bed bugs just in case you need help.
The first spot that you want to inspect is around all of the mattress creases and seams.
Make sure to pull back the sheets on all four corners and then visually inspect all of the seams of the mattress with a flashlight. You are looking for adult bed bugs, baby bed bugs, or small blood stains.
Adult bed bugs are easily seen with the naked eye. You’re looking for a flat, oval shaped, brown bug. If they’re there – you should have no problem seeing them. Babies however are a little tougher to see. Shine the flashlight into the creases and look for any movement. Baby bed bugs will look almost clear in color (because they haven’t had a blood meal yet). They can still be seen but you will just have to look a little closer.
You also want to check for small blood stains. Whenever I am in the field treating bed bugs, I usually see blood stains on either the sheets or mattresses.
The next, and maybe the most important spot to check is the Box Spring.
Bed bugs like the texture of the wood making the box spring one of their favorite hiding places. It is very important to flip up the box spring and check all of the corners. Also pull back the cheese cloth backing to inspect the seams.
There have been many times during a bed bug inspection that I see zero activity on the mattress. But when I flip up the box spring – it’s loaded with bed bugs. So always be sure to inspect underneath the box spring.
The third place that you want to be sure to check is the Headboard.
A lot of people know that they should check the mattress but few check the headboard. As the sheets are changed and the mattresses are moved the bed bugs can become disturbed or even detected and treated. But when they’re hiding behind the headboard, they will have little worry about being spotted.
In most hotel rooms the headboard will just be hanging on a wall hook. Lift the headboard off of the wall in order to inspect behind it. Again take the flashlight and shine it while looking for any type of movement or activity. If you do find activity, let the hotel management know. If you don’t find activity simply place the headboard back on the wall.
Fourth spot is the Coat Rack.
I was recently talking to one of my colleagues in the pest control field. He told me that he had brought bed bugs home after traveling to a work conference. My initial thought was, “Didn’t you inspect before unpacking?” He told me that he did do an inspection, but he didn’t check one particular spot. He forgot about the coat rack. They are called ‘Bed’ Bugs but that doesn’t mean that they won’t spread to other areas. So be sure to check anywhere that people place belonging such as luggage and clothing. The bed bugs may have been hitchhikers in someones luggage and now they’ve decided to climb off and into the wheels of the coat rack.
The Fifth spot is the Ceiling.
I have seen hundreds of times where bed bugs are living in the ceiling, and then coming down at night to feed. Often times the ceiling gaps are not treated (especially if it is a ceiling with drop panels). If the floor and bed are treated, the bed bugs will often seek refuge away from treated areas and go up the wall.
Simply take a quick visual inspection along the perimeter of the ceiling looking for any activity. If you do see any activity, let the hotel management know.
Follow these five tips when you travel and reduce your chances of bringing home unwelcome guests.
Article by:
Owner of Bug Bully Pest Control in Auburn, MA.
Serving all of Worcester country and surrounding towns.
Mention this article and get 15% off pest control service.
