Everyone has heard “Good night; don’t let the bedbugs bite.” Unfortunately though, infestations have been rising in recent years and bedbugs are biting more and more of us. Everyone has heard “Good night; don’t let the bedbugs bite.” Unfortunately though, infestations have been rising in recent years and bedbugs are biting more and more of us. One theory is that modern chemical pest control treatments simply do not work on them. Another is that as people travel further, more frequently, and in greater numbers, we are bringing them home with us. That is one souvenir that we can do without. With the summer travel season upon us, how can you avoid bed bugs when traveling?

First, know what to look for when you are traveling. When you arrive in your room, inspect the bed. Pull back the sheets and concentrate on the area near the headboard and the seams. Bedbugs are brown, oval, and have a flattened body. If it has recently fed, it will be a purplish-red color and appear more full-bodied. Young bugs are translucent – so get out your flashlight. They also will be darker when they have fed.

Look carefully for cast skins; like a snake shedding its skin, bed bugs shed their shells as they grow. One more thing to look for: small dark spots on the mattress. This is fecal matter from the bedbugs. If you find them, request another room and do your inspection again.

Even if you do not see evidence of bed bugs, it pays to be cautious and take steps to prevent a few of these pests from getting into your luggage. Don’t keep your bag on the bed, just in case! Keep your luggage on the luggage stand and do a quick check before you open it. It is best to keep your clothing in the bag, if possible. Change in the bathroom, where bed bugs have much less opportunity to hide.

When you leave the hotel, put all of your laundry into plastic bags and seal. If there are bedbugs on them, you can eliminate them by simply washing and drying the clothing when you get home.

You can also wash your bag to ensure no bugs hitched a ride. Use very hot, soapy water. Other alternatives you can try include heating the bag or freezing it. Putting the bag in the sun for a day will kill the pests, as will freezing for at least five days.

It is important to remember that bed bugs are not like lice, ticks, or fleas. While they do drink blood, they do not live on the host. In other words, they’re not going to start calling your body home. They want to eat and then go away and hide. The good news is, then, that you are not going to transfer these pests in your hair or on your body. It is your clothing and items that you have to worry about because these offer prime hiding spots.

No type of accommodations are immune from bedbugs, nor is any traveler. When you take some simple precautions and be aware of what to look for, you will be able to keep these pests from coming back home with you.

If you do happen to bring bed bugs home with you, do not panic, but DO call a bed bug removal company ASAP to get them out of your home.