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Avoid Unwelcome Guests After Traveling: Identification, Hiding Spots, Protection Strategies & Warning Signs

Traveling opens the door to new experiences, but it can also bring unwelcome guests, including the feared bed bugs.

These small pests can hide in your clothing, luggage, or even yourself and transform your dream vacation into a nightmare. That’s why you should be aware of them and understand their risks.

In the following blog post, we’ll give you some prevention tips and risks to avoid bed bug infestations at home after traveling. Read on to learn expert advice from a trusted pest control company.

Inspecting a mattress for bed bugs after traveling with a flashlight to prevent infestations

What Are Bed Bugs & Where They Hide?

Bed bugs are small, reddish-brown insects that tend to be very difficult to spot without proper preparation. They feed on human and animal blood, and you can find them in cracks, mattresses, and furniture, although they are around the size of an apple seed.

Despite their name, you can find these small creatures in different places, not only bedrooms. You can find them in hotels, homes, and public transportation. They are notorious travelers who can easily spread from one location to another by hitching a ride on luggage, clothing, or personal items.

They’re not known to transmit diseases, but they do cause a lot of discomfort, including itching and allergic reactions in some people. In essence, they’re quite a nuisance to have at home.

How Bed Bugs Spread While Traveling: Key Ways To Protect Yourself

There are a few ways to get bed bugs while traveling. One way is to stay in a hotel room that already has them, though this is probably not the most popular. option Still, they can quickly move from one room to another via gaps in the wall.

Another option is to buy used furniture or stay in a holiday rental with infested furnishings. Staying in a hostel or dorm room is significantly riskier because more people are coming and departing, making bed bugs more likely to spread. They may also hide in seat seams or overhead luggage storage containers.

Finally, bed bugs can travel home with you in your luggage. They can lurk in clothing, shoes, or other personal possessions before invading your home when you unpack. So, if you’ve ever wondered whether bed bugs can travel on people, the answer is yes! These insects are quite adept at finding a ride and can easily land up on you!

Can You Get Bed Bugs Without Traveling? Common Non-Travel Causes Explained

Bed bugs love to live around beds because they have easy access to food. It’s also why they’re well-known for staying in hotels. However, bed bugs are not immobile creatures, meaning that they can easily move across rooms, even if you don’t travel.

If you have bed bugs in your home, but you did not travel, you might have gotten them through:

Neighbors: Contrary to popular opinion, bed bugs can easily leave their homes and walk to a new area. They are more prone to seek out new homes if there is an extensive infestation, which is why many apartment complexes now require occupants to sign paperwork stating that they are responsible for any damages caused by delaying bed bug treatments.
Public Areas: While bed bugs prefer to feed on sleeping victims, they are also prepared to feast on waking victims. This means that bed bugs can dwell in offices, movie theaters, and other places where they can find sitting food. You probably came into contact with bed bugs at one of these locations.
Other Homes & People: Even if you do not travel, you may be exposed to bed bugs by visiting someone else’s home or having someone visit your property.
Buying Used Items: Bed bugs are excellent hiders. If you bought a secondhand item, a bed bug was probably hiding on it. This is why it is typically not advisable to buy secondhand mattresses, even if they appear clean upon inspection.

Effective Tips On How To Avoid Bed Bugs While Traveling & At Home

You must be very careful when traveling or bringing second-hand items home if you want to avoid bed bugs. Here’s what you can do to avoid these tedious pests:

Check Your Hotel Room Or Accommodation: Check the mattress seams, headboards, and furniture for any signs of bed bugs, such as tiny rust-colored stains or the bugs themselves.
Keep Your Luggage Off The Floor: We recommend you use luggage racks to keep your suitcase off the bed and floor. Another good trick is to store your bags in the bathroom as that’s the place where bed bugs are less likely to hide.
Wash Your Clothes Immediately: After returning from your trip, always wash your clothing in hot water and dry them on high heat to kill any bed bugs that may have hitched a ride.
Be Careful With Second-Hand Items: Before bringing used clothing or other items into the home, carefully inspect and clean them. Remember that bed bugs can easily hide in these items and spread to your living space.
Check Your Home Often: We also recommend regularly checking your home, especially bedrooms, for signs of bed bugs. Early detection is key to preventing a full-blown infestation.

How To Detect Bed Bugs In Your Home: Signs To Watch For

Bed bugs might be difficult to find in your house since they are small and hide well. However, there are signs to look out for, such as:

Blood Stains On Your Bedding Or Pillowcase: If you notice small blood stains on your mattress, they could be from crushed bed bugs or bites.
Dark Stains On Your Mattress Or Furniture: These are bed bug droppings, which normally appear as small black dots.
Bedbug shells: These little, white shells may be found in the cracks and crevices of your furniture or floorboards. Keep an eye out for these, as they will assist you confirm the presence of these pests.
Musty Smell: Bed bugs emit a musty odor that some people think smells like berries. However, this stink is only noticeable in huge infestations.

Bed Bug Prevention With Expert Help: Protect Your Home With Professional Pest Control

For expert help, contact us at Varsity Termite Pest & Control today. Our professional pest services team knows how to tackle bed bug infestations by using proven and modern techniques. Don’t let bed bugs disrupt your peace of mind—reach out to Varsity Termite Pest & Control now and reclaim your home from these unwelcome invaders.

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