For many Americans, the end of summer signifies the end of vacation. This means packing our bags and waving goodbye to the joys of cruise ships, beautiful beaches, and family reunions. Our hearts and bags are fuller than when we began our journeys, packed full of memories and souvenirs from our adventures. But, little do we know, oftentimes we bring back more than just souvenirs and memories, but also tiny bloodsucking hitchhikers known as bed bugs.
What is a Bed Bug?
If you have never dealt with bed bugs before, imagine this. Bed sheets spotted with tiny brown and red blotches, tiny red inflamed dots scattered across your body, and a sickly sweet aroma in the air. If you don’t have to imagine, and this is already a reality for you, you might be dealing with a bed bug infestation. However, if these descriptions seem strange to you, but you don’t want them to be a reality, here are some precautions you can take to keep these horrors from becoming a reality.
Check luggage thoroughly: Bed bugs are extremely small, only about 4.5mm in length. Their eggs even smaller at 1mm, but with a careful, patient eye you can spot them. When returning from vacation this summer, consider thoroughly examining luggage for these tiny pests, along with batches of their eggs that may be hidden within.
Check your hotel room: To prevent bed bugs from ever getting into your luggage, we recommend examining your hotel rooms for any signs of bed bug activity. Signs such as brown and red spots on bedsheets, that sickly sweet aroma, and bed bugs themselves are common indicators.
Check pre-owned furniture: Second-hand furniture is often a great way for bed bugs to leave one infested home to infest another. Consider closely examining any furniture for signs of bed bugs before bringing them into your home.
Betters safe than sorry: If you are unsure if you have bed bugs crawling around in your clothing after vacation, and just don’t want to risk an infestation, store your clothes and fabrics in airtight bags until you can get them home. Once you’re home, throw them in the washer and dryer at the highest temperature. This will most often eradicate any bed bugs, along with any eggs they may have hidden.
Call a professional: If all else fails, or you just would like a little more assurance that your home is in fact bed bug-free, call a professional. Some pest companies even have canine teams trained to search out bed bugs with a 99% accuracy.
Here at Parkway Pest Services, we have just that. Our highly trained canine bed bug dogs are paired with our best and brightest human bed bug removal technicians to make sure your home is bed bug-free. If you want to talk to a professional, or would like to schedule an inspection, contact Parkway today!