As children nestle all snug in their beds, concerns about bed bugs, and how to get rid of bed bugs, are continuing to spread across the country. The red-bodied, blood-sucking critters are making the news coast to coast and are invading households faster than Santa Claus himself. With the holidays causing a major increase in travel, it becomes ever more important to be diligent about bed bugs in hotels, your luggage, and the potential to spread this very pesky, resilient, and potentially expensive bed bug pest.
As recently as October, New York City bed bugs continued to be a hazard. With an invasion spreading from theaters to department stores, they have even made their way to famous NYC landmarks such as the Empire State Building and the Lincoln Center. In a health survey put out by city officials in 2009, it was reported that one in every 15 adult New York City residents had encountered bed bugs in some way. City officials are concerned about treatment of bed bugs and the effect the bed bug outbreak might have on the city’s tourism income, as potential travelers express worries and consider cancelling travel plans.
In even more troubling news for our Sacramento pest control region, it has been recently reported that incidents of bed bugs are rapidly increasing as close as San Francisco. Bay Area pest control services report a 44 percent increase in calls for bed bugs extermination services. As bed bug stories proliferate in the media, the misperception that bed bugs are caused by poverty or poor sanitation is rapidly disappearing. In fact, anyone can have bed bugs. It’s important to remain conscientious in checking for bed bug infestations while traveling, riding public transit or visiting theaters. Bed bug hotspots include beds, sofas, chairs—any upholstered surface. As reported in the San Francisco Appeal, “Bed bugs only come out for short periods of time and are good at hiding. If you find dark spots (blood or feces), shed skins, eggs, and dead bugs on your mattress, box spring, or linens, you probably have bed bugs.
Unfortunately, bed bugs are rapidly becoming a crisis. Pest control trade publication PCT Magazine reports:
“The results of the 2010 Comprehensive Global Bed Bug Study suggest that we are on the threshold of a bed bug pandemic, not just in the United States, but around the world,” said Missy Henriksen, vice president of public affairs for NPMA. “Because bed bugs don’t discriminate between rich and poor, don’t have a preference for climate or environment, public awareness, education and vigilance are key in detecting and preventing bed bug infestations.”
No matter where your travels take you this winter, it may be wise to do a bit of research online before booking accommodations. Travelers who have had run-ins with bed bugs often post reviews about it on travel sites. For more information about bed bugs and more bedbug prevention tips, see our earlier blog post. And please don’t hesitate to contact our Sacramento pest control experts at 916-457-7605 with all your bed bug questions and concerns, or visit our Website at https://www.earthguardpest.com.