A common misconception is that only small, dirty hotels or hostels will find Farmington Hills bed bugs. This is not real! In reality, bed bugs do prefer cleaner conditions, and they do not differentiate between budget accommodation and luxury properties. And it doesn’t end there, sometimes bed bugs are found in office buildings, movie theaters, other people’s homes, and many other locations.

Bed bugs are like little vampires, they feed on blood from humans. Usually, they do this at night when we sleep, which is why they are most often found in and near mattresses. Yet they can also be on the walls, headboard, carpet, or other furniture in your hotel suite, like a sofa or the dresser.

How to spot bed bugs

It may feel somewhat suspicious, but a few minutes spent inspecting your room will avoid a great deal of pain and frustration. Sadly bed bugs are tiny, usually at most 4 to 5 mm, so they’re easy to miss. They’re around an apple seed’s size and shape. Yet to get a clear idea that there is an infestation, you don’t need to see the actual bug. There are two key things to search for, aside from the bugs themselves, to decide if your room has a problem with bed bugs:

Stains: Bed bugs leave behind tiny black or brown stains. So if the bug is squashed, you might see the rust-colored stains slightly larger. Look to the sheets and the mattress itself for these stains.

Shells: Bed bugs normally lay their eggs in the mattress, so you might find tiny, around 1 mm small eggs and eggshells. As they grow larger they also shed light yellow skins, which will also stick around on the mattress.

How to avoid them when traveling

When you are staying at a hotel or motel, bear in mind the travel tips for these bed bugs. You must take some precautions before you settle in to ensure your room is bed-bug free. In a new survey conducted by NPMA, 75 percent of pest control practitioners confirmed having experienced bed bug infestations in hotels and motels. The NPMA recommends the following tips for bed bug prevention when traveling:

Farmington Hills – Find Bed Bugs When Traveling

-At hotels, pull back the sheets and inspect the seams of the mattresses for telltale stains or spots, particularly at the corners. When you see something unusual, immediately alert the management and change rooms/establishments.

-Before unpacking thoroughly inspect the entire room, including behind the headboard and in sofas/chairs. Should any pests be detected, instantly change rooms/establishments.

-If you need to change rooms, make sure you do not move to a space adjacent to the alleged infestation and/or directly above/under it. Bed bugs can hitchhike easily through housekeeping carts, luggage, and even through wall sockets. If an infestation spreads, this is usually achieved in the rooms closest to the sources.

Farmington Hills – How to Avoid Bed Bugs When Traveling

-Try wrapping your luggage in a plastic garbage bag or protective cover for the duration of your trip to ensure bed bugs are unable to live there until departure.

-Remember: bed bugs travel by hitching rides. After your trip, inspect your suitcases before bringing them into the house. Thoroughly vacuum the suitcase until it is put away. Try steaming your luggage with a fabric hand steamer, which will destroy any bed bugs or eggs that may have hitched a ride home.

-Wash all of your clothes, including those that were not worn in hot water to make sure that any bed bugs that may have made it that far are not found in your drawers/closet. For complete bed bug removal Call HI-TECH PEST CONTROL (248) 569-8001.