Bed bug threat rises as summer travel begins. How to identify and keep them out of your SC home
As summer kicks off, many South Carolinians will soon travel for vacation. Plenty will bring back memories of fun and happiness.
Some could also bring back a gross, unwanted visitor.
With the return of travel season, so too does the threat of bed bugs.
According to Terminix Service, Inc., these little critters are parasitic insects that feed on the blood of warm-blooded animals. And while they don’t carry disease, their bites do cause irritating, itchy welts on the skin, which in turn can lead to secondary infections. And once bed bugs get a foothold in your home, these can easily spread, Terminix states.
Below are tips on spotting bed bugs on your trip, how to prevent them from hitching a ride home and signs of infestation.
Bed bugs
These insects can grow 4-5 millimeters long and 1.5-3 millimeters wide, which is about the size of an apple seed. If a bed bug has not fed, they are about the size of the tip of a pencil, which makes them nearly impossible to see.
While bed bugs cannot fly or jump, they have no trouble climbing onto luggage or clothing, which is how infestations usually spread, Terminix states. They are usually found in places where people sleep, but have also been found on public transportation, in department stores, movie theaters, schools, churches and other places.
Tips to avoid spread of bed bugs
The National Pest Management Association and Terminix have steps travelers can take to see if their hotel rooms have bed bugs.
- Consider a hard-shelled suitcase, offering fewer crevices where bugs can hide.
- Upon entering the room, put your suitcase and other belongings in the bathroom or a tiled surface instead of the carpet or bed.
- Inspect the entire room, including behind the headboard, under lamps and inside dressers, drawers, sofas and chairs.
- Pull back the sheets on the bed and check mattress seams, especially at the corners, for stains and spots.
- Use a flashlight for better visibility.
- Examine unholstered furniture and window treatments.
- If you see anything suspicious, change rooms or establishments immediately. Do not stay in an adjacent room.
- After returning home, vacuum and inspect suitcases outside before bringing them indoors.
- Unpack immediately and launder all clothes in hot water and dry on high heat.
Signs of bed bugs
Here are a few ways to determine if you have a bed bug infestation, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
- Check for bug bites on the skin. The agency notes, however, that this is not the best way to check for infestation, given that bed bug bites look like bites from other insects such as mosquitoes. Also, some people do not react to bed bug bites at all.
- Look for rusty or reddish stains on bed sheets or mattresses, which are caused by bed bugs being crushed.
- Another sign of bed bugs is liquid waste. The fecal spotting tends to resemble a felt-tipped black marker on fabric and raised bumps on solid surfaces that are dark brown or even black.
- Also look for empty bed bug shells. They grow by shedding their exoskeletons, a process called molting. These shells look almost identical to the bed bugs themselves, except for being somewhat translucent.
- A musty odor like a wet towel is another sign of bed bugs. The insects release pheromones and the smell can be strong from a large infestation.
This story was originally published June 5, 2024 at 6:00 AM.
