If
you’ve
been
traveling
this
summer,
pay
attention.
The
peak
travel
season
can
also
be
a
particularly
active
period
for
bedbug
encounters.

“Bedbugs
don’t
have
a
traditional
‘season’
in
the
same
way
that
pests
like
mosquitoes
do.
Unfortunately,
they
can
be
a
problem
year-round
anywhere
people
live,
sleep
or
travel,”
said

Shannon
Sked,
an
entomologist
and
the
national
technical
director
at
Orkin.
“That
said,
summer
can
often
bring
an
increased
risk
as
more
people
are
on
the
move.”

That’s
why
many
consider
the
peak
summer
travel
season
to
be
a
trigger
for
peak
bedbug
activity
as
well.
Pest
control
professionals
often
point
to
the
late
summer
and
early
fall
period
as
peak
bedbug
season.

“Vacations,
hotel
stays,
cruises
and
other
forms
of
travel
give
bedbugs
more
opportunities
to
hitch
a
ride
from
one
place
to
another,”
Sked
said.
“But
other
times
when
travel
increases,
like
holiday
travel,
is
another
time
when
incidents
of
bedbugs
can
increase.”

Zach
DeVries,
an
assistant
professor
of
urban
entomology
at
the
University
of
Kentucky,
agreed
that
there
may
be
some
correlation
between
summer
conditions
and
bedbug
activity,
but
the
research
is
limited.

“We
also
see
upticks
in
reporting
during
times
of
travel
―
spring
and
summer
vacations,
holiday
travel,
etc.
―
but
it’s
not
clear
if
these
upticks
are
real
or
just
associated
with
more
attention
from
people
and
the
general
media,”
DeVries
said.
“We
regularly
provide
travel
advice
to
folks
during
these
times,
making
them
more
likely
to
be
aware
of
bedbugs
at
these
times.”

He
added
that
there
is
anecdotal
evidence
that
bedbugs
exhibit
reduced
growth
and
reproduction
in
northern
climates
at
this
time
due
to
low
humidity
―
suggesting
a
potential
link
between
warm,
humid
climates
and
infestations.
But
there
isn’t
yet
much
data
to
support
this
theory.

“Since
bedbugs
are
found
almost
exclusively
indoors
and
we
have
climate-controlled
environments,
outdoor
weather
doesn’t
really
affect
their
activity,”
Sked
said.
“Rather,
the
bigger
factor
behind
increased
bedbug
concerns
during
the
summer
is
human
activity.
Bedbugs
live
primarily
indoors
and
close
to
their
hosts,
so
they
aren’t
exposed
to
outdoor
temperatures
in
the
same
way
many
seasonal
pests
are.”

So
the
notion
of
increased
bedbug
reporting
in
late
summer
is
probably
more
about
travel
surges
than
weather.

“Bedbugs
grow
and
reproduce
faster
when
it’s
warmer,
at
least
up
to
a
certain
temperature,
but
hot
outdoor
weather
itself
is
often
offset
by
indoor
AC,
where
such
effects
are
minimized,”
DeVries
said.
“That
said,
depending
on
where
you
live
and
if
you
use
air
conditioning,
the
indoor
environment
could
certainly
lead
to
more
bedbugs
as
it
gets
hotter.”

Like
many
humans,
bedbugs
are
remarkably
resilient
travelers.

“Bedbugs
are
expert
hitchhikers
and
can
travel
in
luggage,
backpacks,
bedding,
furniture,
you
name
it,”
said

Jim
Fredericks,
an
entomologist
and
senior
vice
president
of
public
affairs
at
the
National
Pest
Management
Association.
“Once
introduced
into
a
space,
they’ll
live
indoors,
where
temperatures
remain
relatively
stable
and
people
provide
a
reliable
food
source.”

Travel
creates
more
chances
for
bedbugs
to
move
between
hotels,
dorms,
rentals
and
other
shared
spaces
with
lots
of
people.

“More
people
are
moving
about
in
shared
spaces,
giving
bedbugs
more
of
an
opportunity
to
hide
among
your
belongings,”
Fredericks
said.
“You
might
not
notice
a
bedbug
at
a
hotel
or
rental,
but
just
a
few
of
them
that
hitchhiked
in
your
suitcase
can
start
an
infestation
back
home.”

You
don’t
have
to
have
just
returned
from
a
trip
to
discover
an
infestation
either.

“It’s
also
important
to
note
that
bedbugs
can
survive
for
months
without
a
blood
meal,”
Fredericks
said.
“So,
if
people
are
seeing
a
peak
in
bedbugs
even
if
they
didn’t
just
come
back
from
a
trip,
it’s
possible
that
they’ve
been
lurking
around
for
some
time
without
you
noticing.”

And
the
problem
can
grow
in
seemingly
no
time
at
all.

“Once
bedbugs
are
introduced
into
a
home,
they
can
reproduce
quickly,”
Sked
said.
“A
healthy,
blood-fed
female
can
lay
two
to
five
eggs
per
day
and
produce
about
500
eggs
over
her
lifetime,
which
is
why
catching
an
infestation
early
is
so
important.”

How
To
Avoid
Bringing
Bedbugs
Home
From
Your
Travels

Fortunately,
there
are
ways
to
prevent
an
infestation
in
your
home
from
traveling
year-round.

“Be
aware
of
your
surroundings,”
DeVries
urged.
“No
matter
where
you
go,
bedbugs
are
always
a
possibility
and
something
we
should
be
aware
of
when
traveling.
This
doesn’t
mean
we
should
always
be
afraid
or
avoid
travel,
but
rather
we
should
do
so
with
a
healthy
respect
for
bedbugs
and
the
problems
they
can
cause.”

Maintaining
awareness
during
travel
means
you’re
more
likely
to
catch
things
earlier
when
management
is
easier.

“Defense
is
the
best
offense
here,”
Fredericks
said.
“I
know
after
a
long
travel
day,
you
just
want
to
put
your
suitcase
on
your
bed
or
the
luggage
rack
and
unpack,
but
I
recommend
that
every
traveler
first
does
a

quick
visual
inspection.
And
it
doesn’t
matter
if
you’re
staying
at
a
roadside
motel
or
the
fanciest
chalet,
bedbugs
are
opportunists.”

Checking
for
signs
of
a
bedbug
infestation
shouldn’t
take
too
long.

“Prevention
starts
before
you
even
unpack
at
your
destination,”
Sked
said.
“Take
a
few
minutes
to
inspect
the
room,
paying
close
attention
to
mattress
seams,
box
springs,
headboards
and
furniture
nearby
the
bed
complex.
Keep
luggage
elevated
and
away
from
the
bed
and
walls
rather
than
placing
it
on
the
floor
or
bed.
The
bathroom
is
a
great
spot
to
stow
away
items.”

Fredericks
also
shared
a
checklist
of
steps
to
take
upon
arrival.
Rather
than
placing
luggage
on
a
bed,
couch
or
carpet
where
bedbugs
could
be
hiding,
he
urged
travelers
to
put
it
in
the
bathroom
or
on
a
tiled
surface.

“Pull
back
the
sheets
of
the
bed
and
check
the
mattress
seams
using
your
phone’s
flashlight,”
he
advised.
“Pay
attention
to
the
corners.
You’re
looking
for
the
pests
themselves
and
dark
fecal
spots
that
look
like
pen
marks,
reddish
stains,
pale,
translucent
shed
skins
and
tiny,
translucent
eggs.”

Keep
an
eye
on
upholstered
furniture
as
well.
If
something
seems
suspicious,
Fredericks
also
recommended
requesting
a
room
far
away
from
there,
not
one
directly
adjacent,
above
or
below.

“When
you
get
home,
inspect
your
luggage,
clothing
and
shoes
before
bringing
everything
inside
if
possible,”
Sked
advised.
“Clothing
should
be
washed
with
hot
water
and
dried
using
high
heat
when
appropriate
for
the
fabric.
The
heat
is
lethal
to
bedbugs
when
set
to
the
highest
level.
At
home,
regularly
inspect
areas
where
bedbugs
tend
to
hide
and
carefully
examine
secondhand
furniture
before
bringing
it
inside.
It’s
also
a
good
idea
to
install
some
interceptors
so
you
can
monitor
for
pests
at
an
ongoing
rate.”

Fredericks
similarly
advised
checking
your
luggage,
preferably
outside
your
house
or
in
the
garage
to
avoid
granting
them
entry
into
your
home.

“For
clothes
that
you
can
wash
and
dry,
run
a
wash
and
dry
cycle
on
high
heat,”
he
suggested.
“Vacuum
your
luggage
to
suck
up
any
potential
eggs
or
bugs.
Store
your
luggage
outside
your
bedroom,
like
in
the
basement
or
garage
in
case
of
any
stragglers.”

If
you
suspect
you
might’ve
brought
bedbugs
home
with
you
from
your
travels,
consider
reaching
out
to
pest
control
professionals.

“Bedbugs
are
notoriously
tricky
to
get
rid
of,
and
delaying
treatment
can
make
an
infestation
worse,”
Sked
said.

How
To
Spot
Signs
Of
Bedbugs
In
Your
Home

The
experts
emphasized
that
the
earlier
you
catch
a
bedbug
problem,
the
easier
it
is
to
address.
But
the
signs
can
be
subtle.

“You’re
often
more
likely
to
spot
evidence
of
bedbugs
before
seeing
the
bugs
themselves,”
Sked
said.
“Early
signs
can
include
small
black
colored
spotting,
as
well
as
shed
skins
or
casting
in
cracks
and
crevices,
rust-colored
or
blood
stains
on
sheets
and
mattresses,
actual
bedbugs
crawling
and
tiny
pearl-white
eggs
around
mattress
seams
and
other
cracks
and
crevices.”

Bedbugs
feed
quickly
and
are
quite
good
at
hiding
in
dark
crevices
around
your
mattress,
box
springs,
headboards,
furniture,
baseboards
and
other
spots
near
your
sleeping
areas.

Although
finding
actual
live
bedbugs
would
be
the
best
way
to
confirm
you
should
proceed
with
pest
control
treatments,
DeVries
emphasized
that
they
can
be
difficult
to
find,
especially
early
on
in
the
infestation
when
there
aren’t
as
many.

“Other
signs
include
fecal
staining
―
small
black
dots
that
look
similar
to
mold
spots
―
and
shed
skins,
which
are
cream
colored
and
bedbug-shaped,”
he
said.
“These
are
often
easier
to
find,
but
they
do
not
confirm
an
active
infestation
since
they
can
stick
around
for
a
long
time.
It’s
hard
to
tell
if
the
infestation
is
active
from
fecal
stains
and
shed
skins
alone.”

All
three
experts
cautioned
against
overreliance
on
bite
marks
as
confirmation,
as
many
other
things
can
look
like
bedbug
bites.

“While
many
people
like
to
use
bite
marks
as
an
indicator
of
bedbugs,
this
isn’t
the
most
reliable
test,”
Sked
said.
“First,
people’s
reactions
to
bedbug
bites
vary
greatly
from
no
reaction
at
all
to
severe
welts.
Second,
since
the
bite
mark
is
a
reaction
of
your
body,
it
can
be
confused
with
other
types
of
bites
such
as
mosquitoes
or
midges.”

The
surest
approach
is
to
inspect
sleeping
areas
thoroughly
and
to
call
a
professional
if
anything
seems
off.

“Bedbugs
are
tiny
and
are
ranked
by
pest
professionals
as
some
of
the
most
difficult
pests
to
control,”
Fredericks
said.
“If
you
think
you
might
have
bedbugs,
it’s
best
to
contact
a
qualified
pest
professional
who
has
the
tools
and
training
to
spot
bedbugs,
determine
the
extent
of
the
infestation
and
develop
a
treatment
plan.”