Bedbugs are everywhere.
It doesn't matter if you're staying in a suite at a five-star hotel reserved for foreign Duke's and Dignitaries, or a sleazy motel that looks like something out of a B-list horror movie; Bedbugs are being found literally anywhere and everywhere. Dubbed "the pests of the century" by the National Pest Management Association (Coincidentally, that was the nickname my older sister use to have for me), bedbugs have become far and away the most rapidly growing pest in the continental United States. From luxury condos to college dormitories, it appears nowhere is safe from these horrible insects.
How bad is the bedbug infestation? Well how about this scary-but-true fact: A New York City Department building recently discovered they were infected with bedbugs. Which department, you ask? The New York City Department of Health, that's who!
When people think of vermin infestations, they typically think of things like cockroaches, flies, and mice. These are considered to be traditional infestations, and their solutions are fairly straightforward and simple. With a tremendous selection of mouse glue traps and disposable fly traps being available, these "traditional" infestations are rather manageable. Some of the best mouse traps, the sticky mouse traps, offer an easy, silent rat-catching process that involves zero effort on the individual's part whatsoever, and more importantly, a rather inexpensive solution..
Bedbugs, unfortunately, are a different story. No pest appears to replicate as rapidly as the bedbugs, and if left undetected for an extended period of time the possibility of a hundred-thousand bedbug infestations is a very real possibility. In these events, getting rid of them is not only an extraordinarily difficult endeavor, it will often cost thousands upon thousands of dollars.
So what's the best way to protect yourself? Prevention and early detection. As for the prevention part, products are available that are specifically designed to stop bedbugs from clinging onto your clothes and luggage, which is how they typically move from one location to another. There are bedbug travel sprays which can be applied to your luggage and clothing during trips. They last weeks at a time and prevent bedbugs from relocating in your belongings.
However, these products aren't guarantee's, and the unquestionably most efficient way of managing and minimizing the bedbug problem is coordinating an effective and efficient inspection plan that will allow you to identify your problem before it gets out of hand.
Things to look for include the whitish eggs, the "nymphs (juvenile state of a bedbug), and of course, the apple seed-sized bedbug itself. Other signs that you may have bedbugs include skin sheddings and small blood stains.
If you have any of these signs, we urge you to seek out professional help as quickly as possible, as a serious infestation will hurt both your health and your bank account.
