The American Automobile Association (AAA) predicts that 115 million Americans will be on the move over the 10-day year-end holiday travel period, which runs from this Saturday through January 1.

Whether you’re headed to the beach, the mountains, or to Cousin Bill’s house this holiday season, Clark, your friendly pest control, rodent, mosquito, and termite expert, would like to make you aware that you could run into unwanted travel companions in the form of bed bugs.

The holiday travel season makes for crowded roadways and airport terminals, and a lot of packing and unpacking in hotels, rental homes, and cars. This can put holiday travelers at a greater risk of encountering bed bugs.

Bed bugs are active all year long. These pests know no boundaries when they choose a location to infest. They can be found in a five-star hotel, a rental home or apartment, or even in your closest relatives’ spare bedroom. They will infest beds, furniture, and drapes, along with seats in train cars, taxis, buses, and movie theaters, and the luggage, shopping bags, and backpacks that we carry around.

Prevention is key when it comes to bed bugs. Taking a few precautions can go a long way in ensuring a bed bug-free holiday trip.

Where the bed bugs are

Bed bugs typically hide in bed frames and couches, but also can be found in bedside lamps and dressers. Clark recommends that holiday travelers use the following checklist to help prevent an unwanted bed bug encounter when on the road this year:

Inspect the room: Upon entering your hotel room, thoroughly inspect the mattress, box spring, and headboard, and pull the sheets back for any signs of bed bugs, such as small reddish-brown bugs, dark fecal spots, or tiny white eggs.

Use luggage racks: Avoid placing your luggage on the bed or floor. Instead, use luggage racks, or place your suitcase on a hard, smooth surface like a desk.

Keep clothes sealed: Use sealed plastic bags for the clothes inside your suitcase. This makes it more difficult for bed bugs to infest your clothing.

Wash clothes immediately: When returning home, wash all your clothes – even the ones you didn’t wear – in hot water. High temperatures kill bed bugs.

Travel with a flashlight: In addition to coming in handy if the power goes out, a small flashlight can help you inspect dark corners and crevices where bed bugs might hide.

Choose accommodations wisely: Research hotels and read reviews to check if there have been any reports of bed bug infestations.

Change rooms: If you do need to change rooms, make sure that you don’t move to a room adjacent to, or directly above or below, the suspected infestation. Bed bugs can easily hitchhike via housekeeping carts, luggage, and even through wall sockets. If an infestation is spreading, it typically does so in the rooms closest to its origin.

If you suspect that bed bugs have hitched a ride home in your suitcase or backpack, call California’s trusted, friendly pest control and removal expert, Clark, at (800) WE-NEED-YOU (936-3339) or email us at clarkcares@clarkpest.com.  

Until next time, the pest management professionals at Clark Pest Control thank you for helping to keep unwanted pests out of your home.

Happy holidays from Clark Pest Control!