Most of us have heard the saying ‘Sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite’ just before bed time isn’t? A bed bug living on our bed will be the most terrifying thing coupled with the thought that it may bite you while you're asleep! Isn't that terrifying? Yes it is!

Bed bugs are now staging a comeback and are quickly becoming a part of our modern lifestyle owing to many factors such as the rise in international travel, usage of less effective pesticides etc.

The easy spreading of bed bugs can be associated with how easily one can pick them up. Thousands of victims unintentionally carry them homes as in their suitcases as either their clothes or suitcases must have been infected after travelling and staying in hotels.

And the hardest part is the difficulty in removing them as it’s no DIY job; these bugs can stay live for many months without feeding, so the hope of starving them to death is nil. The only way you can remove them successful is by calling in a pest control professional the minute you spot them in your home.

Signs of bed bug infestation:

• You can spot pests that are flat, reddish-brownish in color and have oval bodies that are the size of an apple seed.

• After eating, these bed bugs leave blood spots and dark fecal stains.

• As they grow, bed bugs shed their skin and leave behind light-brown exoskeleton shells.

Where to look for infestation:

• Start with your bed by inspecting the mattress seams of all the beds in your room including the sheets to check for dark brown spots.

• Check along the bed frame and also behind the headboard.

• Check inside the dresser table as well as the sides facing the wall.

Safeguard yourself during travels:

• Before you settle down in your hotel room, check for any infestation (big or small). Look out for dark spots or any exoskeleton skins these bed bugs leave behind as they grow. These bugs feed on your exposed skin while they are sleeping, therefore checking for hidden spots that are 5 to 10 feet from your sleeping and sitting areas is essential. Since bed bugs don’t like bright light, they will be hiding in places where it is dark, so do check in such places.

• Keep your suitcase in an elevated place such as a table or chair and never on the floor and it is easier to get infested. Double check your luggage and its contents to make sure its bug free.

• Once you are back home, throw your clothes into the washer and launder it in the hottest water safe and dry properly. Vacuum the insides and outsides of the suitcase and backpacks.  

• In case you find a bed bug during your hotel stay, report it to the management and ask them to shift you to another room that is pests free.

Therefore these are some of the tips and tricks on how to tackle the bed bugs menace. Beware if it and never take the issue lightly as it will only keep increasing in number, therefore the faster the better.

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