Is the Bedbug Threat Real?
Angela Haupt
Is the Bedbug Threat Real?
Feel like snuggling up to a bedbug or two? Sightings are on the rise nationwide at homes, schools, and -- holiday travelers take note -- hotels and motels.
But are the tiny bloodsuckers as big a threat as media coverage suggests? The answer seems to be yes -- and no.
In early November, a
The uncertainty concerning the scope of the problem, however, is due to the absence of a central agency that tracks and verifies hotel bedbug reports. The story is told largely through anecdotes. But in a July survey of nearly 1,000 pest-management services, 70 percent said they had identified and exterminated bedbugs in a hotel during the previous year.
The bedbug-hotel issue has even caught the attention of lawmakers. In November, Reps.
When the bill was introduced to
The "gross factor" is high, and travelers are clearly uneasy. Twenty percent of 3,000 travelers surveyed by the website TripAdvisor ranked bedbugs as their top traveling concern. The site, which permits travelers to post reviews, also reported an 11 percent jump in comments referencing bedbugs between January and August of 2009, compared to that same period in 2010.
A just-launched iPhone application called Bed Bug Alert
Such anonymous posts can have considerable impact, despite being unverified and possibly false, says
"This kind of posting can be tremendously expensive," Mount says.
Perhaps contrary to intuition, luxury hotels aren't exempt from the bedbug threat. Reports of sightings spring forth at four-star hotels just as they do at budget motels.
"These are socially transmitted pests" whose presence is unrelated to poor hygiene, Gangloff-Kaufmann says. "People are bringing in a bedbug here and there every day. Hotels are particularly vulnerable because there's so much turnover, and there's no way to screen people or prevent the bugs from coming in."
Bedbugs, rust-colored insects the size of an apple seed, are themselves travelers, hitching rides on clothing, backpacks, and luggage. They hide in cracks, crevices, seams, and folds of material, and emerge at night to feast on human blood. They don't spread disease and their bites are painless, says
While there's no reason to panic or cancel vacation plans, travelers can take steps to protect themselves, starting with a thorough once-over of the hotel room. Flood the room with light and strip the sheets from the bed, and then scan the mattress, box spring, and bed frame for bedbug droppings -- dark stains that are actually drips of digested blood.
A travel-size flashlight is helpful for peering into crevices. Some travelers even remove wall-mounted headboards, Gangloff-Kaufmann says. While she doesn't take her own inspection to such an extent, she recalls several friends who've indeed spotted bedbugs hiding behind headboards. And consider bringing along drawer liner encasements, similar to large Ziploc bags, or hanging clothing in the closet rather than using hotel furniture.
As a precaution, keep luggage in a plastic trash bag, but don't set it on the floor. The top of the dresser is a smarter choice, as is the bathroom floor, since bedbugs dislike linoleum and tile.
If a bedbug is spotted, report it to the front desk immediately A room change should be automatic -- but not to a room above, below, or adjacent to the one that is suspect, since the pests tend to spread to the closest areas. And don't try to resolve the problem alone.
"This isn't a do-it-yourself pest," Henriksen says. "You can certainly squash one with your finger -- and that will kill one bedbug, but it won't eliminate the problem."
And remain cautious when returning home. Even if you dodged hotel bedbugs, the pests can also fester in taxi cab trunks and airplane cargo holds, crawling among luggage. Wash and dry all clothing in hot water, and vacuum suitcases to kill any "unwanted souvenirs," Henriksen says.
"Everyone has equal opportunity to have these bugs come into their lives," she says. "They're impossible to totally prevent -- the problem is real, it's pervasive, and it's growing. But there's no reason to be paranoid. Be vigilant, but enjoy your travels."
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