Bed Bugs Can Hitch A Ride With Holiday Visitors

Nothing takes away the joyous holiday spirit, quite like a sudden emergence of bed bugs. Not only are they an absolute nightmare to get rid of, but their itchy bites can cause anxiety, sleep disturbances, and even depression. Unlike other pests, they are not discouraged by cold winter weather. Though the North Carolina outdoor air might reach a frigid 20°F at times, bed bugs only care about what is going on inside. Thanks to heating appliances and toasty fireplaces, the temperature in your home is likely nothing but pleasant for them.

Bed bugs have been around since 1350 BC, and after being nearly eradicated in the United States after World War II, they are back in full force. They are primarily spread through travel, and the prevalence of large gatherings makes the holiday season ripe for infestations. Friends and family members often travel from all over the country to get together for traditional festivities, leading to some of the fondest memories. Unfortunately, opening your home to recent travelers is a high-risk factor when it comes to bed bugs.

Preventing A Bed Bug Infestation From Holiday Guests

Of course, prevention is always preferable to dealing with a fully erupted infestation. One of the best things you can do is provide your guests with pertinent information before they begin their travels. Bed bugs tend to hide in luggage and latch on to unsuspecting travelers. While they are most abundant in hotels, they can also be found on planes, buses, and other modes of transportation. News outlets have reported on more than a few horror stories involving swarms of bed bugs covering nearby passengers in painful bites during flight. Advise your guests to purchase hard-shell luggage rather than fabric, which bed bugs prefer. Lighter colors are also better for quickly identifying unwanted hitchhikers while wiping down their bags with a disinfecting wipe after traveling. Booking a daytime flight can also decrease the likelihood of encountering curious wanderers as they are nocturnal creatures.

Before your guests arrive, add bed bug-specific measures to your list of regular preparatory chores, putting an emphasis on easy containment. Naturally, keeping your mattresses safe is of the utmost concern. Fortunately, you can purchase a mattress cover that serves the dual purpose of obstructing infiltration of the box spring while also containing them from spreading if the mattress is already infested. Moreover, it is essential to keep luggage away from the bed. However, despite what the name implies, bed bugs are not confined to the bedroom. Rather, they congregate anywhere that provides them access to a blood source, including your living room furniture and even behind wallpaper or inside electrical outlets. Since they prefer to hide in cracks and crevices, you should clean up unnecessary clutter and store whatever you can in sealed plastic containers. Designate and empty a spare closet for your guests to store their belongings and when they arrive, ask them to change clothes and immediately wash and dry them.

After the holidays are over and your guests leave, it is time for a round of hide-and-seek. Search every nook and cranny for brown bugs the size of an apple seed. Though adults are visible to the human eye, babies are usually too small to be easily identifiable. Instead, you can look for signs of their presence, such as tiny drops of dried blood or brown spotting where they defecate after feeding. Regardless of what you find, you should always wash and dry used bedding. Temperatures exceeding 113°F are lethal, and laundering is an effective way to kill them.  Implementing a prevention plan might seem like a lot of time-consuming effort; however, it is absolutely worth it knowing you can sleep tight without worrying about rampaging bed bugs attacking you or your guests in the night.

Professional Bed Bug Removal in North Carolina

Though implementing preventative measures certainly goes a long way in avoiding an infestation, the sneakiest of bugs may still avoid scrutiny. Should you find yourself with a case of bed bugs, it is best to contact a licensed pest management company before you attempt to use potentially harmful pesticides.

At Ease Pest Control has many years of experience eradicating bed bugs in North Carolina. We use family and pet-friendly products that are highly effective to ensure the treatment works the first time around, allowing you to get back to making gingerbread houses and decorating your tree as soon as possible. Contact us to learn more about our services and how we can help you keep the holiday spirit alive.