Terminix shares eight travel tips to protect against bed bugs this summer

Following two years of decreased travel, experts are predicting a significant bounce-back this summer. With increased travel comes a greater risk of bed bug encounters, and Terminix Service, Inc., the largest pest control company in the Carolinas and 10th largest in the U.S., is leveraging National Bed Bug Awareness Week to educate travelers on key tips to avoid bed bugs this summer.

“As travel activity picks up throughout our region, travelers will be at a greater risk of bed bug encounters this summer,” said Terminix Technical Director Kevin Hathorne. “It’s important for travelers to understand the potential risk that bed bugs present and to travel smartly to avoid an issue with an infestation when they head back home.”

Bed Bug facts:

Bed bugs don’t fly, but can easily climb onto luggage or clothing, which is how infestations usually spread. Bed bugs are typically found in places where people sleep but have also been found on public transportation (taxis, planes, cruise ships, etc.), department stores, movie theaters, office buildings, schools, churches, and various other places.

A typical reaction for most people is a red swollen bump that occurs at the site of the bite with perhaps some itching. It is estimated that about 40% of the population does not react to bed bug bites at all. In rare cases, moderate to severe allergic reactions can occur. Bed bugs have not been shown to transmit any disease through the feeding process, however recent research suggests that they are capable of spreading Chagas disease through contact with their excrement.

With travel being a primary source for bed bugs to spread, Terminix Service Inc. suggests travelers consider the following tips:

• Consider a hard-shelled suitcase, offering fewer crevices where bugs can hide.
• Check for bed bugs before unpacking or settling into the room. Avoid putting your baggage on the bed or on the floor—use the luggage rack or place luggage in the bathroom while inspecting the room. For the duration of the stay, consider hanging clothing in the closet or keeping luggage on the dresser.
• Pull back sheets from the mattress and look for bugs along the seams or tiny blood spots on the mattress or sheets. Look along the edges and in the seams.
• Inspect the headboard and behind it.
• Examine upholstered furniture and window treatments.
• Notify management immediately and change rooms or hotels if there is evidence of bed bugs.
• Upon return home, before bringing the suitcase inside the house, vacuum off luggage and consider using a brush to scrub items that can’t be washed.
• Unpack immediately and launder all clothes in hot water and dry on high heat.

“If travelers inadvertently bring bed bugs home they should call 1-800-TERMINIX immediately,’ said Hathorne. “A small bed bug infestation is cheaper and easier to control than one that has time to spread.”

About Terminix Service, Inc.

For 75 years, our customers have trusted Terminix Service, Inc., for the very best in termite and pest control protection for their homes and businesses. With annual revenue in excess of $140 million, the family-owned and operated Terminix Service, Inc. is the largest franchise of the Terminix International franchise system and the tenth-largest pest control company in North America. Terminix Service, Inc. operates in South Carolina, western North Carolina, and the Central Savannah River Area of Georgia. Visit www.TrustTerminix.com or call 1-800-TERMINIX.