Bed Bugs & Holiday Travel

Whether you're planning to travel for the holidays or hosting friends and family, this season is especially busy for everyone on the move. From driving to flying and staying in hotels or homes, the hustle and bustle of holiday travel can significantly increase the risk of bed bug infestations.>

The pest control experts at EnviroPest have a key piece of advice for holiday travelers: don’t let bed bugs hitch a ride home! While avoiding bed bugs might seem straightforward, the reality is that encounters with these pests during travel—or when hosting visitors—are more common than you might think. Whether you’re heading out of town or staying put this holiday season, the tips below will help you keep your home free from unwanted bed bug guests.

What are bed bugs, and where do they hide?

Bed bugs are small, parasitic bugs about the size and shape of an apple seed. Unlike most pests that get indoors from outside, bed bugs are primarily indoor pests that move from place to place by “hitchhiking” on people’s clothing or in their belongings.

Since bed bugs survive by feeding on human blood, they stick close to people to have a readily available food source. However, they can survive for several months without a meal, so bed bugs can go into hiding if no one is around or if they sense danger, then come out when they feel the time is right.

Knowing where to find bed bugs is an excellent skill to cultivate because it can help you identify an infestation when traveling or in your own home. Here is a list of common bed bug hiding spots:

• In beds, especially in the seams of mattresses and between mattresses, box springs, and headboards
• In nightstands>
• In the seams of upholstered furniture
• In curtains
• Behind clocks, mirrors, and art on the walls
• Inside electronics
• In the area where the carpet or floor meets the wall
• In wall voids and electrical outlets

Although these are some of the most common spots to find bed bugs, this list is not comprehensive. Anywhere people congregate, there’s a chance bed bugs will show up.

Bed bug prevention tips for travelers

If you plan to travel this season, be ready to take some precautionary measures to avoid bed bugs. The first thing you need to do when you arrive at your location is to inspect your lodgings for live bed bugs or other signs of an infestation. Don’t bring your suitcases in until after the inspection. We recommend leaving part of your traveling party in the hallway with the luggage while the rest of you turn on your phones’ flashlights and begin the bed bug inspection. 

 Inspect every bed first, including the mattress, box spring, headboard, and frame. These bugs often hang out around seams, so pay close attention to those areas. You should also check every piece of wood, upholstered furniture, and the other hiding spots we mentioned above. When inspecting for bed bugs, look for the following signs:

• Adult bed bugs
• Bed bug eggs, which are tiny, cream-colored, and oval-shaped
• Bed bug nymphs
• Bed bug feces, which looks like black smears
• Shed bed bug skins
• Red dots on the sheets or blankets
• Tannish-brown stains on the sheets or blankets
• A musty smell in the room

If you’re confident you don’t see any evidence of bed bugs, you can let the others in, but don’t set your suitcases on the floor. Instead, use the luggage racks provided and keep your clothes in your bags rather than unpacking them.

Bed bug prevention measures don’t stop once you arrive home. Even if you didn’t notice any bed bugs during your travels, it doesn’t mean one or two didn’t come home with you. To make sure you don’t introduce bed bugs into your house at the end of your trip, here’s what our Denver bed bug removal specialists recommend: 

• Inspect your luggage for bed bugs in the garage or driveway before you bring that luggage into your house.
• Check your purse and carry-ons for bed bugs before you bring them inside.
• Wipe down your suitcases (hard-shelled ones are best, but if you have fabric or soft-sided suitcases, still try to wipe them down) and seal them in plastic before putting them away.
• Wash your clothes immediately on the hottest temperature and dry them on the hottest heat the fabric will allow.

 Although tedious, these prevention tips can save you a lot of stress, lost sleep, and money in the long run by helping you avoid a bed bug infestation instead of having to deal with one after it occurs.

Bed bug prevention tips for holiday hosts

If you’re hosting the holidays this season, keeping bed bugs out of your house will be a bit trickier. Although you won’t be traveling and risking bringing bed bugs home with you, your guests may get them in their luggage. There’s no tactful way to ask your guests to empty and inspect their bags in your driveway before allowing them inside, so you may have to assume that your guests are bed bug-free.

However, just because bed bugs might enter your house doesn’t mean you can’t stop them before an infestation gets big or out of control. You’ll have to diligently use the inspection techniques you learned above in your home after your guests leave.

In addition to regular inspections, pay careful attention to any bug bites you or your family members get. Bed bug bites can appear anywhere from one to several days after the initial bite. These bites usually occur in clusters or uneven lines. They are small, red, and itchy.

What to do if you think you have bed bugs in your home

If you have reason to suspect your holiday travels resulted in a bed bug infestation or your guests brought bed bugs to your house, contact EnviroPest right away. You mustn’t ignore the bed bug problem because it will not disappear until the infestation has been appropriately treated. 

EnviroPest offers effective bed bug treatments in Denver, Boulder, Colorado Springs, Loveland, and Northern Colorado. When you contact us for help resolving your bed bug problem, we will:

• Inspect your property for bed bug activity
• Determine what rooms have been affected and how severe the infestation is
• Recommend a bed bug treatment plan
• Provide you with information on how to prepare for your bed bug control service
• Return once the prep work has been completed to perform a bed bug heat treatment
• Issue you a bed bug warranty if your home qualifies (don’t worry, your bed bug specialist will go over this)

Don’t lose another night’s sleep. Contact EnviroPest if you’re worried about bed bugs in your home (or business) because holiday travel doesn’t have to end in a bed bug infestation!

This blog originally published on December 16, 2022; it has been updated to reflect the most up-to-date information.