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What Causes Bed Bug Infestations?
Travel is widely recognized as the most common cause of bed bug infestations. Often unbeknownst to the traveler, bed bugs will hitchhike on people, clothing, luggage, or other personal belongings and be accidentally transported to other properties.
Bed bugs are extremely proficient at going unnoticed by humans. As small, wingless insects with flattened bodies, they can hide in tight, secluded spaces that are often out of sight, such as behind headboards or deep in upholstered furniture.
Although bed bugs prefer to remain hidden, they will move out of their hiding spaces to feed when a host is nearby. To avoid detection, the reddish-brown insects typically wait until the middle of the night before beginning their quest for a blood meal and moving towards a host. When they bite, they inject their victim with a mild anesthetic to help them go unnoticed while they feed.
Rentokil Pest Control Ireland will help you inform about the imporant imformation regarding bed bugs:
Where Do Bed Bugs Come From?
Although it’s very difficult to know where exactly bedbugs enter and infest your property, there are a few common sources that are known to cause bedbug infestations.
- Travel – Travelling and living in common places such as hotels are the top causes of bedbugs as these facilities experience a lot of human traffic on a regular basis.
- Public Transport – Seats in a public transportation facility that experiences a lot of daily visitors are also a hotspot for bedbugs.
- Antique Furniture – Purchasing antique or second-hand furniture without properly disinfecting is also a common method for bedbugs to enter your property.
- Pre-existing infestation– If you live in places or homes that have an ongoing infestation, then you will also be affected by it.
Tips To Avoid Bed Bugs When Traveling
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Inspect Bed - When you arrive at your hotel, carefully inspect the bed you will be sleeping in by pulling back the sheets and closely examining the mattress and box spring seams for any signs of bed bugs. These signs may include living or dead bed bugs, which are the size of an apple seed, or black fecal smears, which can look like a permanent marker stain or trail.
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Keep Luggage Away From Bed - Reduce the likelihood of bed bugs hitching on to your luggage by placing it as far away from your hotel bed as possible. Store luggage in the bathroom or another location a safe distance from the bed.
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Check Luggage Before Packing and Unpacking - Be sure to examine your luggage carefully as you pack up to return home. Check your clothes for bed bugs as well as any zipped compartments. Upon your return home, re-check your luggage before unpacking to avoid spreading bed bugs to your home.
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Wash Clothes - It is important to put all clothes stored in your luggage into the dryer upon your return in case bed bugs have hitched on to them. Bed bugs may survive washing, so clothes should be placed in the dryer for at least 20 minutes first to kill the bugs at any life stage. After drying, you can wash clothes in hot, soapy water and then dry again. If you think you have a bed bug problem, call +353818001590 or contact us for immediate assistance.
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