Itchy and Stinky: Traveling With Bed Bugs

Right arm with plenty of bug bites

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You’ve spent months planning your ideal vacation.  Imagine a five-star hotel in a tropical paradise.  Your grand vacation will have everything dreams are made of.  And,   perhaps,  a little bit more.

If travelers knew that there is a ninety percent chance that well-known hotel chains,  even presidential suites in five-star hotels are prone to bed bugs,  there would be far fewer bodies lining the beaches.  Your favorite hotel may have hosted a bed bug infestation,  while clients slept completely unaware. Read more . . .

Don’t Let The Annoying Bed Bugs Bite

Bed bug feeding

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“Good night, sleep tight”.  When you have bed bugs in your home, this  basic sentiment can seem little more than a faraway dream.

Bed bugs have roots that date back centuries, as far back in history as classical Greece and  medieval times, as documented in various writings.  It’s certainly uncomfortable trying to sleep in an infested bed, but the real discomfort occurs when you wake up.  The bites can cause redness, itch and swelling, but bed bugs are not able to transmit disease.  Maybe, the greatest amount of grief comes with the shameful stigma associated with having bed bugs in the home.  Many people think that a bed bug infestation is detrimental to a relationship and may cause psychological strain. Read more . . .

Waging War On Bed Bugs

Ventral view of a bed bug

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“Don’t let the bed bugs bite”, says everyone.   Well, that’s easier said than done. Bed bugs are tiny creatures that suck blood from human victims.  Most often dismissed as a nuisance, bed bugs have become a serious problem in homes as well as offices and luxury establishments.

This infestation has occurred mainly for two reasons.  First, there is a notable increase in the number of individuals traveling to, and those immigrating from, foreign countries.  These persons unknowingly bring these insects along with them.  The second reason may be due to the fact that bed bugs have become immune to the pesticides and insecticides being used. Read more . . .

Bed Bug Facts And Tips

Two bed bugs on the wall

flickr.com/doctabu

The world is made up of several parasites.  Some are smaller, some are bigger; some are dangerous and many are perfectly harmless.  However,  few are as disturbing to humans as the lowly bed bug.

Small parasites like dust mites can be found in virtually every mattress.  Other, bigger insects called bed bugs are also found in many homes in North America, and around the world.  Due in part to increased foreign travel, bed bugs are making their way across the continent, taking up residence in hotels,  motels, restaurants,  apartments, ostels,  shelters and family homes.       Read more . . .

Bed Bugs Bite

Small wound on a woman's left hand

flickr.com/hiyori13

Generally, almost for as long as people have been sleeping in beds, people have been sleeping with bed bugs.  These pesky insects have been documented in history as far back as the Medieval times in Europe, and can be traced in Greek history to the era of Aristotle.  Throughout the ages, there have been countless stories of hapless victims of bed bugs, all of them bad.

Known to scientists as “Cimex lectularius”, bedbugs are tiny, wingless creatures with a brownish, ultra thin body. Various researches indicate these creatures originated in Asia, but they are now found in all parts of the world. Bed bugs thrive in locations with a warm climate but they have adapted to northern regions where heated buildings are available. Read more . . .