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It’s always pleasant to find a surprise when you stay in a hotel room. A free upgrade or complimentary fruit basket is always a good touch. But a few little extras — like bed bugs — are much nastier surprises.
A hotel can be one of the major carriers of bed bugs. This shouldn’t really come as a surprise, as bed bugs are known to breed and live in beds and mattresses. The growing number of complaints about bed bugs from hotel guests only proves that the problem is steadily rising.
No one is quite sure why the reports of bed bug infestations are steadily increasing. One theory is that the insects are becoming resilient and even immune to the common insecticides used to treat the problem. Each generation mutates with a stronger defense against the deadly chemicals.
Sounds like an amazing B-movie fodder, but it’s a shocking fact of real life.
History of Nasty Bed Bugs
Bed bug infestations were common in hotels in the United States even before WWI. The problem all but disappeared, however, thanks to a combination of better hygiene practices and the widespread use of DDT pesticide dusting during the 1940s and 1950s. While virtually eliminated in the United States, the problem did persist in other areas of the world including parts of South and Central Europe, Asia and Africa.
Now, bed bugs are coming back to hotels in North America as well. It’s suggested that increased immigration and tourism has lead to the problem, as people unwittingly bring the insects with them from other parts of the world. An infestation can occur quickly, as just one female bed bug can produce five eggs a day, and bring three new generations to the hotel.
Another, more scientific theory is that, reappearance of bed bugs in hotels is due to cutbacks on the strength of pesticides and insecticides used in hotels. DDT was banned in the 1960’s, and it was the only insecticide found to successfully kill the bed bugs in hotels.
The bed bugs discovered in hotels are the same bed bugs that infest private homes. They are very small, flat, oval-shaped and brownish critters that closely resemble ticks. These creepy insects aren’t choosy about their accommodations. They just require a warm place to live and breed in, and a nearby source of human blood to feed on. Sadly, bed bugs are so patient, and so resilient, that they can live for up to a year without taking a meal of blood.
Many people don’t even recognize the fact that they have bed bugs. The bugs are very small, and they only come out to feed at night while their victims sleep. Mostly, people don’t feel a thing as they’re being bitten. When a bed bug sucks, it pierces the skin with its elongated beak. The insect injects a small dose of saliva that contains an anesthesia-like substance, making the piercing pain-free and virtually undetectable. The only indication that you’ve been visited by a bed bug is if you wake to find an itchy, swollen welt.
Lawsuits Grow
Bed bugs don’t congregate just in cheap, dingy motels. Even upscale hotels have fallen prey to these tiny menaces. The problem has resulted in lost income for many establishments, as unsatisfied patrons are filing lawsuits and spreading the word about their unpleasant experiences.
While a bed bug infestation can rob a hotel owner of both credibility and profit, the way that many establishments treats the problem is quite appalling. Rather than providing a solution for customers, some hotel owners and staff simply dismiss the incident. This has incurred the wrath of many clients, who have taken their complaints all the way to the courtroom. In one such case, guests at a bug-infested hotel opted to sue the hotel for damages. They contested that because the management did not disclose their problem with bed bugs in hotels, they risked the health and well being of the customers. The court concurred, and found the hotel guilty.
The problem of bed bugs in hotels is big, but the bigger problem is that hotels fail to disclose the facts to their current and potential customers. Most people, of course, would choose not to stay at the hotel if they know that there was a problem with bed bugs, and that’s a risk that hotel owners are just not willing to take. If and when an infestation happens, the hotel can easily call a pest control expert in to remedy the problem.
Safeguard Yourself
Of course, it is a hotel’s duty to provide clients with good service and a clean environment, free from bed bugs. However, travelers must be aware of the risks and use precaution to protect themselves. When traveling, ensure to always bring along an anti-itch cream just in case. Feel free to ask other hotel clients about the cleanliness of the hotel before you check in. The Internet is also an amazing source of information, with reviews and ratings available for many hotels. Look for comments regarding customers’ personal experiences. This information can help you make a decision on which hotel to visit on your next trip.
In the even that a hotel should offer false information about their bed bug infestation, you can use that as grounds for making a complaint and possibly retrieving your travel dollars.
Not all surprises are pleasant, particularly when you’re far away from home. Use care when traveling to make sure that the only little “extras” you find in your hotel room are nice ones!
Tagged with: bed bugs control • pests control
Filed under: Bed Bugs in Hotels