Encountering bed bugs while traveling can be a truly unpleasant experience. Facing a bed bug infestation is on par with being robbed or coming down with a tropical illness as one of the things we never want to have happen to us while on the road. However, because of the current public health pandemic, people are traveling less than ever before. Further, travel restrictions and closed hotels and restaurants have made it more challenging than ever to take a vacation. So, has this travel decrease resulted in less of a need for bed bug control in Guelph? Here’s what you need to know about the impact less travel has had on these awful critters:

Where Bed Bugs Are Found

It is a common misconception that bed bugs are only found in cheap motels and are nonexistent in luxury hotels. This is simply not the case. In fact, bed bugs have been known to thrive in clean environments and bed bug infestations are likely to occur in pricey hotels. Further, bed bugs are not exclusive to hotels. These pests are found in many places people frequent while traveling including office buildings, movie theaters, malls and restaurants.

As frightful as it sounds – bed bugs consume human blood. They often do this while travelers are sleeping, which is why they are usually found in and around bedding and mattresses. However, they can also be found in the carpet, furniture and bed headboards. Unfortunately, no surface is off-limits to bed bugs.

How to Spot Bed Bugs

If you decide to visit a hotel room, you may want to spend a few minutes inspecting your room for any infestations. Bed bugs are tiny and can be easy to miss if you are not careful. Bed bugs are similar in size and shape to a watermelon seed. You do not have to spot the actual bed bug to know there is a bed bug problem in the hotel room. Here are two tell-tale signs that you have a bed bug problem in your room:

Stains: Bed bugs leave small stains behind on sheets, blankets and mattresses. These stains are usually brown or red in color. If the bug happens to get smashed by your body weight, a more significant, rust-color stain will be left behind.

Shells: Bed bugs, as horrifying as it sounds, typically lay their eggs in the mattress. Therefore, tiny eggs and eggshells can sometimes be spotted on the base of the bed. It is best to recognize and immediately remove bed bug eggs at first sight.

Bed Bugs and Travel

You may assume that fewer travelers equal fewer bed bugs for hotels and other tourist hot spots. Unfortunately, this is not the case. A large influx of travelers does not need to be present for bed bugs to thrive. If a hotel room is occupied just one night out of a week, that may be enough to sustain a bed bug infestation.

The good news is that many hotels have implemented increased cleaning measures to slow the virus’s spread. While these increased cleaning measures may help eliminate bed bugs, there are no guarantees. Commercial business owners should consult a professional pest control company immediately after an infestation is noticed.

Hire a Bed Bug Control Expert

If you are a small business owner in the hospitality industry, this is not a time to slack on your pest control plans. Taking care of a bed bug problem now will provide you with peace of mind and prepare your business for an influx of travelers when travel restrictions are lifted. Truly Nolen Canada provides a variety of pest control services to commercial and residential customers. Our technicians are ready to work and will provide you with efficient and affordable bed bug removal services. Contact us today to schedule an inspection.