Pest411 - How to Inspect your Hotel Room for Bed Bugs

Just a Reminder

Bedbugs are on the prowl again

The bedbug, virtually eliminated decades ago, is taking a fierce new bite out of Victoria, with experts reporting an exponential increase in outbreaks in homes, apartments and hotels.

By Times Colonist (Victoria) August 29, 2008

The bedbug, virtually eliminated decades ago, is taking a fierce new bite out of Victoria, with experts reporting an exponential increase in outbreaks in homes, apartments and hotels.
"Since 2003 there have been huge increases year upon year," says Blair Dooley, owner of Old Island Pest Control.
"All the data I get from associations in the U.S., companies are reporting between 300 and 500 per cent increases yearly," he says, explaining that the situation is the same here.
“A lot of people are under the impression that bedbugs are invisible or that they don’t exist,” said Sean Rollo, creator of the Bed Bug Resource website and a pest-control operator in Vancouver.
“I’m amazed at the seminars I do where there’s over half the people in the room who have never heard of bedbugs.”
Nemeth, however, managed to rid himself of the bugs using diatomaceous earth, a fossil shell powder that dehydrates and kills the bugs, and some sticky tape in a roll around the bed. He's been bedbug-free for a year now, a rare occurrence for those who deal with the bugs on their own. Most infestations are only eliminated after several pesticide treatments by pest control companies. The bugs, which live by feeding on the blood of humans and other warm-blooded hosts, were largely believed to have been eradicated 40 years ago due to the widespread use of pesticides like DDT.
But the 21st century has seen a marked increase in infestations -- which Rollo and Dooley attribute to a change in cockroach control methods. Cockroaches used to be killed with residual pesticides, which would kill any bedbugs at the same time, but they are now killed with gel traps. As well, preventive pesticide sprayings in homes and hotels are no longer allowed under new pest control laws.
"So now if someone does bring a bedbug into a hotel room, there's nothing there to control them," says Rollo. "They could be sitting there for months before we even know."
Rollo and Dooley also blame an increase in travel and more people bringing used upholstered furniture into their homes.
The bugs can live anywhere, regardless of cleanliness -- behind baseboards, in box springs, mattresses, or small cracks in furniture. While they usually feed every five to 10 days, they are able to go without feeding for up to 18 months, which makes them extremely hard to eliminate.
All it takes is a few bugs on clothing or furniture to cause a problem, says Dooley.
In one week in July, he sprayed a house and a townhouse, as well as multiple units in two hotels and two apartment buildings. The bugs are only eliminated after multiple treatments.

Bugs and Bites

Allergies and the Great Outdoors
Little bites, big pains

From Canada.com

Insect bites are an important threat for allergy sufferers in the outdoors. Protect yourself from bugs and bites and the allergic reactions they may cause:

- Stay away from standing water (i.e., water that is not moving like in a river or ocean), e.g., swamps and birdbaths.
- Avoid wearing dark-coloured clothing.
- Avoid wearing perfume.
- Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
- Use an insect repellant approved by Health Canada.

When choosing an insect repellent, choose a product that is best suited to you, has a Pest Control Product (PCP) registration number, and is labeled as an insect repellent for human use. Most insect repellents provide prevention against bites from black flies, mosquitoes, and ticks, but don't ward off stinging insects such as hornets, bees, or wasps.

There are several insect repellents available in Canada, but products containing DEET are the best-known. A lotion or spray containing 20-30% DEET is effective for adults. Children aged 6 months and older may use DEET, but it is important to use the correct concentration and to follow the instructions and safety precautions on the label. Do not apply DEET over sunburns, as it may cause a rash; do not apply it on cuts, and do not spray it near the eyes or mouth. Also, DEET lotion or spray may reduce the effectiveness of the sun protection of sunscreen. To avoid this interaction, do not use products that combine DEET with sunscreen, and when using both sunscreen and DEET, allow the sunscreen to absorb into the skin first before applying DEET. Once bitten, ask your pharmacist how you can relieve the itch.

( For itch relief, West Coast Pest Control Recommends an antihistamine cream for any bug bites that give you an allergic reaction)

If a bee, hornet, or wasp stings you, remove the stinger with a fingernail if it's still there - often the insect removes the stinger. It is estimated that less than 1-2% of Canadians have serious allergies to insects like bees, hornets, and wasps. However, allergic reactions to stings are potentially life-threatening emergencies that require immediate medical attention. People with an identified serious allergy should wear a MedicAlert® bracelet and carry an epinephrine injection (e.g., EpiPen®, Twinject®), which is an injection device that helps relieve the symptoms a serious allergic reaction (e.g., difficulty breathing, low blood pressure, swelling).

Ticks, known to carry the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, are another consideration if you spend a lot of time outdoors. Of the three kinds of ticks capable of transmitting Lyme disease, two may be found in Canada. The black-legged tick, also known as the deer tick, can be found around Lake Erie in southern Ontario. The western black-legged tick can be found on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands and around the Fraser Delta in British Columbia.
Lyme disease can take months to appear, and the most common symptom is a migrating rash in a bull's-eye pattern. The best prevention, other than protective clothing tucked in tightly and wearing DEET repellent, is carefully checking exposed areas of your skin on a regular basis. Ask your doctor or pharmacist how to best remove ticks, and whether you need to take medications.