Bed bugs are a huge problem for hotels. The pest control industry estimates that there is at least one bed bug infestation per hotel in the country.
If you want to stay safe, it’s important to know what signs indicate that your hotel bed has these pests and how to spot them early.
In this blog post we’ll discuss 5 of the most common signs and tips on spotting them quickly before they become an issue!
What are bed bugs?
Bed bugs are small, flat insects that feed on human blood. They are oval in shape and have six legs with a tiny body.
These pests tend to hide during the day so you may not see them right away if they’re infesting your hotel room bed. However, you can spot them early by looking for these signs:
5 Signs Your Hotel Bed Has Bed Bugs
1- Blood Spots or Dark Stains on your sheets or pillowcases
Bed bugs leave behind small blood spots and dark staining from their fecal matter. This can often be seen as brownish-black stains on the top of your bedding, particularly pillows and mattresses.
If you see this, it’s an indication that your room may have bed bugs.
You should request a different room immediately to avoid the problem from spreading and continue following these tips on spotting them early!
2- Bites on your Body
If you wake up with itchy bites that look like a bug bite, but can’t find the culprit, this is another one of the most common signs that bed bugs are present. They leave behind small red bumps and some people even have more severe reactions to their saliva when they feed on human blood at night while we’re sleeping.
If you wake up with bites, check your bedding for small blood spots and dark staining before continuing to the next tip on this list!
You can also use a flashlight at night when checking into your hotel room if you are suspicious of pest problems in order to look around more carefully.
3- Molted exoskeletons
If you look closely at your bedding, you may also see the discarded molted shells of bed bugs. These are empty casings that they leave behind after growing larger in size. If this is present on top of dark stains or blood spots, it’s a clear sign that there are likely full grown bed bugs present in your hotel bed.
You should request a different room immediately before they start multiplying and continue following these tips on spotting them early!
4- Small brown spots
If you look closely at your bedding, you may also see small pin-sized dark brown or black dots. This is a sign of fecal matter from bed bugs and if it’s present along with the other signs on this list, there should be no doubt that they’re in your hotel room!
5- Live bed bugs
If you see live, moving insects on your hotel room sheets or in dark crevices of the mattress, this is a clear sign that they are there. Bed bugs can be very small and hard to spot with the naked eye but if you use a flashlight when checking into your hotel at night after hours and find them crawling around, you should request a different room immediately.
If any of these signs are present when checking into your hotel, it’s important to contact the front desk and ask them about their pest control measures before unpacking anything from your suitcase in order to avoid bringing bed bugs home with you!
How can I spot them early?
It may be difficult to avoid these pests if they’re located in your hotel room. However, there are a few things you can do to spot them early and possibly even halt an infestation from spreading by following this advice:
-Always ask to see your room before unpacking and look for any of the early warning signs, mentioned above, on the bedding, mattress or behind curtains.
-Inspect the mattress seams and nearby furniture for any small brown spots or live bed bugs before jumping into bed.
-Use your nose! Your hotel room should have a distinct smell of cleanliness, but if you have a musty or sweet odor that you can’t identify, it’s another sign they’re present.
-Bring your own bedding! This may be your best option if you suspect that the sheets on the bed have been treated with pesticides to prevent them from multiplying when you check into
What to do if you suspect your hotel bed has bed bugs?
If you have any of the early warning signs listed above or think that your bed has been infested with bed bugs, do not unpack your belongings from your suitcase. Instead, request a different room and contact the front desk to explain why. Most hotels will be understanding if this is an ongoing issue in certain rooms or buildings on their property.
If you wait too long, it may be harder to get rid of them and your allergies could become even worse. If the signs are very apparent like live bugs crawling around or molted exoskeletons on top of dark staining in your bedding, contact the front desk immediately to ask for a different room!
While these pests can be a nuisance, they aren’t known to spread diseases and are fairly easy to get rid of with the proper methods. However, by spotting them early, you may even prevent an infestation from spreading!
Conclusion
In conclusion, bed bugs are a common problem in many hotels. If you see any signs of them on your hotel room sheets or mattress it is important to contact the front desk and ask for a different room before unpacking anything from your suitcase. Doing so could prevent an infestation from spreading and save you all sorts of headaches!
