Bed Bugs Threaten Hotel / Motel Industry

Bed bugs are small, rust-colored insects that live in places like baseboards, walls, upholstered furniture, mattresses, and other indoor areas. After World War II, bed bugs were rare in our society, however once the effective yet extremely dangerous pesticide DDT was banned, bed bugs started to reoccur.

International travel is another contributing factor to bed bugs being more wide-spread today. Bed bugs can easily stow away in suitcases, and take up residence in the room where the suitcase is unpacked. Because many travelers stay in hotels and motels, bed bugs threaten the hotel / motel industry. Bed bugs are prevalent in areas of Africa, Asia and South America, and can easily be unknowingly transported from those areas to other places around the world.

== Family, Health and Bed Bugs Tips == On bedbugs... Bed bugs can multiply quickly and spread from room to room. Apartments, hotels and motels are also prime locations for bed bug infestations, and bed bugs in one apartment or room can quickly and easily spread to adjacent apartments and rooms. That's why it's absolutely crucial for you to take care of the problem as soon as it occurs.

Bed bugs feed on the blood of its living hosts like people and pets, and they most often live close to the place where they feed. Because they're most active at night and prefer feeding on sleeping people and pets, mattresses are ideal homes for these pests. Bed bug infestation appears as dark spotting on furniture or mattresses, which is dried waste from the bugs. Because bed bugs can breed quickly, they often spread from room to room. This is why they're especially bad when found in hotels and motels. Once bed bugs multiply, they can quickly become an out of control problem.

Recently featured by the media was the story of a Chicago woman who sued a resort for millions of dollars because of bed bugs. After the third night at the resort, the woman discovered a significant number of fiery welts on her body. An actual bed bug was found in the bed of the couple, along with blood and bed bug excrement.

== Family, Health and Bed Bugs Tips == Acne and itchy skin... Dermatologists recommend any product should have low concentrations of the active ingredient benzoyl peroxide (no more than 5.5 parts per hundred) if there is an adverse reaction; if a reaction occurs, a cleaner or cream containing alpha hydroxy acid should be safe. Because we all have different types of skin, more than one type of itchy skin skin care product may need to be tried; if none of them work then you would be advised to contact your skin specialist. There are benefits of seeing your doctor or dermatologist, they can prescribe you with a prescription for treatments not available over the counter, for example a course of antibiotics.

With the resurgence of bed bugs in society, it's only a matter of time before more lawsuits come to light. So how can the hotel and motel industry best protect against these pests? One way is prevention. By inspecting areas thoroughly for signs of bed bugs, the problem can be taken care of before it gets out of control. Frequent vacuuming and even steam cleaning of bedding, carpets and furniture can also go a long way towards preventing infestation. If bed bugs are found in hotels or motels, the most prudent solution would be the hiring of a professional exterminator experienced in getting rid of them. These pests can simply be too tricky to remove for someone who's not skilled in insect extermination.

Copyright 2006 Jim Sterling - All Rights Reserved

Bed Bug News:
Starting to live, learning to serve in Haiti - fwdailynews.com

Starting to live, learning to serve in Haiti
fwdailynews.com
Mattresses had to be disinfected and covered because of the bed bugs. Some wanted to wash off Haiti's dirt, but only cold showers were available. .

and more »
..

Meet Molly, the bed bug sniffing dog - KING5.com

Meet Molly, the bed bug sniffing dog
KING5.com
"Molly is a certified bed bug detecting canine," said Coleman. Molly is one of only a few such trained dogs in the entire Northwest. .

and more »
..

Starting to live, learning to serve in Haiti - KPCnews.com

Starting to live, learning to serve in Haiti
KPCnews.com
Mattresses had to be disinfected and covered because of the bed bugs. Some wanted to wash off Haiti's dirt, but only cold showers were available. .

and more »
..

Lifting spirits one nightstand at a time - Herald & Review

Lifting spirits one nightstand at a time
Herald & Review
The nightstand and I went straight to the paint store, where I cornered an unsuspecting silver-haired paint pro who's been around paint since before Bugs .

and more »
..

Bed situation bugs boyfriend - Boston Herald

Bed situation bugs boyfriend
Boston Herald
What I think is worse is that she never sleeps in her own bed when both are there, but sleeps on the floor or a couch, too. If she doesn't, they crawl in .

..