Bed bugs suck blood and secrete a substance that causes severe itching. — SINA SCHULDT/dpa
The word “bedbugs” alone would make anyone shudder. And some people intuitively itch.
Understandably.
And the risk of bringing the bugs home from your journey is not so low. Bärbel Holl, chairwoman of Germany’s Association for the Promotion of Ecological Pest Control, explains how to prevent them from travelling.
How common are bedbugs?
Holl: They occur all over the world and can be found in hotels and ferries and even on buses.
What can I do to avoid an infestation while on holiday?
Holl: You can protect yourself quite well, if you accept the possibility of bedbugs. So, when I check into my hotel room, I always lift up the mattress to look for them.
It is important to check because bedbugs are not always hungry. If someone “juicy” and full of nourishment was in the room before you, the bedbugs may not suck you at all during your stay. But they want to live somewhere. Bedbugs are attracted to perspiration and like to crawl into the laundry.
So if you find the bugs and can’t change hotel rooms, go through the laundry meticulously before leaving. Many people stuff their dirty laundry into a plastic bag. I unpack the bag and shake out the laundry in the shower.
Here’s another brilliant tip. Buy protective sheets against bedbugs to take on your travels. They are so slippery that the bugs can’t get a good grip on them and slide off.
What do I do, to avoid bringing bedbugs home in my suitcase?
Holl: I shake out every single piece of laundry. Do that in the bathroom and rinse the bugs out in the shower or bathtub. I also check every crack in the suitcase or bag for bedbugs.
And if I know that I’ve brought bedbugs home with me, I don’t unpack the suitcase immediately. I recommend contacting a specialist company. They can put the suitcase in a heat tent and solve the pesky problem.
How to recognise bed bugs
> Bed bugs are rust-red to dark brown. However, their legs and antennae appear rather yellowish. Their body is extremely flat and only 4mm to 6mm long.
> Bed bugs cannot fly, but secrete an anticoagulant secretion that causes intense itching. Scratching can lead to inflammation at the sites of the bites. Frequent bites can lead to allergic reactions. – dpa
This is how to protect yourself from bed bugs: Before leaving the hotel, empty the suitcase completely and shake out the clothes. — Photo: Jens Kalaene/dpa
