Bed Bugs

[JeepMonkey]

Has anyone had any encounters with bed bugs?

I have been staying in a hotel room for two months with no problems.  Then I noticed what looked like a couple small bug bites on my toes.  I didn't think to much about it, until I saw a bed bug on my bed yesterday morning.  The hotel people came by and changes all of my sheets and pillow cases, and didn't see any more.

From everything I have read, bed bugs do not transmit any parasites or diseases, just a bite that itches.

Am I naive to think that this could be an isolated incident?  I am going to give the room a very intense look over tonight.

[pinballwizard79]

One time on X files....

[hypernova]

Be extra careful when going elsewhere.  Check your luggage and all belongings.  Don't need you spreading them.

[JeepMonkey]

Crap, I knew I should have watched X Files.  Am I going to turn into an alien?

I am very concerned about spreading them, either to my home or anyone else's.  I had a brown recluse problem at an apartment I use to rent, so I am experienced at searching and doing my best at not spreading pests.

[Donkbaca]

I would request a new room.  Bed bugs is nasty, and near impossible to get rid of unless they strip the carpet and torch the matresses.  I read an article about some lady that had her apartment infested with them.  They were impossible to get rid of.  You can keep them in a jar without air, food or water for weeks and they will still live...

[newmanfamilyvlogs]

Intense cold kills them quickly. I've seen spot treatment done with a co2 spray. Improvise with a fire extinguisher to your luggage?

[Hoopz]

Bed bugs have been a major problem that the news started reporting last fall.  To get rid of them, it takes special equipment that heats up a room to something like 130 degree F.  I know a number of hotels had massive problems and it's cost them a fortune to try and fight.  

Dude, I hope it works out for you.  I doubt switching rooms helps a lot just because sheets go from room to room in those places every few days.  

[JeepMonkey]

Switching rooms would be fine, as long as I don't spread them.

They are nasty little ---daisies---, but they really can't hurt people, like mosquitos that can't transmit diseases.  I really do want to find out if they have a problem, so they will know and can take appropriate measures to stop them.

[garwil]

Had some in a flat I once rented. Moved out pretty damn sharpish after finding out!

Basically you need to throw anything you don't need in the trash, wash all your clothes/bedding etc. at 60C or hotter and get the room fumigated.

The eggs are nigh on indestructible, the bugs themselves can survive for weeks and weeks without food (human blood).

They aren't dangerous and don't spread diseases but they can make you uncomfortable if you have a reaction to the bites.

[Donkbaca]

Its too late! You have been bitten.  You will be a zombie in less then 4 weeks if I read the wikipedia page right!!!!

[ark_ader]

Sounds like fleas.

If you had bed bugs you would have have a better overall experience with the *bites* than your toes.

Get some dog flea powder and dust off the lower bed after a shower or you could possibly go hip and wear cat flea collars around your ankles. 

I would upgrade to 3 star than that hotel hell.  But you get whats you pays for.

[RayB]

Don't take this too lightly Jeep. Do some Googling. It's becoming a major problem in most major cities. It has NOTHING to do with cleanliness, wealth or class (like Ark would have you believe).  They aren't a minor annoyance like mosquitoes. The problem is they can live for 180 days on ONE FEEDING. And then they are laying eggs during that entire time. So one can become hundreds or more quite easily. They are extremely hard to kill, and can fit in a crack the width of paper. They hitch a ride on bags, maybe clothing. I've read horror stories about people waking up itching and covered in tiny blood spots from bites during the night.

They come out at night and somehow detect human breath. That's how they seek you out. So try waking up at like 3am and check the bed again.

I fear getting them. However in the summer I have house centipedes somehow invading my home and those eat bedbugs.

[JeepMonkey]

So I ended up moving rooms.  They bumped me up to a (relatively speaking) suite for no extra charge.  All clothes were checked thouroughly, washed on hot water, and ran for an hour in the dryer before coming into the new room. Psychologically my brain tells me that this could have killed any that I missed visually.  Everything else received an intense inspection before moving.  

Since the move two days ago, no bites yet.

Ray, I am up at 5:00am every morning, so I have been turning on the lights and quickly checking the room.  Nothing lately.

[ark_ader]

Buy a can of OFF, and have a spray.  If OFF is unavailable or too expensive you can use BS's Beauty.  Smells the same...

[shateredsoul]

Man I hate those things.  Check under your bed, they usually hang out there. If you still get new bites either the new room also has them or you brought them with you. Before going home I'd wrap my clothes in plastic bags and put them in the washer as soon as I got home just to make sure you don't spread them to your apt or home.

[RayB]

Just read an article about this today. Suggested tips was to put your bags / luggage on the toilet, sink or towel racks, where the little buggers won't reach. And as mentioned clothes in the hot dryer when you get home.  Also, you might not notice bites on your person, but check sheet for red dots.

[danny_galaga]

Not much help for your hotel experiene, but if they go a month without people to feed on, the breeding cycle is broken and they die off. Handy to know for your own place, especially a spare room or something...

[RayB]

Not much help for your hotel experiene, but if they go a month without people to feed on, the breeding cycle is broken and they die off. Handy to know for your own place, especially a spare room or something...

A month ?

"... An individual bed bug can lay 200-250 eggs in her lifetime. The eggs hatch in about 6-10 days and the newly emerged bed bug nymphs seek a blood meal. Immature nymphs molt five times (i.e., they shed their outer exoskeleton in order to grow) before reaching adulthood. They need to feed at least once before each molt, although they could feed as often as once a day. There may be three or more generations per year. All ages are found in a reproducing population. Immature bed bugs may live for several months without feeding while adults may survive as long as one year without a meal. Under normal circumstances, adult bed bugs will live for about ten to eleven months."Source: http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/housingandclothing/dk1022.html

[danny_galaga]

Not much help for your hotel experiene, but if they go a month without people to feed on, the breeding cycle is broken and they die off. Handy to know for your own place, especially a spare room or something...

A month ?

"... An individual bed bug can lay 200-250 eggs in her lifetime. The eggs hatch in about 6-10 days and the newly emerged bed bug nymphs seek a blood meal. Immature nymphs molt five times (i.e., they shed their outer exoskeleton in order to grow) before reaching adulthood. They need to feed at least once before each molt, although they could feed as often as once a day. There may be three or more generations per year. All ages are found in a reproducing population. Immature bed bugs may live for several months without feeding while adults may survive as long as one year without a meal. Under normal circumstances, adult bed bugs will live for about ten to eleven months."Source: http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/housingandclothing/dk1022.html

They might live that long, but apparently the they wont reproduce if they dont eat after a month. Of course I read that years ago, before the innernetz...

[jamesjones626]

seriously, any clothing you had with you in that motel room torch it and dont take it home with you, once you get bed bugs in your house good luck getting rid of them.  DDT does the job but that is illegal here in the states.

[shateredsoul]

yeah, I got them in a previous apartment.. man it was horrible. It was when my wife and I were dating, they got her bad. She was horrible and felt itchy days afterwards even when they were gone. We'd wake up every day with new bites =/ and were paranoid as hell days afterwards.