Travelling and embarking on camping trips during this summer? Need to know about how to protect yourself from bugs? Look no further, as Brisbane Terminator are your leading pest control company that informs you on how to stay safe. The holidays are nearly upon us, and we are coming into Australia’s blistering summers, when travel time increases, and mood are elevated. Whether that means heading for relatives for a holiday gathering and feast, escaping the clutches of winter or heading to the slopes, lots of people are on the move at this time of year. Bed bugs, ever the opportunists, love to hitch-hike to a new home in the clothing and luggage of a traveller.
Precautions
So how should you protect yourself? Prior to a trip, Brisbane Terminator assists and informs clients by giving out our advice about avoiding taking home “uninvited guests” from holiday accommodations. At our suggestion, upon arrival, you should first start by checking the bed by pulling back the sheets to look at the mattress pad and box spring, however you need to complete a bigger inventory. With a small flashlight, you should also search:
- Behind the headboard
- Around and inside the night stands, including the lamps and shades
- Behind art work hung about the room
- Even in books
If you have the inclination and equipped with the necessary tools, you might you might want to have a look inside light switches and outlets. Brisbane Terminator have extensive experience in dealing with any scale pest infections and have proved with our constant client feedback, why we are the leading pest control company. Knowledge is key in determining what technique, what apparatus and what methodology we should use for each situation. Termites and bed bugs have surely adapted to the standardised sprays and over-the-counter pesticides. Our experienced technicians ensure that each parameter is met and that you receive an accurate pest control service that will last. Credibility and versatility are our strong points, we ensure that all projects are carried out safely and the client is happy. We educate all our clients on maintenance techniques they can utilise to ensure long lasting results.
Never Do This on Travelling
Something you should never do when you enter your accommodations during travel? Place your suitcase on the bed. While it’s clear from the above that bed bugs may hide in several areas of a particular room, they want to be close to the source of their food, and that is the bed where humans, their “blood hosts,” spend the greatest amount of time in the room. Thus, placing your luggage directly on the bed provides an opportunity for any bugs that are situated in that area to get aboard and come home with you. You may also help them migrate to other accommodation sites and hotels on the way. With that in mind, another pivotal, often overlooked place to inspect for bed bugs is a luggage rack or valet. If other travellers haven’t been as careful as you have, they may have planted a future infestation there. Using your flashlight if necessary, do a thorough inspection, concentrating on cracks and crevices. Brisbane Terminator pride themselves on ensuring all our clients are safe during travel periods. The safer alternative is to place your suitcase on a hard surface. Bed bugs might leave a harbourage to cross those areas, but as there would be no protection for them, they would not linger around for too long. The tile floor in the bathroom is one good option, as is inside the shower or tub, if there is one. Many travellers have bags that can be hung in the closet or from an interior door. If the room has a section of hardwood flooring, that is another alternative.
Seeing Is Believing
One difficulty in performing the kind of inspection we suggest is that your target is elusive and very small. Bed bugs are small insects. Adult bed bugs are flat, oval and reddish-brown—about the size of an apple seed. Juvenile bed bugs are even smaller and more difficult to see. That small flashlight we suggested to our clients is a good thing to have with you when you travel. With it, you will be able to better check out some of the out-of-the-way places the pests can hide, including those tricky places behind headboards and framed artwork. We are always one step ahead of those critters and we always educate our clients on pest control services.
The Bed Bug Stigma
As you may already know, there is a well-established mythology and stigma surrounding bed bug infestation, suggesting that they are a sign of poor housekeeping and an unclean habitat. Given what we know now about their opportunistic behaviour and their resiliency—a bug can live 6 to 8 months without a blood meal and is genetically equipped to withstand common poisons. The presence of bed bugs isn’t a condemnation. But people remain sensitive and can be embarrassed by the revelation that their homes or businesses are infested. They may be resistant to the news.
Nevertheless, quick action is a must. With many more homes open to the public thanks to the proliferation of Airbnb and other vacation rental sites, more homes could be vulnerable to these hitchhikers. If you find bed bugs, be sure to let the owner or manager know. There is no need to shame them. Just make sure you are moved to an agreeable new location. For more information on how you can get rid of bed bugs, termites and any pests lingering within your household, contact Brisbane Terminator.