What's the creepy crawly that can ruin travel faster than anything else?

Credit: Getty Images
Credit: Getty Images
loading...

Bed Bugs.

Nothing like checking into a hotel after a long day of enjoyment, just to find out you'll be bringing home an infestation of nasty, itchy, blood-sucking, bed stealers. Bedbugs are about the size of an apple seed. They hide in the cracks and crevices of beds, box springs, headboards, bed frames and other objects around a bed and come out at night to feed on their preferred host. Yup, we're their food source. Gross. Gross. GROSS.

Credit: Mayo Clinic Educational Resources This is what it looks like when the bed bugs bite.
Credit: Mayo Clinic Educational Resources
This is what it looks like when the bed bugs bite.
loading...

The risk of running into bedbugs is higher if you spend time in places where nighttime guests come and go often; places like hotels, hospitals, or homeless shelters. They can travel from place to place with ease, clinging to items such as luggage, purses and other personal belongings.  If you have bedbugs in your home, professional extermination is recommended. Speaking of which, the pest killers at Orkin released a study on the 50 most bed bug infested cities and both Iowa (1 city) and Illinois (3 cities) made the list.

Bed Bug Summit Held Near Chicago
Credit: Brian Kersey / Getty Images
Bed Bug Central public relations associate Calvin Allen shows a vial containing live bed bugs at the Bed Bug University North American Summit in Rosemont, Illinois. The two-day conference of bed bug experts and pest control workers featured seminars from researchers and vendors displaying the latest products focused on bedbug detection, elimination and prevention.
loading...

Vacations & Family Trips coming up? Maybe avoid the top 10 Bed Bug Cities...

  1. Chicago

  2. New York

  3. Philadelphia

  4. Cleveland-Akron, OH

  5. Los Angeles

  6. Detroit

  7. Indianapolis

  8. Baltimore

  9. Washington, D.C.

  10. Columbus, OH

Eagle 102.3 logo
Get our free mobile app

Not far from home Chicago puts Illinois at the top of a list no one wants to be on. Also coming in at #11 is Champaign, and at #48 Peoria. Iowa didn't make it out bed bug free either with Cedar Rapids showing up at #31. The list was based on treatment data from the metro areas where Orkin performed the most bed bug treatments from December 1st, 2021 to November 30th, 2022. The ranking includes both residential and commercial treatments. Check out the full 50 completed below.

Credit: Orkin
Credit: Orkin
loading...

Once you get these nasties, they are hard to get rid of too. Bed bugs are known for rapid population growth. Female bed bugs can deposit one to five eggs a day and may lay 200 to 500 eggs in their lifetime. They can survive for several months while waiting for their next blood meal, so they’re likely to emerge when a food source becomes available.

Bed Bug Summit Held Near Chicago
Credit: Brian Kersey / Getty Images
Debi Logue (R) and Todd Brown of BASF Pest Control Solutions talk in front of their company's display at the Bed Bug University North American Summit in Rosemont, Illinois. The two-day conference of bed bug experts and pest control workers featured seminars from researchers and vendors displaying the latest products focused on bedbug detection, elimination and prevention.
loading...

So how do I prevent bringing home bed bugs?

  • Cover up. Bedbugs don't tend to burrow under clothing. Uou may be able to avoid bites by wearing pajamas that cover as much skin as possible.
  • Inspect secondhand items. Look over used bedding, mattresses and upholstered furniture before bringing them into your home
  • Place all dryer-safe clothing/bedding in the dryer for at least 30-45 minutes at the highest setting after you return home.
Exterminators Tackle Growing U.S. Bed Bug Problem
Credit: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images
Pestec technician Carlos I. Agurto inspects a couch cushion for bed bugs at an apartment with bed bugs in San Francisco, California. Cases of bed bug infestations are on the rise across the U.S. with many people bringing them into their homes after visiting hotels and airports. Bed bugs feed off of human blood.
loading...

But, how do I avoid bed bugs on vacation?

Orkin suggests the acronym S.L.E.E.P. when inspecting for bed bugs:

  • Survey the hotel room for signs of an infestation. Be on the lookout for tiny, ink-colored stains on mattress seams, in soft furniture and behind headboards.

  • Lift and look in bed bug hiding spots: the mattress, box spring and other furniture, as well as behind baseboards, pictures and even torn wallpaper.

  • Elevate luggage away from the bed and wall. The safest places are in the bathroom or on counters.

  • Examine your luggage carefully while repacking and once you return home from a trip. Always store luggage away from the bed.

  • Place all dryer-safe clothing from your luggage in the dryer for at least 30-45 minutes at the highest setting after you return home.

Exterminators Tackle Growing U.S. Bed Bug Problem
Credit: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images
Pestec technician Carlos I. Agurto walks with Ladybug, a Beagle trained to sniff out bed bugs, as they inspect a bed in an apartment with bed bugs in San Francisco, California. Cases of bed bug infestations are on the rise across the U.S. with many people bringing them into their homes after visiting hotels and airports. Bed bugs feed off of human blood.
loading...

In addition, Mark Robber with Crunch Labs has a great detailed look at what bed bugs are, how to keep them away, and how to deal with them should your bed be overrun.

LOOK: 11 tick-borne illnesses and what to watch out for during your outdoor adventures

Stacker compiled a list of 11 common tick-borne diseases in the U.S. and what symptoms to watch out for, using a variety of medical and government sources. 

Plant Some Of These In Your Garden to Keep Mosquitoes Away

As we previously told you, mosquitoes are the most dangerous creatures on earth. If you want to keep them away from you're yard, these plants can help!

More From Eagle 102.3