Keeping your home free from Bed Bugs

Keeping Your Home Free from Bedbugs

At Pratt Pest Control, we receive at least 3-5 calls per week about bed bugs. From a strange bite or rash,
a small unidentified bug found or a referral from a healthcare provider. Although bed bugs can thrive
outside of our homes and offices, they prefer our living environment temperature and being close to
their food source, human blood. Protocol is setting up an appointment and performing a thorough
inspection of the living space. After speaking with hundreds of clients over the years, infestations
happen in a myriad of different ways. One of the most common (I can personally attest to this as I
experienced it recently) is staying in a hotel room that has an issue. Last fall, I stayed at a very nice, 5-
star hotel and neglected my standard “sweep” of the room. Mature bedbugs can be easy to spot as
they are dark brown and about the size of a grain of rice. My room inspection includes inspection
between the mattress and boxspring, removing linens to get a clear view of the mattress. I will also
check the entire headboard and bed boards if accessible. A flashlight in an overnight bag has become a
staple. One the inspection is completed; I place my luggage on the luggage rack and any hanging clothes
are placed in the closet. Never put any personal items on the bed or the floor. The bathroom is also a
safer place to store items. Bed bugs are very good hitchhikers and just because you did not find them
while looking doesn’t mean they are not present.

As I mentioned earlier, I did not follow my own ritual and didn’t bother inspecting the room. At around
4:30 in the morning, I was greeted by a large adult looking to do some damage. I calmly packed, walked
down to the front desk and politely told them about the issue. Having bedbugs is not a cleanliness issue.
Again, this was a well known and very nice property. I believe every hotel has had at least one
encounter with bed bugs and has a pest control company on standby. The hotel staff was very gracious,
reversed the charges and offered me a free night the next time I am in town. If they don’t know there is
a problem, they cannot fix it. Stay tuned to what my next order of business was…