Leading Cause of Bed Bugs is Travel
In the 1970s and 80s, bed bugs were scarce because of pesticides and other older chemicals used to eliminate ants and cockroaches.
The pesticides eliminated bed bugs; however, they were still seen once in a great while. Today things are changing. Bed bugs are becoming an increasing problem. We are constantly seeing it on worldwide news; why is this?
In places like Mexico (a real hotbed for bed bugs!) and South America, bed bugs have always been a big problem. They’ve developed a resistance to some of the compounds that we use today. So the little “hitchhiker” bugs come home with travelers, thus spreading more and more.
John Bordsen (MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS) wrote a fascinating article for the Detroit Free Press. In his article, he highlights where bed bugs first came from, something I’ve been interested in but have yet to find much information on.
According to Bordsen, human beg bugs or Cimex lectularius first became a problem when humans lived in caves; Bat bugs are actually associated with bats (they both drink blood). According to research, bed bugs came to America from Europe at the same time as the first settlers did.
Here’s some more shocking news: research claims you can’t detect bed bugs until their population is around 200! In a room about 70 degrees and 40 bugs, give it six months, and there would be 5,905 bugs! So imagine not knowing until you have 200 bed bugs. In our FAQ, we discuss the reproductive habits of a bed bug.
When it comes down to it, the leading cause of bed bugs is travel. Therefore no motel or hotel is worse than another; it all depends on if someone has been there who has bed bugs.
This also means bed bugs can be found in homes, apartments, schools, and businesses. So what can you do? First and foremost, be cautious!
When I say money, I’m talking about thousands of dollars! That’s how much people spend these days to get rid of bed bugs, and sometimes that doesn’t even work! Looking for bed bugs when you are on vacation or traveling can save you time, stress, and money in the long run.
For more information on bed bugs, check out our FAQ section.
I would like to report Cajun country inn in Gonzalez Louisiana. I don’t even sleep under the covers and have got bites all over. Stayed there two weeks so guess that’s why it was hard for them to get to me. Have to wait till Monday to speak to owner and get my money back. Can I get a refund for both weeks or just one. I left there and got another hotel. They offered a room but who knows if they have Biggs in there too.
What is the name and location of the hotel Kasey? I’ll do some research and see if others have complained and let you know. Meanwhile, take pictures and send them to me at badbedbugs@gmail.com
Thanks!
My family and I stayed in a hotel room for one night. When we arrived I asked the hotel personal if we could get us clean sheets and pillowcases. He refused but did offer clean pillowcases. All throughout the night my husband and I kept getting bit. When we woke the next morning we had a few bites, but one of our children had been covered. I went to the same personal and showed them my child. I asked for a refund they refused. What can I do about this? Thank you, kasey
Hi Cyndi,
Requesting a full refund is completely reasonable! It sounds like a major infestation and if you search for and find previous reports of bed bugs at the hotel, I’d request more.
Myself, if I wasn’t scared from the bites, would demand a full refund and compensation for laundromat fees. If there were previous reports, I’d also demand a voucher for a free stay at another hotel. I would be very upset if I found out they had complaints and did nothing about it!
I spent 6 nights at a Hotel in Vegas. On the 4th night I saw a bug crawling on my pillow, and soon after, another one. I got off the bed and started to look more closely. There were a lot of them, all very small, crawling out of the seams of a detached fabric headboard.
I was moved to another room on a different floor and Security took a Report and pictures. When I checked out, I asked to speak with someone about the bugs and was told I would have to wait until Monday to speak with someone in Risk Management. The woman stated that they were definitely bedbugs and she apologized, stated she was sending me another form to fill out and wanted me to write what I expected as a resolution to the problem.
We were there a total of 6 nights for my daughter’s wedding. I paid for 2 rooms under my name, 1 room under my son’s name and 1 under my daughter’s name. I transferred the money from my bank acct. to theirs. Would it be within reason to request a full refund?
Also, we all live together and after reading all this info., should I also ask that the Hotel replaces all our beds and an Exterminator to make sure we didn’t bring any back. We’ve been home now 5 days and haven’t seen any more bugs. We’ve also been washing all our clothing and bedding. I had a few very light colored bumps on my face, but that’s all so far. Of course, I feel like I have things crawling on me and feel itchy, but I think it’s just my own psychological reaction to all of this. A
nyway, any suggestions on what is fair to ask from the Hotel would be appreciated.
last novemeber with uni we stayed at the royal national hotel i shared a room with two other girls and around 1 in the morning we were still up with one friend was asleep and i noticed a bug crawling on her bed. we checked them all and they were everywhere it was horrible, we got moved room but the next day we seen them changing the sheets! they did nothing about it, but we were there for 4 days and got no sleep because we didnt dare sleep in the beds. i recently started getting bloching itchy spotty neck and i hope its not bed bugs again!
i must say whomever stated anything about the 200 is wrong.. There could be one and he could have done the biting. If it s female she could or couldn’t have layed eggs. So the court case up above i hope you know all it takes is 1 bed bug!
Dear Linda,
I searched a number of online databases for reports of bed bugs at the Wyndham Skyline Towers, 100 S. North Carolina Ave, Atlantic CIty, NJ. I found one report, however it was based on information that someone else had told an individual (here say) and it was from 2009.
Thanks,
Bed Bug Girl
two hotel gave me a itch BARONA and WORLDMARK wow but i wish i would of kept the sheets at BARONA to have proof of them bugs and there blood stains…. but i just got home tuesday from our timeshare… and when i was unloading my bag i found two bugs…. on the top of my stuff i put them in a bag…. so my kids can see i was getting bit by something and if they see them they can know what they look like…. please help i dont care about nothing but a peaceful home and wit these BUGS im going crazy…… help help so b4 you pick a place to lay watch out it could be where the BEDBUGS stay
I just got back from Mexico and am trying to convince my wife that we should store our suitcases somewhere out of our apartment just in case they hitched a ride with us. I stayed at the Sheraton Key Biscayne in Miami about 10 years ago and my girlfriend and I were covered in bites. The windows did not open and there were no mosquitoes in the room. She thinks I am crazy.
Hello Very Upset Traveler,
I’m guessing they are trying to scare you. Have you checked to see if there are complaints about this hotel? I offer that service free on this site where I’ll research the name and address of the hotel and provide you with the information on line – see me Hotel Bedbugs section.
If there are cases of bed bug complaints from other visitors, then you can turn the tables on them real fast! It would show that they were aware of the problem and filed a frivolous lawsuit!
I’m not sure about finding anything that says you can’t detect bedbugs until they reach 200 – sounds like they have you distracted.
It only takes one (1) bedbug that hitched a ride from the previous occupant to jump onto the bed and depending on its size, could be easy to spot. If the previous occupant had one, I’m guessing there were more.
Visit my Hotel Bedbugs section and as for a review of bed bugs at that hotel – you can’t get in trouble for asking! I’ll research it and let you know.
We recently stayed in a European hotel and my daughter and husband who were sharing the double bed awoke with bite marks.
My daughter is a very fidgety sleeper so I moved to the pull out bed. My daughter had bite marks on her face and neck, my husband on his torso. There were no mosquitoes in the room. I emailed the hotel twice after we returned from our trip and they did not respond, so I left a poor hotel review online.
We have been slapped with a libel suit! Apparently they had a vector control person check the room several days after I emailed and he found nothing. Where can I find this scientific research that supports ‘research says that you really can’t detect bed bugs until their population is around 200’? We have to go to court.
My son just called and woke up this AM in a motel, the bed if full of little red bed bugs and blood where he rolled on them during the night.
What does he do for his body?