Bedbugs Bytes
I have never shared a sheet with a bedbug, myself, and I've been in some sketchy, sketchy places where scuttling in corners by more-than-four-legged things was a given (edited to add: in fact, I had to step light to avoid a cockroach in my London hotel's bathroom this very morning). As part of normal dual living in budget digs, I've roomed with lizards on walls and ceilings, of course (gotta love geckos); palmetto bugs in my hair, you bet. Spiders, ants in my sleeping bag (a whole column in Joshua Tree one night) -- all totally standard. If you're living on the even slightly adventurous side of the road, you've probably slept with it, even if you can't name it.
Bedbugs, though -- ewww. That's a horse of a different bite. And they're popping up (double ewww) in hotels everywhere, including some pretty posh places.PestControlCanada.com writes of bedbug hotel infestations: "The stigma attached to these parasites is influencing some hotels and other accommodations to ignore infestations or treat them without professional help. Lack of professional treatment comes with great risks, notably the possibility of litigation."
The folks at Hotelchatter.com have been posting bedbug stories with a vengeance for a while now (I've been following it, and I did look closely under the covers in a Brussels hotel last week after seeing a suspicious spot, thanks to Hotelchatter.com's friendly reporting on the bedbug-eyeballing details), and Dateline NBC recently featured Hotelchatter's quest for the downlow on the buggers' current residences and travel habits. If you've got a story, let 'em give it some lovin' hate.
- Read Hotelchatter.com's bedbug coverage
- Bedbugs biting budget hoteliers
- Read more than you ever wanted to know about bedbugs and get bedbug battle tips
- All About Bedbugs
- Read a Hostel FAQ -- bedbugs are not as common as your mother thinks
Comments
I think it’s safe to say now that hotels are not the only bed bug infested places to worry about. My husband and I went to a cabin up by the springs in colorado and we were eaten alive by bed bugs that night.. It didn’t take until 1:30 am for both of us to know that we were both itching badly.. We thought this was strange, so we turned the lights on and checked the bed.. To our suprise the entire bed was ridden with bed bugs, as well as the bed posts and the table tops.. Today some 2 days later, I have welts all over my arms, neck chest and ankles.. I itch like you couldn’t believe.. The doctor gave me some cortizone, antibiotics and something for scabbies (just in case they were there also). We saw the bed bugs and took video and pictures of the blood sucking parasites. Please start posting cabins as well, as they are like hotels..
That sounds absolutely awful. Yow - I live in Colorado (Steamboat Springs, where we have lots of springs and, I hope, no bedbugs). Where was this place — which springs?
I have bed bugs in my own bed. when it just started i thought i was allergic to a laundry detergents that i just changed at that time so i stoped using them, then i started itching more and more each morning. i thought i had some contageos diseases until i found a bug on my bed and showed to my friend who then said it was a bed bug.
I live in appt and there are 3 other apts in this building. I have horrible bumps and rash like bumpy skin on my arms and legs. It’s horrible
Hi,
There are so many treatments, but the simple of what you need to do; Get rid of the bed. If its a wooden frame with nail holes, consider ditching it too. Vacuum. Steam clean. Put a fogger in your house; the kind that permeates the floor moldings. Treat the carpet with flea powder - this provides protection for months and will kill the eggs. Then, sleep in a sleeping bag or an air mattress and do it for months to ascertain that you’ve kicked the problem.
More on how to avoid bed bugs when traveling here:
http://bedbugger.com/faqs/travel
great story find more like it at
www.bed-bug-bites.net
Never even knew I had them.Thought it was malnutrition or lack of vitamins.Body and stamina took a pretty good beating.Ruined a two-thousand dollar bed set-up.Had to trash everything;even the bedframe.Hopefully,I don’t have to spray the appartment!