# <center> Bedbugs - What You Need to Know </center>

<center> https://www.domyown.com/images/content/bed_bug.jpg </center>
###### <center> *Image from [DoOnMyOwn.com](https://www.domyown.com/bed-bugs-c-39.html)* </center>

As a frequent traveler, I stay in hotels rather regularly. I take for granted that the room will be clean and free of pests. Today, I learned the hard way that is not always the case. After a late arrival, I went to sleep rather early and woke up feeling refreshed. As I was getting ready for my day, I saw *something* crawling on the bed next to the one I had slept in.

I immediately got out my phone to snap pictures as I called to Matthew, who was in the bathroom, "Come quick, and bring a tissue!" He must have heard a note of panic in my voice, as he was by my side quicker than I've ever seen him move, an entire box of kleenex in hand. I'm not sure what he thought my emergency might be that I needeed tissue for, but I'm glad to know he took it seriously.

He scooped up the bug, squished it with a mighty squish, and then began to inspect it for signs of life. 

Nope.

I showed him my pictures and we began to google different bug. Definitely not a cockroach. We were hoping it was a tick. Nope again. Definitely a bed bug. It looked just like the one above. I set out to learn what I needed to know to avoid bringing them home with me, and I'll share that info below.

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<center> https://agrilife.org/citybugstest/files/2010/12/bed-bug-feeding-Whitney-Cranshawb.jpg </center>
###### <center> *Image from [Insects in the City by Texas A&M](https://citybugs.tamu.edu/factsheets/biting-stinging/bed-bugs/)* </center>

#### They eat only blood

You can tell if it's already made a snack of you by its size and shape. They are quite flat when they are hungry and haven't eaten anything, but when they feed, they plump right up. It's kind of how I feel after a big Thanksgiving dinner.

#### Pesticides don't work

Normal pest control strategies don't work on them because they only eat **blood**. Seriously. They are basically vampires, so you'd have to poison yourself to get any poison into them, and nobody should do that. (Really, don't do that.)

#### They can withstand extreme temperatures

If given time to adjust, bed bugs can handle extreme heat and extreme cold. They basically go dormant for a while to enable them to survive. That goes for the eggs too.

#### Bonus Fact

Bed Bugs reproduce through *traumatic insemination*. This basically means that the male stabs the female with his bug equivalent of a penis. He stabs her in the ABDOMEN! Somehow, the bug semen finds its way to the egg and fertilization occurs. Often, females die of infection due to multiple males stabbing her in the abdomen during the same cycle.

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<center> https://amp.thisisinsider.com/images/5a3934ded03e2d1d008b45cf-750-563.jpg </center>
###### <center> *Image from [thisisinsider.com](https://www.thisisinsider.com/how-to-avoid-bed-bugs-2018-7)* </center>

#### How to tell if bed bugs are present

In a hotel, it can be tough to tell if bedbugs are present because they clean more often than most people clean their own home. If you see a bed bug, that's a sure sign. However, bed bugs like dark, still environments so will likely only come out for a midnight snack after you have gone to sleep. Look for small blood spots (literally bed bug poop) on the mattress, bed skirt, and any linens which ***do not*** get changed regularly. Also, you can inspect the cracks along the wall - but bed bugs are crafty little critters so unless the infestation is epic, you're not likely to spot them that way.

<center> ![text04.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmThqqTeiKUfhbemCiqnfRxyyh2hwqQHRWHpBnGWVV9RG8/text04.png) </center>

<center> ![](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmYfnLtGJUruubrMPQnatPCbUhmKrj3ZMkYosg5rZCK2xn/image.png) </center>
###### <center> *Image from [peststrategies.com](https://www.peststrategies.com/pest-guides/bed-bug-guides/pictures-of-bed-bugs/)* </center>

#### What Next?

1. Don't freak out. Move your things away from the bedroom (or bed). Give them a little shake, then put them in plastic trash bags.
2. Tell the front desk. Chances are it's not a full scale infestation and they'll have a bug free room to move you into. 
3. Wash everything you brought with you in hot water, then leave it in the dryer on high for at least one full hour.
4. Anything that can't be thrown in the laundry should be washed in the sink or stuck in the freezer. Leave it in the freezer for at least 2 weeks.
5. Consult a pest control expert if you are still concerned they will follow you home.

At the end of the day, bed bugs are a nuisance rather than a health risk. They aren't known for carrying or spreading disease - they just bite, itch, and are messy cause they poop blood all over the place. They're gross. Take care to clean your laundry and luggage well when traveling and as soon as you return from your trip and you shouldn't have a problem with bed bugs.

Let me know your experience in the comments below. 

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