I know. If I had travel plans, this would make me think twice. Some stores--not just hotels, but stores--in NYC have been temporarily closed down due to bedbugs. And a friend who is going to Italy had intended to stay at a certain hotel.......until she read a review that said the place was overrun with bedbugs. It's appalling.

Another cause for concern, but not as bad, I don't think, because as far as I know they don't bite, is stinkbugs. Apparently they came from Asia a decade ago and have been a pest in the garden. But this year large numbers of them have been invading houses. I read that they've become a huge nuisance in central PA, and are moving to other parts of the state.

I remember stink bugs when I was a child. If you ate a bitter berry you knew a stink bug had been on it. I hate the very thought of bed bugs, but will not give up traveling because of it.

Oh yes, I work for a housing agency and this has become a HUGE problem, not only for us, but all over Seattle (and the rest of the country).

There are now several bed bug sniffing dogs you can rent out in the area! They are vile, disgusting creatures that are SO hard to get rid of and spread like wild fire! I've been soooo worried about bringing them home but luckily haven't yet (knock on wood!).

I can't believe I'm even saying this, but bring back the poisons! LOL. I'm not sure which I think it worse, but the bed bug epidemic is just going to keep getting worse and worse.

Even some of the fanciest hotels in the city are having problems with them.

I'm staying in a condo this weekend and next month at a hotel. I will be inspecting mattresses for sure!

Stinkbugs have been here in eastern PA for the past 3 years....they look like little fat round armadillos, about 1/2 inch around. They are attracted to light, and can fly.

We get one in the house every once in a while. They are slow moving, and so you can pick them off of a lampshade with a kleenix. Do NOT squeeze, smashing them releases (I hear) a horrible odor. We use the recommended method of disposal - flush the ugly bugger, Kleenix and all - down the toilet...then flush again.

Monica, if they show up in quantity I imagine the "bucket o' death" method would work: knocking them into a container of soapy water. I've seen them outdoors, but not in the house so far (knock wood).

I can't believe I'm even saying this, but bring back the poisons!

I can't believe I'm saying it either, but I know what you mean. I had bat bugs in our attic years ago, left behind when the bats moved out. They came down into my bedroom, and I thought they were bedbugs. They behave similarly, but are apparently easier to get rid of. I didn't need an exterminator. Still, they left me with a real sense of alarm about bed bugs.

I've heard of bed bugs being spread via used clothing and even used books. I buy both of these regularly, but these days the clothes are either going immediately into the wash or staying outdoors until they can.

Hey, folks - they ain't so bad ... just one of nature's little beasties.

Not very pleasant for bites - but bed bugs don't act as vectors for contagions, they said on the radio the other day.

They said also that some folks have scattered leaves of beans on the floor around the bed ... there's a fuzzy finish on the bottoms of the leaves that act as velcro (sorry about the lack of capitalizaion) for the little buggers' feet, they said.

(You can tell that I haven't had any around here).

ole joyful

ICK!

I found this:Most people associate bedbugs with seedy motels and mattresses found on the street. Actually, they can be found anywhere where there is upholstery or fabric. Trains, planes, and other vehicles with cushioned seats, movie theaters, and even thrift shops can spread bedbugs. Any place with carpet can harbor bedbugs until they can hitch a ride on someone�s purse or in their pants pocket.

And this: Sydney, Australia has seen a 4500 percent increase in treatments for the pests, and the city reported that eight out of every ten hostels is infested with the creepy critters. Glad that a trip to Australia isn't in my near future.

Why am I feeling like bugs are crawling on me now?

Here is a link that might be useful: Quotes are from this link

Bed bugs can be spread on almost anything. They will hitch rides on people's clothes, come in on furniture bought second hand, books, etc. Luckily they move slow and can't jump but can crawl from person to person. Our tenants have spread them by hanging out in each other's apartments, having guests stay over, picking up second hand furniture at thrift stores.

We were treating them with diatomaceous earth...and still do, but now they also use a cedar oil that kills them. Someone's unit has to be treated every week for about 4 weeks (depending on the severity of the infestation) to get rid of them usually...and you have to be pretty vigilant about laundry on treatment days.

They aren't that difficult to spot if you are staying in a hotel...just look carefully in the seams of the mattress and you can usually spot little brownish stains (their poop). Since the actual bugs usually come out at night, it's easier to spot their excrement than an actual bed bug.

If someone wants to become a millionaire, start working on more effective treatments for bed bugs!

Meant to add the ONLY good thing ab out them is that they don't spread any disease!

We used to own and run a small Motel, which we kept very clean. I'm so glad we sold it six years ago. I wouldn't want to have to fight this problem

DSs office a few years ago was contaminated by bed bugs, several floors in a Manhattan skyscraper. They said the businessmen and women traveled, brought their suitcases to work after their return before going home from their trips, and contaminated the offices that way.

I read something recently that said before you even take your luggage into a hotel room, go in and inspect behind the headboard (how you do that I have no idea), pull back blankets and sheets, and look at mattress and bedside tables and drawers. Don't put your clothes in the drawers, work out of your suitcase. Keep your luggage on one of those luggage racks, pulled out from the wall a bit. You can google and get other suggestions as well.

I wouldn't travel without taking along one of those protective bed sacks. They've been around for a long time but I'll bet that they have become reeeeeally popular of late.

My parents were married in the 1930s. I remember my mother talking about having bed bugs where they first lived. She said they had to use sulfer and grease to be rid of them. I suppose the grease was animal lard.

I wish she were alive today and I would ask her how that worked - did they put it on themselves? or on objects? Surely any concoction with grease in it would not be used in the laundry.

She was fanatical about dragging mattresses and pillows into the sun quite often.

Our neighbor across the street had them a few months ago in her sofa.Her DH had passed away a few weeks earlier and she had a lot of company during that time.Some had stayed in motels so I'm sure that is where they came from.She was devastated! she was almost embarrassed to tell me why she was getting rid of the sofa.LOL She hauled it out into the yard and her son hauled it to the dump and got her a new one! I think if she had just left it in the yard for a few days in the hot NM sun the bugs would have been gone.Probably across the street to my house!LOL
Just heard on the local news that one of the fire stations here had a bad infestation.I guess they are everywhere.I think I'll start working on that killer.LOL

My mother used to say to me.. 'Good night and don't let the bedbugs bite.' I never even knew what they were till recently. I was thinking of going to NYC for two days and a night but now am worried about bedbugs. They were found in the Empire State and Abercrombie and Fitch store. When I was at the movies last week I was worried they might be in the upholstery. But never do I want DDT brought back. It almost killed our Bald eagles and many many other birds and precious wildlife. They have a rough enough time trying to survive along side man.

They are having trouble at the dorms at our local university and they are treating with high temperatures.

Never put your suitcase on a soft surface of a hotel room.
We are very careful with our suitcases when we return from a trip - we usually set them outside and take the clothes straight in to the washer. TG used to travel a lot internationally and this problem has been building for years.
As others have mentioned, it is not just a hotel problem and you could pick them up on your luggage in cargo holds or cab trunks or just about any where.

I heard on the radio yesterday that a pest control business in my area is offering a service for people who travel to bring in their suitcases straight from the airport and they will treat your luggage for bed bugs before your bring them home.

Bedbugs and roaches creep me out.

I usually check this site out. Granted it is only as good as the input but it is better than nothing. We found a hotel on there that my dh has stayed at in the past while on a business trip.

Here is a link that might be useful: Yucky

Your replies are interesting and scary! You read about the old days and how they put everything out in the sun to "air out" I bet they were fighting bedbugs! I wish my grandma was still here so I could ask her about it and a lot of other things, too. I find the use of sulfer and grease interesting and wonder what all else they did. I remember stink bugs when I was a kid, never saw them in the house only out in the dirt, don't think they had wings though. And you better believe they stink!

Your replies are interesting and scary! You read about the old days and how they put everything out in the sun to "air out" I bet they were fighting bedbugs! I wish my grandma was still here so I could ask her about it and a lot of other things, too. I find the use of sulfer and grease interesting and wonder what all else they did. I remember stink bugs when I was a kid, never saw them in the house only out in the dirt, don't think they had wings though. And you better believe they stink!