Florida is a central area in the world for travel. And that isn’t any kind of exaggeration. The sunshine state is home to so many ports, amusement parks, travel destinations, and world class nature sites that the state sees over a hundred million visitors to the state every year. But when there’s travel, there are bed bugs. So today we are going to talk about Florida’s bed bug problem. And after that, we’ll touch on a few tips on how to avoid them when you travel.
How To Avoid Bed Bugs: Why are bed bugs so bad in Florida?
Many people mistakenly think of bed bugs as a problem of the past. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. These pests cost the U.S. roughly three hundred million bucks a year to control. The average cost per household is then a thousand dollars, more than a pretty penny. Bed bugs are insects that have been with us since the Pleistocene, as their ancestors have been found near the remains of our ancestors!
And in the mid 1900s they were a well controlled problem in the U.S. Chemicals like DDT were very effective at keeping their numbers down. Unfortunately, DDT is also very damaging to the human body so it was banned. Because of this, bed bugs have made a come back in a big way in this country. And Florida is now one of the hardest states when it comes to avoiding bed bugs. Their resurgence is also attributed to a few other issues.
For one, global travel has exploded in the last fifty years. So the more people on the move, the more parasites on the move. Simple math right there. On top of that, because of their downswing around the fifties, people stop traveling with caution, which means that these bed bugs are able to go from place to place now that how to avoid bed bugs is not common knowledge. Not only that, but this pest is notorious for being resistant to chemical controls anyway.
Travel Tips
Now that we’ve touched on why there are so many of them in Florida, let’s have a quick aside for tips on how to avoid these biting pests when you travel. And first thing’s first, you’re going to want to see to your suitcases. Use hard-cased luggage whenever you can, it makes it more difficult for bed bugs to latch on for a ride when there’s less fabric. And when you pack your clothes, do so in re-sealable plastic bags. You can buy 22 gallon sized bags in most hardware sections, and these prevent bed bugs from sneaking into your clothes while they’re unattended.
Bring a small, bright flashlight with you when you go to hotels. Use it to check tight spaces and under the bed when you first arrival at hotels. Take up all the sheets and inspect the room as closely as you can. And when you’re there, place your luggage on elevated surfaces such as a table. And make sure the surface is hard. If you place your luggage on upholstered furniture, you’re inviting any bed bugs infesting it into your bag. And if you can’t find a place to put your luggage, a dry bathtub is still better than the floor or furniture.
Examine beds and box springs by pulling up the sheets at the corners and sides. Check mattress tufts and seams for bed bugs and their markings. Check your pillows and pillow cases as well. In fact, it’s not a bad idea to simply bring your own pillows in re-sealable bags when you travel. Also, behind headboards and in drawers are other spots where these blood sucking pests love to hide. Make sure to check them as soon as you go into the room.
Are Bed Bugs Dangerous?
Bed bugs are, thankfully, not vectors of any bloodborne human diseases. They do live in their own filth and will leave stains of their fecal matter on your sheets and bed. However, they won’t make you sick. But bed bugs can affect your well-being in a few other ways. For one, anxiety and insomnia can result from knowing you have them in your home. If you’re worried about being bitten, chances are you won’t sleep quite as soundly.
And when you do get bitten because you don’t know how to avoid bed bugs, you can develop itchy, raised welts in response to these bites. Secondary infections from bed bug bites have been reported, which becomes more likely due to the itchy nature of the bites that make them hard to resist scratching.
Bed bugs are also very quickly reproducing insects. And while they may not be a primary vector for disease, any home infested with them will, as a rule, become more unclean. It’s simply the nature of houses infested with, well…any kind of bug.
Dealing with a bed bug infestation
If you already have a bed bug infestation in your home, it’s too late to avoid them. Obviously, and you can’t really deal with them yourself because of how good they are at hiding and making more bed bugs! You need to get in contact with a pest control specialist as soon as possible in this situation. However, there are a few things you can do to keep their numbers down.
For one, make sure to vacuum your house daily as long as you have the infestation. Bed bugs are fond of living in gaps in carpets and laying their eggs there for protection, so that will help reduce their numbers. And if you find any infested furniture or items, either get rid of them or seal them off in air-tight plastic containers that won’t allow the bed bugs to escape. Old electronics and second hand furniture are other favorite hiding spots.
But at the end of the day, Florida is lousy with these pests. The best thing you can do is to keep travel to a minimum, and when you do, make sure to travel with caution.
