Click Free Pest Control Quote
to fill in a form to obtain a free pest control quote today.
You probably wouldn't know one if you saw one.
Bed bug, termite, or louse? Only 35 percent of business travelers (and a scant 28 percent of leisure travelers) could identify a bed bug from an insect lineup, despite the fact that nearly 60 percent of travelers said that if they found one, they wouldn't just switch roomsthey'd switch hotels.
American travelers may be unable to tell a tick from a bed bug, concludes a study published today in American Entomologist, but we sure know we hate them.
"Hotels are really second only to homes and apartments as to where bed bugs are likely to occur," says study author Michael Potter, an Entomologist at the University of Kentucky. "There's been a lot of news coverage about bed bug incidence in hotels, but there's never been a study to actually assess the attitude towards these pests by those who travel. The hotel and lodging industry is particularly vulnerable to occurrences because of the power of social media and the potential impact of these reports of bed bug bites online, and how people respond when they find or think they find a problem in a hotel room."
RELATED: TripAdvisor names the top 25 hotels in the world
53 PHOTOS
TripAdvisor names the top 25 hotels in the world - 2017
See Gallery
10.JA Manafaru Haa Alif Atoll,Maldives
Photo: TripAdvisor
10.JA Manafaru Haa Alif Atoll,Maldives
Photo: TripAdvisor
9.Tulemar Bungalows & Villas Province of Puntarenas,Costa Rica
Photo: TripAdvisor
9.Tulemar Bungalows & Villas Province of Puntarenas,Costa Rica
Photo: TripAdvisor
8.Hanoi La Siesta Hotel & SpaHanoi, Vietnam
Photo: TripAdvisor
8.Hanoi La Siesta Hotel & SpaHanoi, Vietnam
Photo: TripAdvisor
7.Shinta Mani ResortSiem Reap Province,Cambodia
Photo: TripAdvisor
7.Shinta Mani ResortSiem Reap Province,Cambodia
Photo: TripAdvisor
6.Portrait FirenzeFlorence, Italy
Photo: TripAdvisor
6.Portrait FirenzeFlorence, Italy
Photo: TripAdvisor
5.BoHo Prague HotelPrague, Czech Republic
Photo: TripAdvisor
5.BoHo Prague HotelPrague, Czech Republic
Photo: TripAdvisor
4.Hotel The SerrasBarcelona, Spain
Photo: TripAdvisor
4.Hotel The SerrasBarcelona, Spain
Photo: TripAdvisor
3.Turin Palace HotelTurin, Italy
Photo: TripAdvisor
3.Turin Palace HotelTurin, Italy
Photo: TripAdvisor
2.Mandapa, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve Ubud,Indonesia
Photo: TripAdvisor
2.Mandapa, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve Ubud,Indonesia
Photo: TripAdvisor
1.Aria Hotel Budapest by Library Hotel CollectionBudapest, Hungary
Photo: TripAdvisor
1.Aria Hotel Budapest by Library Hotel CollectionBudapest, Hungary
Photo: TripAdvisor
1.Aria Hotel Budapest by Library Hotel CollectionBudapest, Hungary
Photo: TripAdvisor
1.Aria Hotel Budapest by Library Hotel CollectionBudapest, Hungary
Photo: TripAdvisor
HIDE CAPTION
SHOW CAPTION
For almost a generation, bed bugs had become less fearsome and more fantastical. Many of us grew up saying the expression, "sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite," believing that bed bugs were as real as Lewis Carroll's Jabberwocky. Unbeknownst to many of us, it was the crazy chemical days of the 1950s and 60s that had eliminated bed bugs as a credible threat. DDT might have nearly wiped out America's birds (and much of its wildlife) but it also temporarily took down the bed bug.
That changed towards the beginning of this century, as insecticide-resistant bed bugs began to reemerge. New pesticides don't work as well on them, because they target the same pathways in bed bugs as DDTand the insects have evolved to handle them. This, combined with the fact that they strike us in our beds while we sleep, makes them feel like the ultimate violation. The thought of a roach infestation may make you shudder, but most of us would take that horror show over an encounter with bed bugs any day.
Entomological Society of America
The problem, according to the study, is that the fear doesn't really match the problem. Sixty percent of business travelers and 51 percent of leisure travelers would be unwilling to stay in a hotel with a single online report of bed bugs; even, though as the study's bed bug identification report attests, those self-reports are likely to be inaccurate.
Our fear of bed bugs can be pretty costly for hotels, either because they're left treating rooms that don't actually have bed bugs, or because a bad review can leave them high and dry even if their bug problem is well contained. Here's the thing: one room with a bed bug does not an infested hotel make. And yet, a third of respondents said that if they actually found a bed bug in their room, they would refuse to stay at any hotel of that brand. It's almost as if they think bed bugs had loyalty cards.
While interviewing Potter, I recounted my own experience with bed bugs: I once stayed in a hotel where a colleague found bed bugs. They changed her room, comped it, sent her clothes out for cleaning, and even gave her an outfit to wear in the meantime. That seemed pretty reasonable to me, and I assumed that since her original room was on a different floor than mine, I was relatively safe.
Potter says that's a pretty safe assumption. Absent a significant infestation, a bed bug in one room doesn't mean that there's a bed bug in another roomespecially one in another part of the hotel. If you're in an adjoining room you might have a reason to be concerned, but if you're on a different floor or a different wing, not so much. Bed bugs can travel, yes, but they can't yet bend spacetime. And perhaps more importantly, he notes, the hotel responded correctly. "That's the response that we hope for," says Potter. They contained the problem and acted to fix it immediately. That kind of response should make you feel reasonably confident in an establishment's ability to stay (generally) free of bed bugs. You shouldn't knock a place for a few bed bug incidents.
"Bed bugs are pretty non-discriminatory," says Potter, "and they have nothing to do with filth."
Still, bed bugs are gross, and nobody enjoys the itchy welts that their bites can create. So, what is the bed bug skittish traveler to do?
"I do a cursory bed check," says Potter. "The most likely place you'll find bed bugs in a hotel room is behind the headboard, because the carbon dioxide and the heat tends to be where the bugs congregate initially. But those headboards can be difficult or impossible to get off of the wall."
Instead of ripping the headboard away, Potter checks the corner and the seams around the headboard area. "That's maybe the easiest place to check, but the highest chance of payoff," he says.
Then he'll pull back the sheets and check the upper and lower seams for bugs and fecal spots. Sure, there could still be bed bugs in a mattress that lack the classic signs. But these checks should reassure you. And there are steps you can take to limit the impact of any bed bugs you fail to spot.
"I don't leave my suitcase wide open with clothes strewn all around the bed," says Potter. "I tend to zip it up and put it on a credenza or a dresser surface. Just in case you've got issues, you're less likely to transport them home."
But, says Potter, there are limits to what he'll do to prevent taking bed bugs home. Some travelers actually store their suitcases (with clothes still packed inside them) in the bathtub for maximum safety. "Personally I think that's stupid," he says. "If you want to do it, fine. But I don't think it does that much good. And who wants to live out of a suitcase in a bathtub?"
More from Popular Science: Where in the United States is nature most likely to kill you? Bosch plans to use radar sensors in millions of cars to make better maps This adorable lil baby bird was perfectly preserved in amber for 99 million years
More here:
Travelers are terrified by bed bugs -- but can't spot one in a lineup - AOL
- Perfection K9 Pre-Inspections for Bed Bugs - September 6th, 2011 [September 6th, 2011]
- Bedbug Informational Video (part two of two) - September 11th, 2011 [September 11th, 2011]
- KDF 2010 Bed Races - September 27th, 2011 [September 27th, 2011]
- Raw Interview: Bedbugs, Part 3 - October 4th, 2011 [October 4th, 2011]
- Green Lantern 5.19.10, Bedbugs - October 4th, 2011 [October 4th, 2011]
- PPMA's Media Highlights: Bed Bugs - October 4th, 2011 [October 4th, 2011]
- Raw Interview: Bedbugs, Part 1 - October 5th, 2011 [October 5th, 2011]
- Officials: Not Much Can Be Done Against Bedbugs - October 5th, 2011 [October 5th, 2011]
- FPC Pest Control - Video - November 8th, 2011 [November 8th, 2011]
- Dr. Michael Potter Talks About Bed bugs and ESA - Video - December 3rd, 2011 [December 3rd, 2011]
- Bed Bug Feeding - Time Lapsed Best Quality HD - Video - December 8th, 2011 [December 8th, 2011]
- Unwelcome guests drive Henry Tower residents buggy - February 14th, 2012 [February 14th, 2012]
- Top Entomologists Call 2012 Pivotal Year in Bed Bug War - February 29th, 2012 [February 29th, 2012]
- Combating bed bugs for the World Choir Games - May 19th, 2012 [May 19th, 2012]
- Bed bugs a problem in homes, not city offices - May 23rd, 2012 [May 23rd, 2012]
- All Natural Bed Bug Solution Driven by Consumer Demand and Science - May 23rd, 2012 [May 23rd, 2012]
- Bed bugs: How not to bring them home from summer vacation hot spots - June 15th, 2012 [June 15th, 2012]
- Kentucky: Cabinet for Health and Family Services - Bed Bugs - November 3rd, 2013 [November 3rd, 2013]
- Natural Remedy for Bed Bugs | eHow - eHow | How to Videos ... - November 3rd, 2013 [November 3rd, 2013]
- CDC - EHS - Bed Bugs CDC-EPA Joint Statement - November 4th, 2013 [November 4th, 2013]
- Bed Bugs | Public Health and Medical Entomology | Purdue ... - November 25th, 2013 [November 25th, 2013]
- Bed Bugs – ThermaPure - December 19th, 2013 [December 19th, 2013]
- Natural Bed Bug Spray EcoRaider Garnered Attention at Global Bed Bug Summit - December 20th, 2013 [December 20th, 2013]
- Building A Better Bed Bug Trap | Popular Science - December 21st, 2013 [December 21st, 2013]
- Scherzinger - Bed Bugs | Bed Bugs Services | OH | KY ... - December 23rd, 2013 [December 23rd, 2013]
- Reports of Bed Bugs in Louisville Hotels - Louisville ... - December 28th, 2013 [December 28th, 2013]
- Get Rid of BedBugs in Lexington, KY - Call Innovative Pest ... - January 20th, 2014 [January 20th, 2014]
- Bedbug education and safety a concern - February 12th, 2014 [February 12th, 2014]
- Bedbugs: An Unwanted Souvenir - March 19th, 2014 [March 19th, 2014]
- ANCHORAGE, Alaska: Complaints of bedbugs increase in ... - March 20th, 2014 [March 20th, 2014]
- Tips for Staying Bed Bug Free This Travel Season - April 17th, 2014 [April 17th, 2014]
- IN Bed Bug Control Gets Rid Of Bed Bugs In Indiana ... - April 19th, 2014 [April 19th, 2014]
- KILL BED BUGS IN FLORENCE | 513-546-1224 | 41042 | KILL ... - May 7th, 2014 [May 7th, 2014]
- Bed bug cases growing across the Tri-State - 14 News, WFIE ... - July 10th, 2014 [July 10th, 2014]
- The latest weapon in the battle against bedbugsluggage - October 8th, 2014 [October 8th, 2014]
- The National Pest Management Association Reminds Thanksgiving Travelers to Pack Bed Bug Prevention Tips - November 25th, 2014 [November 25th, 2014]
- Kentucky.gov: - Bed Bugs 07 - January 4th, 2015 [January 4th, 2015]
- That bites! BG among worst bedbug cities - January 27th, 2015 [January 27th, 2015]
- bed bug - Cimex lectularius Linnaeus - University of Florida - August 9th, 2015 [August 9th, 2015]
- Bed Bugs Forum - October 7th, 2015 [October 7th, 2015]
- UK Research: Bed Bugs 'Bite' the Wallet of Hotel Owners ... - March 7th, 2016 [March 7th, 2016]
- Northern Kentucky Health Department | Bed Bugs at Work - March 7th, 2016 [March 7th, 2016]
- Bed Bug Resources | Entomological Society of America (ESA) - March 7th, 2016 [March 7th, 2016]
- Bed Bugs | Pest Control | Louisville, KY | IPM Services - March 7th, 2016 [March 7th, 2016]
- Northern Kentucky Health Department | Bed Bug Fact Sheet - April 9th, 2016 [April 9th, 2016]
- Bed Bugs: Everyone is vulnerable - WDRB 41 Louisville News - May 5th, 2016 [May 5th, 2016]
- How Does a Person Get Bed Bugs? | eHow - May 16th, 2016 [May 16th, 2016]
- Bed Bugs, BedBugs, Survery, 2011 Bugs Without Borders ... - January 2nd, 2017 [January 2nd, 2017]
- Know Where Bed Bugs Hide - BadBedBugs.com - January 8th, 2017 [January 8th, 2017]
- Hartshorne City Hall closed after discovery of bedbugs - Lexington Herald Leader - February 15th, 2017 [February 15th, 2017]
- DC elementary school reopens after bed bugs, rodents found - Lexington Herald Leader - February 28th, 2017 [February 28th, 2017]
- Bedbugs force 3 South Carolina fire crews to relocate | Lexington ... - Lexington Herald Leader - June 5th, 2017 [June 5th, 2017]
- Avoid the Biting Burden of Bed Bugs This Summer - satPRnews (press release) - June 5th, 2017 [June 5th, 2017]
- Angry man releases about 100 bed bugs at Maine city office - Lexington Herald Leader - June 6th, 2017 [June 6th, 2017]
- Most consumers can't identify bed bugs, survey finds - ConsumerAffairs - June 14th, 2017 [June 14th, 2017]
- Do you know how to spot a bedbug? - CBS News - CBS News - June 14th, 2017 [June 14th, 2017]
- Bed Bug Awareness is Poor Among US Travelers, But Reactions are Strong - Infection Control Today - June 14th, 2017 [June 14th, 2017]
- Survey: Bed Bugs Are the Last Thing Travelers Want to See in a ... - Entomology Today - June 15th, 2017 [June 15th, 2017]
- Could You Spot Bed Bugs in a Hotel Room? - WebMD - WebMD - June 15th, 2017 [June 15th, 2017]
- Bed bug awareness poor among US travelers, but reactions are strong - Phys.Org - June 19th, 2017 [June 19th, 2017]
- Bed bug scare looms large for hotel, lodging industry - Daily News & Analysis - June 20th, 2017 [June 20th, 2017]
- Bed Bugs Are Back: What You Need To Know - WCNC - June 23rd, 2017 [June 23rd, 2017]
- Spiders, Snakes, Bedbugs and No Bathroom Privacy Oh My! - ChicagoNow (blog) - June 23rd, 2017 [June 23rd, 2017]
- Bed Bugs Are Back: What You Need To Know - WFMY News 2 - June 24th, 2017 [June 24th, 2017]
- Man who threw bedbugs at Maine municipal office is charged - Lexington Herald Leader - July 7th, 2017 [July 7th, 2017]
- Surprising Places Bed Bugs Can Hide - ConsumerReports.org - July 13th, 2017 [July 13th, 2017]
- Central Illinois struggles to find solution for bed bugs - Lexington Herald Leader - July 25th, 2017 [July 25th, 2017]
- How to Check for Bed Bugs: Detection Tips - Orkin.com - November 22nd, 2017 [November 22nd, 2017]
- Bed Bugs - Pest Control Tips from Exterminators - January 29th, 2018 [January 29th, 2018]
- BED BUGS | Ace Kentucky - September 11th, 2018 [September 11th, 2018]
- Kentucky, United States Bed Bug Registry Map Bed Bug ... - November 19th, 2018 [November 19th, 2018]
- Bed Bug News Reports Bed Bugs in Kentucky - December 7th, 2018 [December 7th, 2018]
- Bed Bug Biology and Behavior - UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY - February 9th, 2019 [February 9th, 2019]
- Bed Bugs - Cabinet for Health and Family Services - February 9th, 2019 [February 9th, 2019]
- Bed bug sniffing dogs could be the best defense against infestation - 10TV - February 23rd, 2020 [February 23rd, 2020]
- Bed Bugs and Schools | Managing Pests in Schools | US EPA - March 18th, 2020 [March 18th, 2020]
- Kentucky Bed Bug Hotel and Apartment Reports ... - March 18th, 2020 [March 18th, 2020]
- Bed Bugs Modify Microbiome of Homes They Infest - NC State News - July 15th, 2020 [July 15th, 2020]
- Bed Bugs - University of Kentucky - July 28th, 2020 [July 28th, 2020]
- Two KY Cities Pop Up on a National 'Most Bed Bugs' ListGood ... - WBKR - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
Click Free Exterminator Quote
to fill in a form to obtain a free exterminator quote today.