I really hate to mention it---bed bugs

[princesdi]

I was watching the news last week and bed bugs are at an all time high. From what I understand, correct me if I am wrong, their main breeding area is in high humidy parts of the US--although there are reported cases everywhere. With this said, is traveling to the hotels on the beach in Florida and disney cruise ships an area of concern. I read that you should not put your luggage on the floor as a prevention, yet Disney veterans recommend that you store your suitcases under your stateroom bed. Also Nassau is not one of the cleanest places, so i would suppose it would be quite easy to carry little passengers onto the ship and not know it. Has anyone had any trouble with bed bugs in any of your stays in florida??? Any hotels on the beach that have history with such problems etc. Any precautions we should know about?

 

[sherekhan]

I don't know a lot about bed bugs, but the idea of them is pretty horrible!

I believe the suggestion about under bed storage is best for _empty_ suitcases that you won't have to access during the trip. we put our clothes in hanger and drawers and stored empty suitcases/dufflebags under there.

 

[tvguy]

According to this article, bedbugs are a bigger problem than they have been in 70 years.


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Get ready to squirm in your seat and run to your bedroom to check under the covers.

Bed bugs are back and as Volunteer TV’s Stacy McCloud explains, in such large numbers that they are being called the bug of the 21st century.

"We eliminated bed bugs in the US back in the 30's and 40's,” says Jim Holsomback from Heritage Termite and Pest Service.

Now some 60 years later, "about an eight of an inch long. they are flat until they have a meal but then they have a rounded body."

They're finding a way back.

"Bedbugs are notorious hitchhikers.”

They're hungry.

"They prefer humans as their food supply," says Holsomback.

And ready to call your house home.

"They will get in the tuffs of your bed, furniture and in a heavy infestation behind pictures and door casings."

If we got rid of them so long ago, why are they suddenly a problem now?

"They have taken a lot of products off the market we used that would affect the bed bugs. They have started to make a comeback and have come from where people have traveled overseas."

Despite being visible to the naked eye, you'll likely have no clue, until it's a little too late.

"They multiply very quickly and they mature in about 9 weeks and once they are mature they can start multiplying.”

The best way check for bed bugs is to inspect every crevasse of your mattress and furniture.

"There will be dark spots around the tuffs of the mattress, that is their feces."

There is no way to get rid of bed bugs yourself, a pest control company must come in and vacuum, steam, and maybe even spray, likely more than once.

Big business for the bug man

"We're gonna make a lot of money off them.”

If you're leaving for a trip, don't think taking your own bedding will help. They live in the mattress.

Just make sure and check the bed before bringing your stuff to the room.

Then when you get home, wash all your clothes and vacuum out your luggage.

Don't forget to put the vacuum bag in a plastic bag, tie it tight, and throw it away.

Bedbugs have nothing to do with cleanliness. Even four star hotels have had problems.

Doctors say not to worry, while they can leave you with little red bumps, they don't carry any diseases.

 

[Sandaneli]

My husband is an exterminator and his suggestion is to check the mattress, not the sheets, for blood stains. If you see them ask for another room and don't bring ANYTHING into the room. Oterwise everything posted previously is true.

We have been on two Disney cruises and stayed in several hotels around the US and never had a problem.

Sandra

 

[staceymerrill]

never had the problem in all of our cruises

 

[disneydance]

never had a promblem with them but there like head lice except you check a head for lice and you check a bed for bed bugs

 

[Olaf]

You frequently get to the room before your luggage, so it would be very easy to check. Also, there have been several threads about this in the recent past. If you can get the search function to work, you should be able to find them.