Holiday Travel Bed Bug Prevention: Expert Guide for Hotel Stays

​What Are Bed Bugs? Essentials for Travelers

Bed bugs are small, flat, oval parasitic insects about the size of an apple seed (4-5 mm). Adults are rusty brown and turn reddish after feeding on blood. Younger nymphs appear nearly translucent and grow darker with each molt.

Key facts:

• Females lay 1-5 eggs daily, up to 500 lifetime.
• Eggs hatch in 6-10 days, but can wait weeks in cold conditions.
• Adults can survive 2-5 months without food, hiding in luggage, seams, and other concealed areas.
• Bed bug bites cause itchy red welts in lines or clusters; bites are annoying but not disease-spreading.

Why Holiday Travel Increases Bed Bug Risks

Hotels host hundreds of guests yearly, turning rooms into transfer hubs. One infested bag spreads bugs through walls or even on housekeeping carts. The NPMA reports that 1 in 5 Americans has dealt with bed bugs, mostly from travel.

Risk factors:

• Suitcases, shoes, or clothing can easily pick up hitchhikers.
• Hosting guests at home doubles the chance of infestation.
• A single bug can start a potentially costly home infestation in weeks.

Bed Bug Protection Checklist: Hotel and Home

Stay ahead with these proven steps from bed bug experts.

Before Travel:

• Pack clothes in sealable plastic bags.
• Choose hard-shell luggage over fabric.

At the Hotel (Inspect Before Unpacking):

• Leave bags in the hallway or bathtub.
• Pull back bedding: Check mattress seams, headboard, and box spring for bugs, eggs, or dark spots.
• Examine upholstered furniture, drawers, baseboards, picture frames, and outlets.
• Use a flashlight or phone light.

During Your Stay:

• Keep luggage on a rack or hard surface, never on a bed or carpet.
• Store clothes in sealed bags; avoid hotel drawers.

After Travel:

• Inspect and vacuum luggage outside.
• Wash all clothes in hot water, if possible, and dry on high heat (120°F or higher for 30 minutes) to kill every stage.
• Dry-clean non-washables.

Spotting a Bed Bug Infestation Early

Look for:

• Itchy bites in zigzag patterns, worse overnight.
• Rusty blood spots or pepper-like fecal specks on sheets.
• Tiny white eggs, shed skins, or live bugs in crevices.
• Sweet, musty odor in severe cases.

If You Find Bed Bugs

If you find bed bugs in your hotel, please alert the staff immediately. Request a room at least two floors away and document everything (photos, notes, etc.).

If you find that bed bugs came home with you, contact Anti-Pest right away for effective bed bug control services. Our team uses a combination of proven treatment methods designed to:

• Identify all infested areas
• Eliminate adults, nymphs, and bed bug eggs
• Prevent future reinfestations

We’ll create a treatment plan tailored to your home, so you can enjoy a peaceful, bed bug-free holiday season.

Don’t let bed bugs ruin your holiday travel plans. Be proactive in looking for bed bugs and reach out to your local experts at Anti-Pest at the first sign of an issue. Serving Shreveport, Bossier City, and surrounding areas since 1950, you can count on our trusted professionals to exterminate bed bugs!