Bedbugs don’t have a traditional “season" in the same way that pests like mosquitoes do. Unfortunately, they can be a problem year-round anywhere people live, sleep or travel. Pest control professionals often point to the late summer and early fall period as peak bedbug season, but it has nothing to do with the weather. It's vacations, hotel stays, cruises, and other forms of travel that give bedbugs more opportunities to hitch a ride from one place to another. You might not notice a bedbug at a hotel or rental, but just a few of them that hitchhiked in your suitcase can start an infestation back home. Bedbugs can survive for months without a blood meal, so if people are seeing a peak in bedbugs — even if they didn’t just come back from a trip — it’s possible they’ve been lurking around for some time without being noticed. That problem can grow in no time at all. A healthy, blood-fed female can lay two to five eggs per day and produce about 500 eggs over her lifetime, which is why catching an infestation early is so important. Defense is the best offense, so take these precautions to prevent a bedbug infestation.
- • Keep luggage elevated and away from the bed and walls, rather than place it on the floor or bed. The bathroom is a great spot to stow away items.
- • Pull back the sheets of the bed and check the mattress seams using your phone’s flashlight. Pay attention to the corners, looking for bedbugs, reddish stains, translucent shed skins, and tiny eggs. Check upholstered furniture as well.
- • When you get home, inspect your luggage, clothing and shoes before bringing them in the house.
- • Clothing should be washed with hot water and dried using high heat.
- • Regularly inspect areas where bedbugs tend to hide, and call a professional if anything seems off.
