Bed Bugs are responsible for some of the worst itches, bites and rashes someone can receive. Not only do they reproduce incredibly fast and in great numbers, but they can also be extremely challenging to exterminate.
Usually, the bite of a bed bug will cause bite marks, itching, and perhaps some swelling of the skin. In some cases, they can cause severe allergic reactions that require urgent medical attention. In any case, they are undesirable at best.
Baby bed bugs, known as nymphs, are just as liable to bite. Therefore, they pose a risk to your hotel, too.
Adult bed bugs and nymphs, if given the opportunity, will infest any indoor areas, including your hotel. In the hotel industry, the inconvenience of removing these insects is the least concerning thing about them. Bed bugs are an issue to be taken extremely seriously. Not doing so can result in serious consequences, both socially and financially.
Chances are, you’ve heard of many different methods of locating and eradicating bed bugs. They typically hide in furniture, and other fabric or upholstered items. The majority of the time, they go completely unnoticed. This is especially true when dealing with baby bed bugs.
However, adult bed bugs can be easier to identify. They are about ¼ of an inch long, and are a dark shade of brown, though they can be harder to spot in dark corners of some rooms or on furniture, as opposed to white bedsheets.
Baby Bed Bugs Are a Slightly Different Story
Baby bed bugs are less than a quarter of the size of a fully grown adult. The problem with that is that it makes them much harder to spot. Not least because they are a white, almost transparent color in their infancy.
As baby bed bugs are much smaller and all-around discrete looking in comparison to their adult counterparts, they can be pretty difficult to spot.
Danger to Hotel Guests
The presence of nymphs, or baby bed bugs, indicates that the infestation has been present for an extended period of time. At the same time, their presence also means that there are likely ‘unhatched’ eggs present in the room as well.
Nymphs and eggs mean that an infestation is much more challenging to treat. You don’t only need to take care of the fully grown bed bugs, but the elusive eggs and nymphs.
The more challenging the removal in one room, the more likely the infestation is to spread to other parts of the building. This results in a risk to an increasing number of hotel guests.
What To Do If You Discover an Infestation in Your Establishment?
First and foremost - if your guest is the unfortunate host of a bed bug infestation, treatments should be undertaken to minimize the pain and damage caused. Steroid cream, damp flannels, and antihistamines will be able to help with this. In rare cases, emergency medical treatment may be required. It’s key that your staff provide the most appropriate advice.
Hopefully, the above is not required before the next step. The infestation will need to be removed. The best way to do this is to hire a professional exterminator. Often with prices increasing based on the extent of the infestation.
Home solutions such as vacuuming, washing clothes, changing bed sheets and so forth, may minimize an infestation and can help in a single home. However, for a hotel, this is unlikely to be sufficient.
It’s not possible to prevent bed bugs from coming into a hotel, so the best course of action available when it comes to bed bugs is catching them in the very early stages. Ideally, you need to catch an infestation before the bed bugs are able to lay eggs.
Some bed bug traps have proven to be effective, but it is unlikely that they will trap and kill every single bug, which is the obvious requirement for complete removal.
In addition, bed bug traps tend to be high maintenance, with regular replacing and cleaning required, and are likely to raise uncomfortable questions for guests.
Hotels cannot run the risk of missing a bed bug, as infestations quickly get out of control, and spread to other rooms. They need to be identified early.
Why Not Prevent the Bed Bug Infestation in the First Place?
Preventing a bed bug infestation in the first instance is the ideal situation for hotel owners. It’s key that, should bed bugs arrive with guests, you are alerted as early as possible.
Spotta has worked in the pest control industry for hotels and other accommodation providers for a number of years. During that time, we have created an early-warning system for bed bugs. Our system is able to detect bed bugs before guests and hotel staff in 94% of cases.
Not only does our system give you peace of mind that you will avoid an infestation, but guests are protected too. Any potential physical or mental harm to guests is minimized, along with the chance of a bed bug infestation.
Spotta can help you to avoid the risk of a damaging lawsuit, and the impact on your reputation within the hospitality industry.
At Spotta, we understand the problems that a bed bug infestation can cause. We know that your priority is your hotel guests, and want to work with you to eradicate bed bugs from your establishments. Contact us today to learn more about our innovative solution for the hotel industry.