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Unwanted souvenirs to be wary of on your vacation

Abell Pest Control

Nothing is more relaxing than some time away from the responsibilities of your house and job. And relaxing on the beach or in a nice hotel room is just the way to do it. However, you need to be wary of the types of pests that could potentially ruin your vacation, or even come back home with you.

In order to maximize your relaxation efforts however, you should be aware of the types of pests that might be lurking in the nooks and crannies of your vacation waiting to spoil your good time:

Bed bugs

Bed bugs in hotels can be one of the biggest downers on your trip. It's hard to relax after you find out you've been sharing your bed with these pests. But you have to be careful because these tiny insects will come home with you and cause an even bigger problem. When you get to your hotel room give it a quick once over for signs of an infestation. The United States Environmental Protection Agency explained that bed bugs mostly hideout in bedding, but can also be found in the seams of chairs and couch cushions, carpeting against the wall and in serious cases, in drawers and electrical appliances. Here's how you can tell if you need to change rooms:

  • Reddish or dark black spots on fabrics like bedding or chair upholstery
  • Pale yellow eggs/eggshells - these are about 1mm in size
  • Black bed bugs
  • Bites on your skin that look like a rash or small mosquito bites.

Unfortunately, these bugs aren't just confined to hotel rooms, you can get them in a lot of public places, including on the plane that brought you to your getaway. Travel Channel reported that you can help avoid the spread of bed bugs by making sure you store your bag in a bug-free zone. Inspect the area for the previously mentioned signs before you set anything down.

Ants and cockroaches

Seems like you would notice if an ant or cockroach snuck into your luggage, but these tricky insects could have been hiding out for a long time, according to NBC News. The source warned that cockroaches are especially common if you've traveled to a warm, humid climate. In order to avoid getting these you just have to manage your luggage with a little more caution than usual. Keep your bags off the floor, hotel rooms are usually equipped with a luggage rack, so if you weren't using that before, you certainly should now. Before you store it, make sure it isn't a target for bugs. Cockroaches and ants will go after any food you have in there, so get rid of it or make sure it's tightly sealed. Then make sure the suitcase itself is zipped at all times before storage.

If you're bringing home gifts that come in cardboard boxes, throw those away in your outdoor garbage bin, as cockroaches are especially known for laying eggs in corrugated boxes, said the source. If you think some insects have gotten into your belongings, wrap them in a plastic bag for about two weeks to make sure they're properly suffocated.

What to do if you do bring bugs home with you

You had no intentions of bringing home one of these creepy-crawly souvenirs, but sometimes it happens despite your best efforts. There are plenty of ways to get rid of them all, but if you're not ready to end the relaxation, give your local pest control service a call and have them take care of it for you.


About the author:

Abell Pest Control is a family owned Canadian company dedicated to providing effective, professional and courteous service in pest management.Started in 1924 with one office, Abell now employs several hundred people with branch offices across Canada and the United States.

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