Pests We Treat - Bed bug found in luggage after vacation from Rumson, NJ
Today, I was called out to a home in Rumson, NJ for a residential bed bug inspection. The homeowners were concerned, and rightly so after they found a lone bed bug in a piece of luggage after they had returned from a vacation trip. They had placed the luggage on their bed, and while unpacking, found a bed bug in the clothing packed inside. They wisely shut the luggage and removed everything from their bedroom. It is important to note that these homeowners were NOT overreacting to a single bed bug by contacting a pest control service for an inspection. Even if just one bed bug is found, there is a good chance that is other bed bugs — or bed bug eggs or larvae (nymphs) that are even tougher to spot — unless you know what you are looking for. With bed bug infestations, its better safe than sorry. Homeowners should contact a pest control service at the earliest sign of a bed bug problem while the infestation is still small and localized in the home.
Upon arrival, I thoroughly inspected all of the suitcases and their contents. Since a piece of luggage had already been opened, I also inspected all of the crack and crevice areas around the bed. I slowly removed the linens from the bed to lift up the mattress and boxspring for a thorough examination of the undersides where bed bugs often hide. Bed bugs are external parasites that feed exclusively off of human blood, and they like to stay near their host between their blood meal feedings.
Good news! These particular folks were very lucky to not have unknowingly transported any bed bugs from their vacation. Bed bugs are one “souvenir” we don’t want to bring home with us from a vacation. I informed the homeowners to not store anything underneath the bed for the foreseeable future just in case a bed bug happened to make its way into the stored contents below. The best preventative tip to avoid bed bug infestations is to remove potential harborage areas.
The homeowners now had peace of mind that they had a thorough bed bug inspection, and they thanked me for reviewing the ways to avoid future bed bug issues. Bed bug problems start when homeowners unknowingly transport bed bugs into their home. They can hitch a ride on you or your belongings from almost anywhere. A bed bug can find its way into your home after you return from a vacation, from trying on clothes in a store, from bringing in groceries, from sitting in a movie theater, from taking public transportation, or even from a co-worker who brings bed bugs into your place of work.