While travelers everywhere prepare to head to Paris for the 2024 Olympic games, the bedbugs have already arrived to tour the city. That’s right—Paris and other French cities are experiencing a bedbug outbreak that’s itchy and annoying.
“Every late summer we see a big increase in bedbugs,” said French entomologist Jean-Michel Berenger to BBC.
Social media videos have shown the tiny, parasitic pests dwelling in the cushion seats on French public transportation and in airports. Others have reported seeing them in homes and hotel rooms. While Paris may be the current stop on the insects’ tour, travelers could run into bedbugs anywhere in the world.
There are plenty of ways to protect yourself while traveling. It’s not uncommon to run into them especially when sharing beds with hotel and VRU guests coming from all over. While many travel accommodations remain vigilant in their fight against bedbugs, knowledge of how to recognize the bugs and keep yourself from bringing them home is important to know.
Protect Yourself When Traveling
One of the best ways to protect yourself against bedbugs is to be able to identify the insect. Adult bedbugs can be seen with the naked eye. They are about the size of a small seed and have a reddish-brown color. In addition to watching out for adult bugs, keep an eye out for eggs and newly hatched bedbugs when traveling. Baby bedbugs are still visible but much smaller.
Be sure to look on your mattress as well as on and behind any furniture. Proper inspection includes pulling up the sheets and comforter to check for bedbugs or markings. Try not to sit your suitcase down on the bed until you inspect it. Many travelers also suggest using hardcased luggage instead of cloth because it has fewer crevices for bugs to hide in.
If you do suspect your room is infested with bedbugs, be sure to switch rooms. It’s important to switch to a room that isn’t adjacent to the infested room. Bedbugs can’t jump or fly but travel on cloth from space to space. Thus, the room next door may have an infestation as well.
How To Prevent Taking Bed Bugs Back Home
The fight against bedbugs doesn’t stop once you leave your destination. As a preventive measure, or if you suspect your hotel has bedbugs, there are a few steps you can take to make sure you’re in the clear once at home.
Unpacking your luggage in the bathroom prevents bedbugs from crawling onto cloth furniture at your house. This gives you space to unpack all of your belongings. Shake out your clothes and shoes in the bathtub before immediately tossing them into the washer. As an extra precaution, you can also vacuum out your suitcase to catch any lingering critters.
Remember, bedbugs are common and you can run into them anywhere. Take steps to protect yourself from bringing them home with you the next time you travel.
