Long term pest management professionals have likely noticed, and even those newer to the industry are likely aware that bed bugs have become an increasing problem. The world has faced a resurgence of these difficult pests and the global nature of today may only exacerbate the problem. Back in October of 2023, viral stories about bed bugs in Paris were everywhere as the fashion industry joined in Paris for their annual fashion week events. As with many cities, Paris has been facing high levels of bed bug infestations. The viral attention garnered by these pests made folks more aware of the threat they can pose. This summer, Paris is set to hold the 2024 Summer Olympic games. With this will come folks from around the world, staying at various lodging accommodations. As with Paris fashion week, concerns of bed bugs will no doubt come into the spotlight again. 

Perhaps some good news of the recent attention on bed bugs is this public awareness. There are news articles and social media posts about how individuals can check for bed bugs in hotel rooms and make efforts to prevent bringing them into their homes. While the spread of bed bugs continues, hopefully it will be impeded by more conscientious travelers equipped with more knowledge. A bed bug infestation can come from many places and as you are well aware, can affect almost any type of residential or commercial space. Educating your customers on bed bug prevention may be an easier task with so much information available. It may also be a new challenge as plenty of misinformation and DIY solutions exist within reach of customers.  

Here are some key points to bring up to interested or concerned customers. 

1. Bed bugs can be hard to find but are not invisible. You can find them or their fecal spots around the home in places such as around mattress corners, window sills, electrical outlets, corners of furniture, and even in wooden dressers or drawers.  
2. When staying at a hotel, check for bed bugs along the corners of a mattress under the sheets. If you are concerned about your luggage, you can keep it in the bathroom since bed bugs are much less likely to live and stay there. No matter how nice a hotel may seem, it is worth taking just a few minutes to check for bed bugs.
3. Not everyone reacts to bed bug bites. Some individuals do not react to bed bug bites whereas others may have mild to extreme reactions. You also cannot tell what bit you just from looking at the bite. A red itchy spot can be caused by many different things.
4. Heat kills bed bugs, so laundering clothes at the highest heat settings will help in making sure clothing is safe from these pests.

The moral of the story here is that bed bugs are an increasing problem across the world and major events that bring the world together can be spreading events for these hitch hiker pests. Being aware and making customers aware of what bed bugs are and how they can protect themselves, is critical. Public attention to these pests may bring more awareness to the topic and may increase the number of calls you get as folks can get overly cautious of any bug they see. With the coming Summer Olympics, lets make sure to stay alert, sleep tight, and don't let the bed bugs bite.

Article by Ellie Lane

Sources:

https://www.pctonline.com/news/one-in-seven-us-travelers-have-encountered-mattress-infested-with-bed-bugs-in-the-last-year

https://apnews.com/article/france-bedbugs-olympics-7ff56cbeed2cbe83e3f623b326a08892

For information on bed bug best management practices, see NPMA's Bed Bug BMPs