WASHINGTON — As summer travel season gets underway, beware of these blood-sucking insects, that are tiny, but can ruin your vacation. Of course, we are talking about bed bugs.
They are small, wingless insects that are reddish-brown in color. They suck your blood, and although they aren't known to spread disease, they can cause an allergic reaction or severe skin reaction in some people, according to health experts at the Mayo Clinic.
Bed bugs hide in the cracks and crevices of beds, box springs, headboard, bed frames, and other objects around a bed and come out at night to feed. And your risk of running into them is higher if you spend time in hotels, hospitals or homeless shelters.
According to pest control companies, Orkin and Terminx, D.C. is in the top 10 worst cities for bed bugs in the entire country. The District ranks number 7 behind Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Chicago, and New York for the pesky creatures.
The list is based on treatment data from the metro areas where Orkin performed the most bed bug treatments from Dec. 1, 2022 – Nov. 30, 2023. The ranking includes both residential and commercial treatments. This is the fourth year the companies have put out the list. D.C. moved up two spots from last year.
Here's what you can do to avoid these pests:
- Don't put your luggage on or near the bed.
- A UV light can be purchased online for fairly cheap to help detect them.
- Bugs often leave shells behind, so check for them in the bed.
Symptoms of bed bugs:
- Inflamed spots, with a darker spot in the middle.
- Itchy.
- Spots arranged in a rough line or cluster.
- Located on face, neck, arms and hands.
Unfortunately, bed bugs are translucent when first born and harder to spot.
Exterminators say bed bugs can be found anywhere, even at high end resorts and hotels. So, it's important to stay vigilant.
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