The Complete Guide to Bed Bug Prevention: Don’t Let These Travelers Hitch a Ride Home
Expert guidance from your trusted Adirondack pest control specialists since 2008
As your local pest control experts serving the Adirondacks, we’ve seen firsthand how bed bugs can turn vacation memories into ongoing nightmares. This comprehensive guide will help you identify, prevent, and handle potential bed bug situations while traveling.
Understanding Bed Bugs: Know Your Enemy
Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) are small, oval-shaped insects that: • Measure about 4-5mm in length (similar to an apple seed) • Have flat bodies that become swollen after feeding • Are reddish-brown in color • Can’t fly but move quickly across floors, walls, and ceilings • Can live several months without feeding • Hide in tiny cracks and crevices during the day • Usually feed at night on human blood
Signs of Bed Bug Activity
Primary Indicators: • Live bugs moving on surfaces • Dark spots (about this size: •) on mattresses or walls • Tiny pale yellow eggs and eggshells • Reddish-brown stains on bed sheets (from crushed bugs) • Light-colored shed bed bug skins • Musty, sweet odor in severe infestations
Physical Signs on Your Body: • Small, red, itchy bites, often in lines or clusters • Bites commonly found on exposed skin during sleep • Some people may not react to bites immediately
Comprehensive Hotel Room Inspection Guide
Before Unpacking:
- Leave all luggage in the bathroom (bed bugs rarely hide in bathrooms)
- Use your phone’s flashlight or a bright flashlight
- Put on disposable gloves if available
Inspection Checklist:
- Bed Area: • Pull back sheets and check mattress seams • Examine mattress tags and piping • Look under fitted sheets and mattress pad • Check box spring edges and corners • Inspect headboard attachment points • Look behind the headboard if possible • Check bed frame joints and crevices
- Furniture: • Check seams of upholstered chairs • Look inside drawers and drawer tracks • Examine wood furniture joints • Inspect luggage racks and stands
- Room Perimeter: • Check electrical outlets and switch plates • Look behind picture frames • Examine curtain pleats and rod areas • Inspect baseboards and carpet edges
Travel-Specific Prevention Tips
Air Travel Protection
• Use hard-shell suitcases • Keep spare outfit in sealed zip bag • Avoid placing bags in seat pockets • Consider wrapping luggage in plastic • Inspect seats before sitting
Car Travel Safety
• Inspect seats before long trips • Keep luggage in trunk when possible • Use sealed plastic containers • Vacuum car thoroughly after trips • Consider keeping a “travel only” blanket
Train & Bus Travel
• Check seats before sitting • Keep bags off fabric seats • Use luggage racks when available • Avoid placing items under seats • Keep clothing layers to minimum
Essential Packing Lists
Weekend Hotel Stay
• 2-3 large resealable plastic bags • Small LED flashlight • Light-colored luggage • Plastic trash bags • Rubbing alcohol wipes • Portable luggage rack
Extended Vacation
• Bed bug-proof luggage liners • Large plastic storage bags • Portable handheld steamer • LED flashlight with batteries • White sheets for luggage barrier • Plastic mattress cover
Service Areas
Warren & Washington Counties
Lake George | Queensbury | Glens Falls | Bolton Landing | Warrensburg | Hudson Falls | Fort Edward | Granville | Cambridge | Whitehall | Pottersville | Chestertown | North Creek | Fort Ann | Argyle | Salem | Brant Lake | Greenwich
Saratoga County
Saratoga Springs | Clifton Park | Corinth | South Glens Falls | Wilton | Gansevoort | Ballston Spa | Malta | Middle Grove | Saratoga Lake | Greenfield Center | Ballston Lake
Essex County
Schroon Lake | Lake Placid | Elizabethtown | Ticonderoga | Westport | Keene | Jay | Wilmington | Crown Point | Minerva | Port Henry | Essex | Newcomb | Willsboro | Willsboro Point | Lewis
Rutland County, Vermont
Rutland | Killington | Manchester | Brandon | Castleton
Professional Treatment Options
At Bug-U Pest Control, we offer: • Comprehensive bed bug inspections • Customized treatment plans • Follow-up inspections • Prevention recommendations • Educational resources
Special Offer
Spring Travel Protection: Save $100 on Professional Bed Bug Treatment
Contact your nearest office for a free inspection:
Hudson Falls Office 
162 Main Street, Hudson Falls, NY 
(518) 747-2003 Serving Warren, Washington & Saratoga Counties plus Rutland County, VT
Schroon Lake Office 1069 U.S. 9, Schroon Lake, NY (518) 584-5855 Serving Essex County & surrounding Adirondack communities
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