Is Something Else Living In Your Home After Your Holiday?

Foreign holidays are back on the agenda after the pandemic put a halt to most people’s travel plans. Even domestic tourism was curtailed as travel restrictions stopped families from visiting holiday spots in the UK.

However, an ABTA study shows that British holidaymakers are once again taking to the skies for foreign climes. In 2022, one report showed that about half the population was planning on taking a foreign holiday, based on respondents’ answers.

The ABTA study showed that 61% of respondents were planning to go overseas in the next 12 months, which is great news for airlines and the tourism industry.

Typically, when people go on holiday they like to bring some souvenirs back with them. Unfortunately, some people bring back unwanted guests that will soon set up home in their property.

What could you unwittingly bring back from your holiday?

Pests can be attracted to homes by many things, and nuisance neighbours can be a problem with this. Rubbish build-ups are a serious issue with some neighbours. Letting waste build up attracts pests, and these can spread to a home.

No homeowner likes to discover pests in their house or flat, but if you’re not careful you could bring one or two back from your holiday.

There was very little about the pandemic that was positive. Yet, one good thing was that bed bug colonies were likely reduced.  Hostels and guesthouses can suffer from bed bug infestations, especially those used by backpackers moving from one place to another. But, lack of tourism reduced the spread of these pests.

Now though, tourism has returned, and with it, the possibility of bed bugs once again being on the move, and populations growing.

How do you get rid of bed bugs?

These pests are notorious for being difficult to get rid of. The pandemic may have seen many bed bug colonies starved to death, but they remain a serious problem in many countries. The US has a bed bug problem in every city, so it isn’t just poorer countries that you should be concerned about.

Pest controllers use heat treatment for bed bugs as it is the most effective way to kill not just the insects, but their eggs too. This method is completely safe and highly efficient. There are other methods available to eliminate bed bugs, but this is the friendliest for the environment, safe for humans, and it works.

A professional pest control service will use steam to kill bed bugs by exposing them to temperatures of 118°F at least. By raising the temperature higher, the bed bugs will be killed more swiftly. One of the main benefits of this particular method is that it sometimes only takes one visit for pest controllers to eliminate an entire infestation.

How serious is having bed bugs in your home?

Back in 2013, The American Chemical Society held a major scientific meeting to discuss how bed bugs shrug off pesticides as they develop immunity to chemicals. After decades of declining bed bug colonies, there was a significant increase in the late nineties and early noughties.

Bed bugs could be viewed as less serious than rats and cockroaches in terms of health risks as they don’t carry disease with them. Nonetheless, they have been shown to release high levels of histamine and cause allergic reactions.

They also spread alarmingly quickly, and you only need to accidentally give one pregnant female bed bug a free ride home to start a potential colony.

Where do bed bugs come from?

A few years ago, Llanelli suffered a fly infestation, and the source needed to be identified to solve the problem. As far as bed bugs are concerned, the source of your invasion may have been your holiday accommodation.

Bed bugs are adept at hiding in small seams of mattresses, upholstery, cracks, and baggage. They can move from one place to another by hiding inside bags, purses, and clothing. They also spread by travelling from one adjoining housing unit to another. This means that if one flat has bed bugs, there is the risk that neighbouring ones will see a problem unless pest controllers stop the spread.

Second-hand furniture is a common way for bed bugs to move from one home to another also. It isn’t always foreign holidays that see bed bugs moving around, and if you intend to buy used furniture it would be wise to check it thoroughly first. 

Summary

Many people dream of meeting someone new while on holiday and experiencing romance. But, there is nothing romantic about bringing bed bugs back from your vacation. It would be advisable to check your hotel room for signs of bed bugs such as dark spots on bed sheets.

If you believe you may have brought bed bugs home then it can be wise to take swift action before your new guests get too comfortable.