Bed bug infestation in some Florida hotels on clarkhoward.com

Checking into a hotel? Don't let the bed bugs bite. The Orlando Sentinel reports there's an invasion of the pesky little critters at an unknown number of Florida hotels.

Worse yet, the newspaper reports the state of Florida initially did little to address the problem. There was an insane policy where state employees were forbidden from entering a hotel room believed to have bed bugs. Yet in order to write a citation, an inspector needed to physically see evidence of the bed bugs. Who comes up with this stuff?!

Thanks to continuing scrutiny, the state is now going into hotel rooms and has even outfitted its employees with hazmat gear for the job! Affected rooms are not supposed to be rented again until the state can verify the problem has been solved.

Do you think you've been exposed to bed bugs? Check with the CDC to learn about the best ways to prevent them from returning home on your clothing.

Clark's solution? Well, his clothes are so cheap that he'd get rid of every scrap of clothing on his body and buy a new outfit before returning home!

What others are saying

How I solved my Bed Bug problem.
A Best Practice Bed Bug Treatment Plan that worked for me… Bed bugs are difficult to get rid of. They hide well, they feed sporadically, they travel between apartments and they are becoming more and more resistant to standard pesticides. Where To Look For Them? The short answer is Everywhere! The long answer is that they can be found in and around the mattress, box spring, bed frame, head board, foot board, dresser, night stands, clocks, computers, pictures on the wall, baseboard. Look for brown specs on the mattress. This can be dried blood or fecal matter. Also look for dried skins that occur during the molting process. Since DDT is not longer available, you have to work a little harder. DDT is no longer available because it was potentially killing more things than just the bugs. In its absence, there is a real shortage of good pesticides to kill the bugs. There are areas that you don't want to use pesticides on like beds or around a baby’s room. Use an eco friendly non toxic spray for active nests and anywhere you believe they are located. There are now non toxic sprays that kill bedbugs on contact. Best are FDA (g.r.a.s.) which means all contents are "Generally recognized as safe". You must be persistent. If they are in your beds then get a heavy duty mattress cover and encase your mattress. Bed bugs can get through cheap covers. Vacuum well with a bag type vacuum so you can dispose after sealing. Wash all your clothes in hot water and store them in heavy duty plastic trash bags. Persistence is the key.
Do a good inspection of each piece of furniture. Look for bugs, eggs and skins. Check the furniture for holes or tears in the fabric. If you find any, the bugs may be so deep into the furniture that you could never treat them effectively. Use quality encasements for the mattress and box springs. This will allow you to save these items and still be protected. Vacuum each piece with a very good vacuum.
Be vigilant. Whenever you stay at a hotel or motel, peel the sheets back and look at the corners of the mattress. If possible, look behind the head board for signs of the bugs. Don't put your luggage on the bed or leave it on the floor near the bed. Take a safe non toxic eco friendly bed bug spray with you. Spray your luggage before you re-pack your clothes. Eco friendly safe non toxic enzymes can also be used in bathwater to soak in it if you have a scabies or mite infestation in any areas of your body, it is completely safe but keep it out of your eyes. You can also add it to the washing machine to clean your clothes of any personal pest insects. Hope this helps!
By Tim @ 09/17/09 11:14:02 AMreport abuse
Bed Bug Protection
The bed bug problem has reached epidemic proportions in the U.S. (not just Florida hotels) evidenced by the fact that last April the EPA held a National Bed Bug Summit meeting in DC to address the growing epidemic.

My knowledge of this topic comes from the fact that I operate a certified K9 bed bug detection service in Metro Atlanta. I work both independently and alongside pest control companies in detecting unseen infestations in hotels, residences, hospitals, dorms, etc.

The psychological trauma I have witnessed by bed bug sufferers whose homes are infested is sobering. They are being bitten at night while in the "safety" of their own bed. When I am called in to inspect, the repeated bites are still a mystery
The bed bug problem has reached epidemic proportions in the U.S. (not just Florida hotels) evidenced by the fact that last April the EPA held a National Bed Bug Summit meeting in Washington to address the growing problem. My knowledge of this topic comes from the fact that I operate a certified K9 bed bug detection service in Metro Atlanta and am part of a national network of such teams. We work both independently and alongside pest control companies in detecting suspected infestations in hotels, residences, hospitals, dorms, etc.

The psychological trauma displayed by bed bug sufferers whose homes are infested is sobering. Since bed bugs are nocturnal and adept at hiding in cracks and crevices, the victims are being bitten at night while in the "safety" of their own bed. In most cases, someone in the infested home had a prior stay at a hotel or vacation rental and unknowingly transported bed bugs to their own home.

Bed bugs are difficult to eradicate once the infestation is well established, even by the best pest management companies. Several costly treatments are often required. Early detection is the key to successful treatment and that’s why K9 teams are often utilized. Human inspections are estimated to be only 17 to 35% accurate in the early stages of a problem. Certified K9 scent detection approaches 98% accuracy according to research performed by the University of Florida.

Bottom line: do all you can to avoid bringing bed bugs home in the first place! The best advice I have seen in avoiding bed bugs when you travel is found on a Rand McNally site: http://ontheroad.randmcnally.com/2009/04/22/how-to-avoid-bedbugs/. Follow these suggestions and you’ll minimize the odds of becoming a bed bug sufferer!
By Adrienne Grabowski/Quest K9 Detectives @ 09/17/09 10:53:40 AMreport abuse
What you can do about Bed Bugs
While most people are merely annoyed by bed bugs, some people can get itchy rashes when bitten. In Georgia, our state office of environmental health publishes this brochure that is very helpful in protecting yourself against bed bugs.

http://health.state.ga.us/pdfs/environmental/tourist/bedbugbrochure.pdf

You can report a sighting of bed bugs to the Health Department. You should report it to the Hotel Management. We both want to make sure the facility is safe (and comfortable) for your visit.

If you are a hotel/motel manager or bed and breakfast or innkeeper, see this helpful information on getting rid of bed bugs. Your county extention agent and your Health Department will be happy to help advise you on how to get rid of them and protect your business.

http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_g/g-318.html
By anon health official @ 09/16/09 08:23:08 PMreport abuse
Bed Bugs
This is not news. There have been bed bug infestations in hotels all over the country for the past few years (Google it). It happens in hotels in all price ranges. There's also other things like scabies you can easily get from hotel beds in even the cleanest places, but that's another topic.

You can check the beds when you get to the room. Look all along the mattress sides, the bedding, etc. And leave your suitcase in the bathroom to avoid bringing any bugs home in it.

And remember, pesticides - including what you might spray in the room - present far more of a risk than the bugs do.
By Sydney @ 09/16/09 05:28:24 PMreport abuse
Bed Bugs
Bad advice about DDT. It wasn't just the eagles that were dying. It has taken 40 years for the eagles and pelicans and other fish-eating birds to recover. DDT is still out there in the tissues of animals. As much as I share your revulsion, there are manu ways to eradicate bed bugs without poisoning the rest of us at the same time.
By Mark T @ 09/16/09 01:44:49 PMreport abuse
DDT
They, nut jobs, would tell us that DDT was so very bad. All the Bald Eagles are dying. I have pictures and witness to the fact that Bald Eagles are doing just fine. And sort of like the sea gulls. Use DDT and kill the f'ers.
Mark
By Mark Hillyard @ 09/16/09 01:12:30 PMreport abuse
Bed Bugs in Georgia too
9/08/09 Stone Mountain, Georgia.
My experience in a well-known, 3-star hotel where the room looked immaculate.

I checked in around 8PM. I was sitting in bed watching TV. After 20 minutes or so, I felt something on the back of my neck. I swatted it. It was in my hand but still squirming a bit. I didn't recognize it so I put it on a piece of white paper for a closer look. It was less than 1/4 inch long and looked like a cross between a German cockroach and a tick.

I had a feeling, so I went online and Googled "bed bugs." The pictures confirmed my hunch. "BED BUG." Bed bugs are attracted by our body heat and carbon dioxide we exhale. They normally come out after dark, but the lights were on in my room.

I didn't immediately see any others. The sheets were clean and white. But I knew bed bugs didn't usually travel alone. I flipped over one of the pillows to see several more of them crawling around. I called the desk to get moved to another room. The man at the front desk brought me my new key cards and I showed him the bugs.

After moving, I went back into the "buggy" room for a final check. This room had two large beds with headboards attached directly to the wall. There was a very narrow gap between the headboards and the walls. THAT'S WHERE THEY WERE COMING FROM. There were dozens of bed bugs of all sizes from pinhead-sized juveniles all the way up to adults that must have been at least 1/4 inch long. I showed the guy at the front desk. He said he would leave a note for them in the morning.

I left early the next morning, before a manager was here. I returned this afternoon around 3 PM and filled the manager in. Surprisingly, she told me that this was the first she had heard about it.

I was there for 5 more nights. I didn't find any vermin sharing my new room.

Bed Bugs sense the heat of our bodies and usually come out after dark. I now always bring a heating pad with me when I travel. Before I get too settled in, I plug it in and turn it up and place it on the bed near the headboard. If nothing creeps out of the crevices and folds of the bed within an hour, I figure that is a very good start.

Also...place all of your luggage and clothing and computer cases etc...on the dressers or luggage caddies and NOT on the bed or floor. That is how bed bugs travel around the world and to your home.

If it is available and convenient, I would also do a couple of loads of laundry BEFORE leaving the hotel. Heat kills bed bugs. So a hot bath and hot spin in a dryer should kill them.
By Mark Thomas @ 09/16/09 01:10:35 PMreport abuse
Yuck! Just another reason to skip the vacation this year. I'm glad I'm not going to Florida with the bed bugs.

I saw on the tv show "Verminators" they had a bed bug job. They used heaters to heat the room to over 100 degrees F and kept it at that temp for a couple of days to kill the bugs. Seems they can't live with the heat for very long.

See if you can get the resort to guarantee no bugs in your room. If not, I would take my own bedding, strip the mattress and put a mattress cover over it and maybe spray some insecticide around the bed.

Good luck.
By anonymous @ 09/16/09 10:33:32 AMreport abuse
bed bugs
We are leaving Sunday for Disney World and am worried about bed bugs being in our hotel. We are staying at the Carribean Beach Resort and will be there six nights. What can I do to protect our children and myself? Thank you.
By Doug Carlyle @ 09/16/09 09:43:47 AMreport abuse

How I solved my Bed Bug problem.

A Best Practice Bed Bug Treatment Plan that worked for me… Bed bugs are difficult to get rid of. They hide well, they feed sporadically, they travel between apartments and they are becoming more and more resistant to standard pesticides. Where To Look For Them? The short answer is Everywhere! The long answer is that they can be found in and around the mattress, box spring, bed frame, head board, foot board, dresser, night stands, clocks, computers, pictures on the wall, baseboard. Look for brown specs on the mattress. This can be dried blood or fecal matter. Also look for dried skins that occur during the molting process. Since DDT is not longer available, you have to work a little harder. DDT is no longer available because it was potentially killing more things than just the bugs. In its absence, there is a real shortage of good pesticides to kill the bugs. There are areas that you don't want to use pesticides on like beds or around a baby’s room. Use an eco friendly non toxic spray for active nests and anywhere you believe they are located. There are now non toxic sprays that kill bedbugs on contact. Best are FDA (g.r.a.s.) which means all contents are "Generally recognized as safe". You must be persistent. If they are in your beds then get a heavy duty mattress cover and encase your mattress. Bed bugs can get through cheap covers. Vacuum well with a bag type vacuum so you can dispose after sealing. Wash all your clothes in hot water and store them in heavy duty plastic trash bags. Persistence is the key.
Do a good inspection of each piece of furniture. Look for bugs, eggs and skins. Check the furniture for holes or tears in the fabric. If you find any, the bugs may be so deep into the furniture that you could never treat them effectively. Use quality encasements for the mattress and box springs. This will allow you to save these items and still be protected. Vacuum each piece with a very good vacuum.
Be vigilant. Whenever you stay at a hotel or motel, peel the sheets back and look at the corners of the mattress. If possible, look behind the head board for signs of the bugs. Don't put your luggage on the bed or leave it on the floor near the bed. Take a safe non toxic eco friendly bed bug spray with you. Spray your luggage before you re-pack your clothes. Eco friendly safe non toxic enzymes can also be used in bathwater to soak in it if you have a scabies or mite infestation in any areas of your body, it is completely safe but keep it out of your eyes. You can also add it to the washing machine to clean your clothes of any personal pest insects. Hope this helps!

By Tim @ 09/17/09 11:14:02 AMreport abuse

Bed Bug Protection

The bed bug problem has reached epidemic proportions in the U.S. (not just Florida hotels) evidenced by the fact that last April the EPA held a National Bed Bug Summit meeting in DC to address the growing epidemic.

My knowledge of this topic comes from the fact that I operate a certified K9 bed bug detection service in Metro Atlanta. I work both independently and alongside pest control companies in detecting unseen infestations in hotels, residences, hospitals, dorms, etc.

The psychological trauma I have witnessed by bed bug sufferers whose homes are infested is sobering. They are being bitten at night while in the "safety" of their own bed. When I am called in to inspect, the repeated bites are still a mystery
The bed bug problem has reached epidemic proportions in the U.S. (not just Florida hotels) evidenced by the fact that last April the EPA held a National Bed Bug Summit meeting in Washington to address the growing problem. My knowledge of this topic comes from the fact that I operate a certified K9 bed bug detection service in Metro Atlanta and am part of a national network of such teams. We work both independently and alongside pest control companies in detecting suspected infestations in hotels, residences, hospitals, dorms, etc.

The psychological trauma displayed by bed bug sufferers whose homes are infested is sobering. Since bed bugs are nocturnal and adept at hiding in cracks and crevices, the victims are being bitten at night while in the "safety" of their own bed. In most cases, someone in the infested home had a prior stay at a hotel or vacation rental and unknowingly transported bed bugs to their own home.

Bed bugs are difficult to eradicate once the infestation is well established, even by the best pest management companies. Several costly treatments are often required. Early detection is the key to successful treatment and that’s why K9 teams are often utilized. Human inspections are estimated to be only 17 to 35% accurate in the early stages of a problem. Certified K9 scent detection approaches 98% accuracy according to research performed by the University of Florida.

Bottom line: do all you can to avoid bringing bed bugs home in the first place! The best advice I have seen in avoiding bed bugs when you travel is found on a Rand McNally site: http://ontheroad.randmcnally.com/2009/04/22/how-to-avoid-bedbugs/. Follow these suggestions and you’ll minimize the odds of becoming a bed bug sufferer!

By Adrienne Grabowski/Quest K9 Detectives @ 09/17/09 10:53:40 AMreport abuse

What you can do about Bed Bugs

While most people are merely annoyed by bed bugs, some people can get itchy rashes when bitten. In Georgia, our state office of environmental health publishes this brochure that is very helpful in protecting yourself against bed bugs.

http://health.state.ga.us/pdfs/environmental/tourist/bedbugbrochure.pdf

You can report a sighting of bed bugs to the Health Department. You should report it to the Hotel Management. We both want to make sure the facility is safe (and comfortable) for your visit.

If you are a hotel/motel manager or bed and breakfast or innkeeper, see this helpful information on getting rid of bed bugs. Your county extention agent and your Health Department will be happy to help advise you on how to get rid of them and protect your business.

http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_g/g-318.html

By anon health official @ 09/16/09 08:23:08 PMreport abuse

Bed Bugs

This is not news. There have been bed bug infestations in hotels all over the country for the past few years (Google it). It happens in hotels in all price ranges. There's also other things like scabies you can easily get from hotel beds in even the cleanest places, but that's another topic.

You can check the beds when you get to the room. Look all along the mattress sides, the bedding, etc. And leave your suitcase in the bathroom to avoid bringing any bugs home in it.

And remember, pesticides - including what you might spray in the room - present far more of a risk than the bugs do.

By Sydney @ 09/16/09 05:28:24 PMreport abuse

Bad advice about DDT. It wasn't just the eagles that were dying. It has taken 40 years for the eagles and pelicans and other fish-eating birds to recover. DDT is still out there in the tissues of animals. As much as I share your revulsion, there are manu ways to eradicate bed bugs without poisoning the rest of us at the same time.

By Mark T @ 09/16/09 01:44:49 PMreport abuse

DDT

They, nut jobs, would tell us that DDT was so very bad. All the Bald Eagles are dying. I have pictures and witness to the fact that Bald Eagles are doing just fine. And sort of like the sea gulls. Use DDT and kill the f'ers.
Mark

By Mark Hillyard @ 09/16/09 01:12:30 PMreport abuse

Bed Bugs in Georgia too

9/08/09 Stone Mountain, Georgia.
My experience in a well-known, 3-star hotel where the room looked immaculate.

I checked in around 8PM. I was sitting in bed watching TV. After 20 minutes or so, I felt something on the back of my neck. I swatted it. It was in my hand but still squirming a bit. I didn't recognize it so I put it on a piece of white paper for a closer look. It was less than 1/4 inch long and looked like a cross between a German cockroach and a tick.

I had a feeling, so I went online and Googled "bed bugs." The pictures confirmed my hunch. "BED BUG." Bed bugs are attracted by our body heat and carbon dioxide we exhale. They normally come out after dark, but the lights were on in my room.

I didn't immediately see any others. The sheets were clean and white. But I knew bed bugs didn't usually travel alone. I flipped over one of the pillows to see several more of them crawling around. I called the desk to get moved to another room. The man at the front desk brought me my new key cards and I showed him the bugs.

After moving, I went back into the "buggy" room for a final check. This room had two large beds with headboards attached directly to the wall. There was a very narrow gap between the headboards and the walls. THAT'S WHERE THEY WERE COMING FROM. There were dozens of bed bugs of all sizes from pinhead-sized juveniles all the way up to adults that must have been at least 1/4 inch long. I showed the guy at the front desk. He said he would leave a note for them in the morning.

I left early the next morning, before a manager was here. I returned this afternoon around 3 PM and filled the manager in. Surprisingly, she told me that this was the first she had heard about it.

I was there for 5 more nights. I didn't find any vermin sharing my new room.

Bed Bugs sense the heat of our bodies and usually come out after dark. I now always bring a heating pad with me when I travel. Before I get too settled in, I plug it in and turn it up and place it on the bed near the headboard. If nothing creeps out of the crevices and folds of the bed within an hour, I figure that is a very good start.

Also...place all of your luggage and clothing and computer cases etc...on the dressers or luggage caddies and NOT on the bed or floor. That is how bed bugs travel around the world and to your home.

If it is available and convenient, I would also do a couple of loads of laundry BEFORE leaving the hotel. Heat kills bed bugs. So a hot bath and hot spin in a dryer should kill them.

By Mark Thomas @ 09/16/09 01:10:35 PMreport abuse

Yuck! Just another reason to skip the vacation this year. I'm glad I'm not going to Florida with the bed bugs.

I saw on the tv show "Verminators" they had a bed bug job. They used heaters to heat the room to over 100 degrees F and kept it at that temp for a couple of days to kill the bugs. Seems they can't live with the heat for very long.

See if you can get the resort to guarantee no bugs in your room. If not, I would take my own bedding, strip the mattress and put a mattress cover over it and maybe spray some insecticide around the bed.

Good luck.

By anonymous @ 09/16/09 10:33:32 AMreport abuse

bed bugs

We are leaving Sunday for Disney World and am worried about bed bugs being in our hotel. We are staying at the Carribean Beach Resort and will be there six nights. What can I do to protect our children and myself? Thank you.

By Doug Carlyle @ 09/16/09 09:43:47 AMreport abuse

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Sep 15, 2009 -- Bed bug infestation in some Florida hotels

What others are saying