Bed Bug Awareness Week

June 4 – 10 is Bed Bug Awareness Week, an annual observance by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) to promote public vigilance against bed bugs and educate consumers about bed bugs and how to best protect themselves as we move toward warmer weather and embark on summer vacations.

The NPMA recommends the following bed bug prevention tips when traveling:

• At hotels, pull back sheets and inspect mattress seams, for telltale bed bug stains. Inspect the entire room before unpacking, including sofas and chairs and behind the headboard. Notify management of anything suspect and change rooms or establishments immediately.
• If you need to change rooms, don’t move to a room adjacent or directly above or below the suspected infestation.
• Keep suitcases in plastic trash bags or protective covers during your stay to prevent bed bugs from nesting there.
• When home, inspect suitcases before bringing them into the house and vacuum them before storing.
• Wash all clothes – even those not worn – in hot water to eliminate any bed bugs and their eggs.

Check out the below videos/graphic for more information about how to protect yourself from bed bugs, and learn more about Terminix Wil-Kil’s bed bug control program.