ATLANTA, Nov. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Atlanta-based
pest control leader Orkin reminds holiday travelers to look out for
bed bugs because they can be a threat to you and your home, whether
you are staying at a five-star hotel, visiting relatives or have
friends and family visiting you. According to AAA, 43.6 million
Americans are planning to take to the roads, skies and railways
between Nov. 21 and Nov. 25. The
Federal Aviation Administration lists the nation's 35 busiest
airports, and 30 of those cities can be found on Orkin's top 50 bed
bug cities list.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120315/CL71466 )
"Bed bugs are great hitchhikers, so you have to pay close
attention when traveling," said Orkin Entomologist and Technical
Services Director Ron Harrison,
Ph.D. "Bed bugs can find their way into your luggage, whether it is
in a hotel, on a plane, train or bus and eventually make their way
back to your home. If you brought home just one bed bug, it could
reproduce and get out of hand in just a few weeks."
One female bed bug can lay one to two eggs a day and up to 200
eggs in her lifetime. Routine inspections will lead to early
identification, which is important to help lower the risk of a
severe problem and the need for extensive pest control treatments.
Typically, bed bugs come out at night to feed, but during the day,
they are most likely found within a 5-foot radius of where people
sleep.
Research from the University of
Minnesota has also suggested bed bugs are attracted to dirty
clothes, so keep them in a sealed bag or container.
"It appears that body odor is one cue for bed bugs that there
could be a food source nearby," said Harrison. "It may be an
evolutionary trait that leads them to your dirty laundry, which
makes sense, so do everything you possibly can to ensure you do not
attract bed bugs."
When traveling, Orkin suggests using the acronym S.L.E.E.P. to
avoid taking bed bugs home with you.
- Survey surfaces for signs of an infestation, such as
tiny ink-colored spots on mattress tags and seams and bed
skirts.
- Lift and look for all bed bug hiding spots, including
underneath the mattress, bed frame, headboard and furniture. Adults
are about the size, shape and color of an apple seed when fully
grown, and nymphs are about the size of a pinhead and ivory in
color.
- Elevate your luggage on a luggage rack away from the bed
and wall, since bed bugs can often hide behind head boards,
artwork, picture frames and electrical outlet panels. Luggage can
also be placed in a garbage bag or the bathtub.
- Examine your belongings carefully while repacking and
when you return home. Always keep luggage off the bed and store it
in a closet or other area, far away from your bedroom. Keep dirty
clothes contained in a sealed bag.
- Place all your clothing from your luggage immediately in
the dryer for at least 15 minutes at the highest setting upon
returning home from travel.
"It is best to contact a licensed pest control professional if
you think you have bed bugs," said Harrison. "You do not want to
try and combat these pests yourself. Professionals can identify
infestations using a variety of techniques like visual inspections,
monitors, trained bed bug-sniffing dogs and DNA testing, in which
common areas bed bugs are found can be swabbed and tested to
confirm if bed bugs are present."
About Orkin, LLC
Founded in 1901, Atlanta-based Orkin is an industry leader in
essential pest control services and protection against termite
damage, rodents and insects in the United
States, Canada,
Europe, South America, Central America, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Asia, the Mediterranean and Africa. With more than 400 locations,
Orkin's almost 8,000 employees serve approximately 1.7 million
customers. The company serves homeowners and numerous industries,
including food and beverage processing, foodservice, hospitality,
healthcare, retail, warehousing, property/facilities management,
schools and institutions. Orkin is proud to be recognized by
the
National Pest Management Association as a QualityPro and
GreenPro-certified company, addressing not only our customer's pest
control needs, but also their concern for protecting the
environment. Learn more about Orkin at http://orkin.com. Orkin is a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Rollins Inc. (NYSE: ROL).
SOURCE Orkin, LLC