Ahhh, you’re all snug in your comfy bed. You’ve got the best pillow in the world, your favorite blanket, and thanks to the RV you just purchased you are in the middle of nowhere which means, peace and quiet. Nothing but the sound of crickets chirping. All is good as you drift off to dreamland. When you awake however, it looks as if you’ve been branded by an alien life form. Red, itchy spots on your body… you may even notice three of these spots in a row. This could be a sign of bed bugs. Bed bugs are small, nocturnal, wingless insects that belong to the family of Cimicidae. They feed on human blood and other warm-blooded hosts. If you bought a used RV, and didn’t buy and brand new mattress, it is possible that you may have some new best friends that enjoy feasting on you on while you sleep.
You can look on the mattress for dark colored spots or on the headboard and walls for small brown or black marks. Bed bugs are no fun, and can be tough to get rid of. Here are some facts from pest world that will help educate you on these tiny, but quite unpleasant creatures:
- Bed bugs can lay one to five eggs in a day and more than 500 in a lifetime.
- Bed bugs can survive for several months without eating.
- Bed bugs can withstand a wide range of temperatures, from nearly freezing to 122 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Bed bugs draw blood for about five minutes before retreating to digest.
- Bed bugs hatchlings are so small they can pass through a stitch-hole in a mattress.
- Bed bugs can ingest seven times their own weight in blood, which would be the equivalent of an average-sized male drinking 120 gallons of liquid.
- Bed bugs are found in all 50 U.S. states.
A bed bug infestation has nothing to do with cleanliness – you can pick them up in even the finest hotels, and they can hitchhike into the cleanest homes at any time. Orkin has some great advice on how to get rid of bed bugs:
Traveling
When traveling, think of the acronym S.L.E.E.P. to remember the following action steps to help avoid taking bed bugs home with you.
- Survey surfaces for signs of an infestation, such as tiny rust-colored spots on bed sheets, 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. Typically, they come out at night to feed, but during the day, they are most likely found within a 5-foot radius of the bed.
- 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.
- Examine your luggage 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.
- 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.
In the House
When at home, follow these handy tips to help keep bed bugs at bay.
- Remove all clutter from your home, which makes finding bed bugs easier.
- Wash and dry your bed linens often using the hottest temperature allowed for the fabric.
- Closely inspect any second-hand furniture for bed bugs before you bring it into your residence.
- Inspect your residence regularly – after a move-in, a trip, a service worker comes in, or guests stay overnight.
Remember, bed bugs transfer easily, so to prevent them from traveling from the RV into your home, you’ll want to make sure everything has been cleaned and the RV has been properly treated. If you’re purchasing your RV from Paul Evert’s RV Country, or just want a better quality mattress, we sell brand new mattresses. Visit any of our locations and test our sample mattresses! We’ve tested them, and they come highly recommended!
Happy RV’ing and don’t let the bed bugs bite!
