Not only can bed bugs invade residential homes, but they can also be a nightmare for businesses like hotels. Hospitality locations not only provide bed bugs with ample areas to nest and feed, but they are also areas where people come from far away and unsuspectingly introduce pests to the property. That’s why it’s important to partner with local pest professionals to keep your Hawaiian hotel safe from these parasites.

Bed Bugs Are More Mobile Than You Think

Because bed bugs spend the majority of their lives infesting items — nesting and feeding — people tend to think bed bugs are sedentary creatures, meaning they don’t move around from place to place. However, bed bugs get around a lot for such tiny, lazy bugs. Rather than use their own legs, they instead cling to clothing, hair, and bags and hitch rides from one location to the next. It’s this behavior that makes them such invasive pests, people often don’t even know they are carrying them around until the bugs have found a place to nest and hide until it’s feeding time. While it’s true that bed bugs tend to target mattresses and box springs, they can actually be found infesting a range of common furniture and cloth-lined items. That’s what makes routine inspections so important, and you have to know what to look for.

How To Spot A Bed Bug Problem

In a hotel, especially, you want a trained staff that can thoroughly clean and check your rooms, not just for mold or messes but for signs of pest infestations, too. Here are some telltale signs to look for:

• Spots: When changing linens, it’s important to check for red or brown dotting that indicates some leftover blood from feedings. Patrons may not even be aware that they’ve been bitten until they’ve checked out for good, leaving it to staff to be careful to check every time.
• Stains: Another thing to check for on linens and mattresses — and nearby furniture — are the yellow stains that are a result of hatching bed bugs or nymphs that have shed their skins.
• Bugs: Being nocturnal feeders, bed bugs themselves try to avoid light, so you’re less likely to see them outright than you are to see some other signs of their presence. That said, the bugs can be seen with the naked eye, despite being so tiny, and they are reddish-brown in color.
• Eggs: Bed bug eggs are black, peppery flakes that are often hidden on the undersides of contaminated items.

Prompt Solutions

The health concerns and gross habits of parasitic pests are bad enough, but for a business, the ramifications can be even greater. Hoteliers obviously don’t want word of a bed bug infestation to spread, damaging your customer base and losing brand loyalty. That’s why prompt solutions are needed to quickly resolve a bed bug problem. Too many business owners try to implement cheaper solutions first, like buying over-the-counter solutions or some method that they saw touted online. Not only are these not guaranteed to kill off bed bugs, but they also will almost certainly not address the larger root of the infestation. The problem is only solved by diligently searching for bed bugs and their eggs, which is frankly not something that untrained workers can do adequately. Instead, turn straight to the experts who can get in and remove a bed bug problem before it harms your bottom line.

Fast & Effective Service From Bullseye K9 Detection

Rather than waste time and money on things that won’t work, save yourself from a growing problem by enlisting the help of your local pest professionals. At Bullseye K-9 Detection, our trained staff have helped numerous businesses, including hotels, with rooting out and eliminating their bed bug problems — before the population has time to spread. This not only saves you from a damaged reputation, but it also creates a working relationship with experts who will follow up often and take a vested interest in keeping your business healthy.

For timely and effective bed bug control, turn to Bullseye K-9 Detection right away.