Entomologist Shows How To Check Hotel Rooms For Bedbugs
Timothy Roberts
Cassie Krejci, Ph.D. is an entomologist that sometimes shares videos on TikTok. Recently, she posted a video to give her expert advice on how to search a hotel room for bedbugs.
At the beginning of the video, she talks about how she puts her luggage in the bathroom. She explains that putting the luggage on a hard surface is important so you don't pick up bedbugs before the room is inspected.
Photo: TikTok/@cassiethebugdoc
She also showed us how to check the bed sheets for any signs of bed bugs. Since they are nocturnal feeders, for the most part, they tend to hide in those areas.
If you see bugs that are small and flat and have a reddish-brown color, that is likely a bedbug. They feed on the blood of animals and people while they are sleeping.
Photo: TikTok/@cassiethebugdoc
Krejci said after putting your luggage in the bathroom, you should carefully examine the hotel bed because that is where you will be spending the majority of your time. Pull back the sheets to make sure they are clean first.
Make sure you get down to the bottom sheet and also lift it up. Look for any spots, because you want to look beyond any possible bugs for brown spots that may be a sign that they exist.
She said the brown spots are fecal spots because the bugs take a blood meal, digest the blood and leave behind those brown spots. She said as long as you don't see the brown spots, you're good to go.
Photo: TikTok/@cassiethebugdoc
If you want to go further, look for an encasement on the mattress. This keeps the bedbugs from getting into the mattress. Make sure you unzip it and take a close look.
One other tip is to open the drawer between the two hotel beds and check for blood spots or any bugs inside. You can also look at the furniture cushions.
@cassiethebugdoc Inspecting your hotel room for bed bugs is an important part of traveling! #BedBugs #Terminix #PestControl #FindYourEdge #travel #hotel ♬ original sound - CassieTheBugDoc
Finally, she suggests keeping the luggage on an elevated surface and not on the ground. That will limit the possibility that you will pick up any bugs or other insects and take them along with you.
