Summer Travel = Increased Bed Bug Exposure

By Marcus Hagberg

American summers: beaches, sun, and now bed bugs.

In fact, 66% of pest control professional reported that bed bugs are worse in the summer compared to other seasons.  And whether you manage hotels, multi-family, commercial offices or other types of property, your building will most likely come into contact with this pest. Bed bugs are great hitchhikers, commonly taking rides on clothing, suitcases, and even cars/buses to their next destination. Given such, bed bug infestations spread during the summer months due to:

  • increased holiday travel;
  • increased use of shared transportation (e.g., rental cars, public buses); and
  • increased stays in shared, short-term residences (e.g., hotels/ motels, Airbnb). 

Furthermore, the warmer weather accelerates bed bug development, from 4 months to 1.5 months. This means that the bed bug population actually increases over the summer months. Therefore, due to various factors bed bug infestations actually spread more widely and bed bug populations increase over the summer months. While this reality can undoubtedly cause problems for your property having a proactive and consistent strategy to address bed bugs is an effective mitigation plan. Read below about a recent bed bug inspection we conducted at a major Midwest university to help them address a specific bed bug complaint.

With nearly 21 million students expected to attend American colleges and universities this fall it is no coincidence that nearly half of pest control professionals have encountered bed bug infestations at colleges/ universities. 
 

CDIS recently experienced this firsthand when a major university in the Midwest contacted us to conduct an emergency inspection of its 1,500 dormitories. Within 24 hours we mobilized multiple certified teams on-site and systematically inspected 1,500+ dormitories over a four day period.  This situation is not atypical. Bed bugs thrive in areas of high concentration with people and their belongings as colleges/universities are particularly vulnerable given their constant circulation.

Common areas where bed bugs have been found in colleges/ universities include:

  • dormitories / student housing
  • lounges and open work spaces
  • libraries and computer labs

To learn more about our bed bug inspection and bed bug educational services, please contact Andy Murray with Canine Detection & Inspection Services at:  

 (630)728-4491 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.