Tourists heading to hotels in Spain have been warned of a worsening European problem – a 500% increase in the population of bed bugs known to feed on human blood. This summer season, these parasites are found in popular five-star hotels across the country. In this regard, experts revealed shocking facts about the unpleasant neighborhood to Express, saying that insect bites can cause travelers discomfort and even various allergic reactions, insomnia, or stress.
Rentokil Pest Control Technical Academy Manager Paul Blackhurst told the publication: “While sunscreen and flip flops may be high on the list of priorities, you probably also have to consider the much more unwanted side effect of staying in some hotels – bed bugs. The National Association of Environmental Protection Companies (ANECPLA) has issued a warning to holidaymakers about these parasites living in five-star hotels in popular areas such as Mallorca, Alicante, and the Canary Islands. The bed bug population in Spain has increased by more than 500 percent in recent years.”
Although people may think that bed bugs are only attracted to dirt, an expert noted that such mistakes can put tourists at risk. ANECPLA Director General Jorge Galván explained the situation as follows: “We are concerned about the impact of the resumption of tourism on the epidemic, which is closely related to the hotel sector and tourist homes. It is about bed bugs. This parasitic insect, five to six millimeters long, usually nests in beds, folds of sheets, furniture, or chairs and feeds mainly on human blood. Their bites cause discomfort and even various allergic reactions, insomnia, or stress. Because of their tiny size, they often hide between clothes or in suitcases, causing new infestations in houses, hotels or apartments.”
Blackhurst shared some common bed bug myths that vacationers should know to reduce the risk of waking up bitten. “It is important that vacationers and hotel owners are vigilant about these tiny pests and have the necessary knowledge to effectively control them,” he explained.
Myth one: Bed bugs can jump or fly
“Some people confuse bed bugs with fleas. Bed bugs cannot actually jump or fly, but they can run quite fast, about 120 cm per minute, which makes them difficult to detect,” said the British expert.
Myth Two: Bed bugs can only be found on or around beds
Although their name may suggest that they are exclusively found in beds, an expert explained that they can also hide in other cracks and crevices in the bedroom, such as closets and carpets.
“They also find shelter in upholstered furniture – sofas, curtains, chairs, and even in and around the seats of planes, trains, and buses. These pests are intelligent ‘hitchhikers’ and will happily hitch a ride with people because they like to be closer to body heat, and they will inevitably be looking for their next victim,” Blackhurst added.
Myth three: Bed bugs prefer unsanitary conditions.
These creatures live in dirty and neglected conditions. They live happily and reproduce in purity. The star rating of the hotel is not important for them. “Bed bugs prefer a lot of people to a dirty environment, which means that luxury facilities can also be an easy target,” he warned.
Myth four: Bed bugs cannot be seen with the naked eye
Bed bugs are small, but they are not so small that you cannot see them. “Adult bed bugs can be four to five millimeters long, the size of an apple stone, and enlarge after feeding, but it’s often much easier to find their tracks than to see a live bug. They can be identified by small dark spots of blood, which can look like mold on the edges of mattresses, for example, by dark fecal granules and a characteristic sweetish and nauseating smell,” said the specialist.
Myth five: Bed bugs do not survive in luggage
“It’s very possible to carry these pests home in your luggage, especially if you throw your suitcase on your hotel bed. A simple solution is to put your suitcase or bag in the bath or shower while you check the bed and mattress for any signs of bed bugs. You might also want to hang your clothes instead of using drawers,” said the interlocutor.
Also, read on the topic: The shocking reason to keep your suitcase in the hotel bathroom instead of the bedroom
Myth six: Bed bugs are afraid of the light
Bed bugs may be most active at night, but that doesn’t mean they’ll run away the moment you turn on the light: “Bed bugs aren’t afraid of light, but they’re more active at night when they can easily feed on the blood of their sleeping tourist.”
Myth seven: Bed bugs need a host to stay alive.
Bed bugs can survive up to a year without food, the source said, but female bed bugs will feed more frequently as they need blood to develop their eggs.
Myth eight: bed bug bites will wake up a tourist at night
Although it is difficult not to notice a bed bug bite early in the morning, it will not be immediately clear that the cause of the stain is a bed bug bite. “Bed bugs inject an anesthetic during feeding to desensitize, preventing sleepers from feeling the first bite when they start eating,” he summarized.
DIP previously wrote that “In Egypt, a tourist was bitten by bedbugs and then was not allowed to go to the swimming pool.”