This blood-sucking pest may stow away on your Illinois vacation. How to spot, avoid them
If you have any travel plans this year, you may want to be aware of this common pest species that’s found in Illinois, across the U.S. and around the globe.
Bed bugs have made headlines recently for plaguing Paris Fashion Week last year, and the Land of Lincoln is not immune to the insect.
“They’re kind of intricately entwined with us because they feed on our blood for their food source,” Laura Rosenwald, an entomologist with the National Pest Management Association, said in a recent interview with the News-Democrat.
Prior to feeding, bed bugs are round and flat, but they become more red, full and elongated after feeding. The species has six legs and two antennae, and they grow to about three-sixteenths of an inch as an adult, Rosenwald said.
In addition to disrupting people’s rest and leaving behind unsanitary evidence, bed bugs can also cause allergic reactions in some people, Rosenwald continued. Symptoms of a bed bug bite can include inflamed spots and itchiness, according to the Mayo Clinic.
A January article from pest control company Orkin named Chicago the worst U.S. city for bed bugs, and Champaign made 10th place, while St. Louis was in 19th.
Here are some best practices to follow to avoid bringing bed bugs home from your next summer vacation, plus a few other species to keep in mind.
Bed bug prevention tips
Rosenwald recommended Illinois residents thoroughly check their hotel rooms for bed bugs before settling in for the night.
“When you’re traveling, you’re definitely more at risk of picking them up,” Rosenwald said.
Along with the bugs themselves, you may also want to keep an eye out for shedded bed bug skin, eggs and fecal spotting, which can look like pepper or black or red stains on mattresses and other furniture.
When returning from a trip, Rosenwald said it’s important to wash and dry all of your clothes on high heat before putting them away and vacuuming down your luggage before storage.
If you find bed bugs have made their way into your home, Rosenwald recommends calling a pest management professional as soon as possible. They can confirm the type of infestation, as well as ensure safe and effective remediation methods are used.
Bed bugs aren’t the only pests active this season in the metro-east. Destructive termites and carpenter bees can also be found in Illinois, and addressing any moisture concerns in your home is an important mitigation strategy.
Disease-carrying mosquitoes and ticks are also prevalent in the warmer months, as well as cicadas, which have emerged in historic numbers in Illinois this year. Cicadas seem to be on their way out at this point, Rosenwald said, but many were spotted in the St. Louis area at their peak.
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