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8 SOUTHERN SENIOR MAGAZINE | Summer 2020 Bedbugs like to travel just as much as people do. To make sure none of these blood-sucking pests hitch a ride home with you in your luggage, or in your dirty clothes, experts advise thoroughly investigating your hotel room before you tuck in for the night. "If you stay in a location that has bedbugs, these pests could hitch a ride on you or your belongings and begin an infestation wher- ever you go, including your home," a representative for the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has said. And if you’re thinking any unwanted stowaways will simply die off in your suit- case, think again. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, bedbugs can live for months without access to a food source. Of course, that food source would be you and your family. Even though they don’t transmit diseases, bedbug infestations can be costly, time-consuming and traumatic to remedy, which is why it’s essential to check for them wherever you’re staying— no matter how “nice” the place seems. Also, if you purchase used furniture from Goodwill, or other bargain stores, be careful and inspect your purchase before you buy. Or, if a family or friend wants to gift you with a used item, this is another way to trans- fer bedbugs into your home. There are many ways to combat bedbugs once they have set up residence in your home, but you must be vigilant, and stay on top of things until all signs of this pest are gone. Even one bed- bug remaining can cause another breakout. There are expensive sprays that can be used to kill these pests, but keep in mind, even if you kill every bug you see, there are still hundreds or even thousands of eggs that haven’t yet hatched that will join your family in just a few days. So, it takes a series of treatments to completely solve the problem. Here’s another problem to consider. After bed bugs are eradi- cated from an infestation, they leave behind a potentially un- healthy souvenir that lingers in the air for months afterward. New research from North Carolina State University shows homes that have been treated for bed-bug infestations have lev- els of histamines, the chemicals responsible for allergies and other immune reactions, up to 20 times higher than homes that had never been infested. Although bed bugs can be successfully eradicated through heat treatments, these histamines can remain in household dust for as long as three months after the insects are gone. The new study, published Feb. 12 in the journal PLOS One, suggests that exterminators need to develop a treatment for bedbug infestation that involves a deep cleaning to rid the home of these extra chemicals. Bedbugs produce histamines as a way of signaling to one another for mating or warning purposes. They excrete them as waste in the folds of fabric where they make their homes. Because bedbugs are notoriously resistant to pesticides, the most effective treatment involves essentially roasting the insects. Ex- terminators crank the heat up to 125 to 150 °F for four hours and circulate the hot air with fans. What are the signs that you have bedbugs? Here are the most common ones to look for: Itchy bumps develop from bed bug bites This isn’t always the first sign you might notice, but it is a pretty clear warning sign for bed bugs in your home. Bed bugs suck blood and when they do that on humans, it can end up leaving itchy, red, bumpy bite marks. Unfortunately, it may take time for these bite marks to develop because when bed bugs feed on humans, they also inject an anes- thetic which numbs the pain associated with their feeding. By Meghan Overdeep FreelanceWriter/Editor Bedbugs are the Worst Vacation Souvenirs