Guide to Finding Bed Bugs in Hotels

A close up of a bed bug in Peekskill NY - Garrie Pest Control

A bed bug problem in their establishment is the last thing any hotel manager wants to hear about. If a hotel guest finds bed bugs before management can hire exterminators to get rid of them, they can expect to see an influx of bad reviews, lost service, and even the possibility of a closure. If you work in the hospitality industry and you’re looking to find the best way to make sure your building stays bed bug-free, keep reading. Here at Garrie Pest Control, we’re proud to employ the best bed bug removal team in Peekskill NY, and we have some advice from our team to yours about checking for bed bugs.

Why Do Bed Bugs Like Hotels?

There are a few reasons why hotels are the perfect places for bed bug populations to spread:

  • Hotels are quite busy. With people coming in and out all the time, bed bugs always have the chance of finding a new host to feed on.
  • People bring belongings in and out of hotels. When you store your luggage on the floor, bed bugs hiding in your hotel room have an easy opportunity to climb inside and travel to a new location.
  • There are tons of hiding places in hotels. Beyond your mattress, a hotel room is filled with possible hiding places for bed bugs everywhere you look.

5 Spots to Look for Bed Bugs in Hotels

It is crucial to be exhaustive in your bed bug inspections—these are tiny critters that are expert hiders. These are the 5 areas to look for bed bugs in your hotel:

  1. Mattress, box spring, and bed frame: Bed bugs have an easy time hiding in the zippers and seams of mattresses and mattress covers, as well as the joints and slats of bed frames.
  2. Furniture: Bed bugs prefer any kind of upholstered material with seams and joints to nestle into. Check your chairs, couches, ottomans, and similar furniture, being sure to lift up pillows and inspect any crevices.
  3. Wardrobes, dressers, and baseboards: The places where your dresser meets the wall might leave enough room for bed bugs to find a good hiding spot. Also, check within all drawers and cabinets.
  4. Nightstands and wall fixtures. Anything at all that touches the wall might create a good bed bug hiding spot. You should even check behind clocks and paintings that are hung on the wall.
  5. Closet items: Wherever guests store their luggage, there is the chance that you’ll find a bed bug infestation. Luggage stands and shelves might have picked up bed bugs from someone’s suitcase.

You can read our full guide to hotel bed bug inspections here >>

Professional Bed Bug Inspections in Peekskill NY

To be sure that you’re providing a bed bug-free environment for all of your guests, you should team up with your local pest control company. At Garrie Pest Control, we train our bed bug removal team in all kinds of extermination tactics, from targeted spot treatments to holistic heat treatments. We have the ability to collaborate with you to create a plan that will tackle any bed bug problem, no matter how big or small. For a free quote, get in touch today!

Types of Household Bugs in New York [2021 Update]

Bed bugs are a common household pest in New York - Garrie Pest Control

Nobody wants bugs in their homes. Bugs can contaminate food, bite people and pets, and generally creep you out, too. So what can you do about the many varieties of bugs that are native to the state of New York, particularly in the Hudson Valley area. The good news is most pests will stay outdoors. Occasionally, though, they can make their way indoors. To avoid the frustration and surprise of finding pests in your home, it’s important to know how to protect your home from the most common ones! The pest experts at Garrie Pest Control are here to share everything you need to know about the four most common pests in the great state of New York.

Pests in New York

1. Cockroaches

Infamously gross and hardy, cockroaches are tough to kill. You could squish every roach that you see, but what can you do about the elusive nests of cockroaches that may be living in your cabinets, walls, or attic?

The key to cockroach control is preventing cockroach invasions in the first place. Seal up cracks in doors, windows, and walls, keep your home clean, and try to avoid eating outside of the kitchen or dining room. Also, make sure you keep your food tightly sealed away in airtight containers. If cockroaches access your food supply, they can spread incredibly dangerous diseases.

2. Bed Bugs

Some of the most difficult bugs to kill, bed bugs spread like a disease, latching onto a single person and spreading across entire homes, neighborhoods, and even cities. Bed bugs hide in mattresses, closets, baseboards, and other areas where they can form tiny but highly populated nests. They’re infamous for biting humans at night, feeding on their blood.

Bed bugs are difficult to kill, often requiring the use of heat treatments that essentially cook them to death, including their eggs. You must kill bed bug eggs if you hope to eliminate the infestation. This is why most other methods that target adult bed bugs just don’t work. It’s best to enlist the help of a bed bug control expert.

3. Termites

These dangerous pests are infamous for being costly. The very word “termite” should send a shudder down every homeowner’s spine. They eat dead plant matter, which often consists of building materials in homes, like wooden frames, cabinets, flooring, and furniture. New York homes commonly deal with termites, making it important to put prevention in place all year long.

If you notice deep grooves or holes in wood, your home may have termites. Always contact a termite control professional as soon as possible to begin termite intervention. As some of the most costly and destructive bugs on earth, professional termite prevention should be at the top of your priority list as a homeowner!

4. Pantry Pests

Like roaches, pantry beetles are hungry for just about anything you’ll take home to them. Sadly, their home may happen to be your kitchen pantry, hence the name of this common New York beetle. Pantry beetles are incredibly destructive to human food sources, and can often infect flour mills and grocery stores. This sadly means that you may take a pantry beetle infestation home with you.

Try to keep all food stored in airtight containers, especially sugary and flour-based foods that pantry beetles love. If you notice these food-eating pests in your home, it’s smart to get advice from your local pantry pest control experts.

Pest Prevention for New Yorkers

At Garrie Pest Control, we know that no homeowner wants to have pests in their home. We are proud to work with homeowners in the Hudson Valley and Peekskill NY area to customize pest control plans that keep homes pest-free year-round. To learn more, contact us today to get started!