Keep bed bugs at bay this holiday

Ahead of the peak holiday season one organisation has issued guidelines to families who don’t want to bring any unwelcome guests back from their break. The Restoration Industry Association (RIA) in the US has published advice guiding holidaymakers on how to not pick up bed bugs while staying in guest beds away from home. In a press release issued on July 6th, the RIA say most bed bugs are “about the size of an apple seed and visible to the naked eye,” and have “flat, rusty-red coloured oval bodies. Although bites from bed bugs pose little to no threat to human health, they can disturb sleep and cause itchy welts on legs where they bite. The RIA warned holidaymakers to check beds in holiday accommodation for bed bugs, stating that they can hide behind headboards and mattresses. They also advised travellers to keep their clothing in Ziploc bags within their suitcase to prevent them picking up bed bugs from other bedroom furniture items that could in turn be carried home.