I dont want to go away on holidays because of beebugs

[SheepGoesBaa]

Me an my partner, so far has been going on European holidays and they been a joy and a pleasure. I really love places steeped in culture.

We were eyeing up Italy for this summer but had nothing planned. He saw an add in the paper for a Carribbean holiday and a great offer for one week with flights included. When he told me I said 'mmmm' and just left it at that. He went to the travel agents today and he's pleased with what the offer is and now he's pushing it to go there.

I'm not keen on American holidays because I read before that there is an epidemic of bedbugs in America. Has anyone ever been to the Carribbean? How about bedbugs? Am I being silly about the bedbugs fear? I'm not a great traveller either. Flights into a state in America with an overnight stay there followed by transfers there. The dates are for next winter too. It's just so far away and I would prefer to break up the year and break up the summer too or even aim at a September holiday.

The title should read - bedbugs

I've stayed in America many times and never seen bedbugs. Only ever seen them in a UK travelodge and a hotel in Barcelona!

I worked in a homeless shelter absolutely stuffed with them and never brought them home.

Use the suitcase stand.

Wash everything you have the second you get home on hot, dry as well if you have a dryer.

If you're really obsessed you can check the bed by taking the sheets off, looking at the edges for spots of dried blood.

They are just flightless mosquitoes that don't carry any diseases (unlike mosquitoes that have killed more people than every other animal combined and no one is scared of them).

Didn't see any sign of bedbugs the three times I've travelled in the Caribbean.

Are you going to the Caribbean or USA. Never seen a bed bug anywhere! Stay somewhere decent! If it’s the Caribbean why are you going to the USA first? That’s a huge detour!

Disappointed there isn't really a creature called a beebug. They sound cute.

Been to the Caribbean a couple of times and the USA a few times and never seen a bedbug

I've travelled all over the USA and Canada over the last 15 years, including youth hostels, real budget motels and some really amazing hotels as well and have never encountered bedbugs. In fact I spent a year youth hostelling across Canada and was always fine.

I think you are over reacting though. The risk is real, but very small. You can check rooms before you unpack if you are really worried, but the worry shouldn't stop you from travelling, there's an amazing world out there!

People freak out about them more in the USA because they nearly went extinct when you could use DDT.

They are present in all of the continental USA but also most other countries.

I've traveled widely in the US and have never come across them there.

Dd just got back from travelling around Europe and her friend got badly bitten on the first night in Berlin.

They're apparently no more prevalent in hostels than anywhere else. Hostels have mostly started to discourage the use of sleeping bags and now provide their own linen which is presumably boil washed.

Dd's bag is currently in a bin bag until I can deal with helping her inspect everything

Her clothes were baked in the drier then washed then dried.

Her bitten friend had a bit of a miserable time and had to get antihistamine cream etc.

They do carry pathogens but can't transmit blood borne viruses AFAIK.

Yeah I did get bedbugs in a hostel in Berlin too about 7 years ago! The only time ever when travelling. I was travelling as part of a very large group, about 45 of us all spread over the hostel, I was the only one affected. The hostel froze all my belongings in deep freeze for 24 hours and I had no problems at home.

I'm being way over cautious because I can't afford remedial work if we ever did have an infestation and I have a lot of old books I love.

I'm the same with fabric moths.
Which is a good thing - I once left some new fibre (for spinning) in the clear plastic bags it had come in for a good while 'just in case' and it was full of moths after a week.

I couldn't cope with an infestation and having to recarpet and throw out fabric and yarn etc

We have been twice to the Caribbean and never saw a single one. I went twice to NY for work, not a single bedbug. DH travels to the US several times a year, no bug.

Unless you plan to go to very low budget hotels which rents rooms by the hour I wouldn’t worry

Statistics show you're more likely to be shot on an American holiday than encounter bedbugs.

I’ve travelled all over the world and I’ve never experienced bedbugs while traveling. The only time we got them was when we lived abroad and our neighbours got them and then crawled across to our flat. Not even something I’d think to worry about! I lived in the US for 20+ years (in Manhattan) and don’t know anyone who’s ever had bedbugs there.