Bed bugs are back and are becoming a global pandemic. These tiny pests have not been a problem for the past 50 years – until now. Most experts say that the ban of DDT and frequent international travel are to blame. However, some experts think there is more to it than that. Before the 1950’s most people had an awareness of bed bugs and took precautionary measures when traveling to destinations where they thought they might encounter bed bugs. They were vigilant about checking their hotel rooms and where they placed their personal belongings, making every attempt not to bring the blood sucking pests home. Today, most people have lost their bed bug consciousness. People now need to develop a new state of bed bug awareness so that we change our behavior and avoid transporting bed bugs from place to place.

 

Here are five inexpensive tools to help you stay one step ahead of the bed bugs:

 

1. Bed Bug Beware guide by David Cain ($19.99): First, do some research. Loaded with color photos, expert tips, and costly mistakes to avoid, this book is critical to understanding our new bedroom enemy. Don’t just read it and file it away, rather, share it with all your friends, neighbors and even your children. Kids are especially good at identifying insects.

 

2. TEKZ 9-LED Compact Flashlight ($6.99): A bright, LED flashlight is an essential tool for anyone to detect bedbugs at home or while travelling. Use this flashlight to inspect for bed bugs, or their tell-tale signs (black spots and cast skins) around bedding, behind headboards, under nightstands or with any bed bug monitor. Be sure to shine light in any crack or crevice, including screw holes, where bed bugs are commonly located.

 

3. BugZip® Luggage & Clothing Encasements (Starts at $9.99): Zip up your bags and belongings whenever you stay outside your home, preferably with bags like BugZip® that are specially designed to keep bed bugs out. Don’t leave shoes, computers or souvenirs out in the open as bed bugs love to crawl into tiny cracks and crevices in these items. Make sure everything is zipped up when not in use. Protect your belongings while staying at hotels, or even a friend’s or relative’s home, and you will have gone a long way to keeping bed bugs from coming home with you.

 

4. Box Spring Encasements (Starts at $35): If bed bugs ever get into your home they will want to harbor and lay eggs underneath and inside the box spring. This clever hiding place is why it takes many people months to realize that bed bugs are living in their beds. Zipping up your box spring will force them into other areas where you will spot them much easier.

 

5. BB Alert Passive Monitor ($19.95): A little bed bug hotel that can detect them in only a few days instead of a few months. Just check the monitor’s white background for little black spots about once a week using the LED flashlight and you will catch bedbugs before they have a chance to multiply. With other traps you will catch many little bugs which may not be bed bugs. The BB Alert Passive Monitor will only show black spots if bed bugs are residing inside. Many people do not react to bed bug bites so these monitors may be the only way to know you are being bitten nightly.

 

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