Bed bugs are horrible. They hide during the day and suck the blood out of you when you sleep. They are very small and difficult to see, and difficult to get rid of.

Bed bugs don't swarm, yet infestations are spreading like wildfire around the United States, possibly occurring in large part due to international travel from other countries where the insects are more prevalent. Since spreading these insects requires only for one egg to be picked up on clothing on in luggage and then transported to a new location, such as your bedroom, you can see how it spreads very easily.

Here's how to protect yourself from getting bed bugs when you travel:

1- Don't assume that the presence of bed bugs is affected by the price of the room. Infestations can occur in all types of rooms in all price ranges.

2- Don't assume these parasites are present only in hotels. Victims have reported getting bitten in hotels, hospitals, nursing homes, and dorms. You can also pick up the insects when you visit someone.

3- Ask the hotel if your room may have bed bugs, but be prepared that they may not know or may not be truthful about the answer. Still, you may glean important information.

4- Consider travelling with a flashlight. Then, assuming you want to rent the room, FIRST check the room for bed bugs before taking any of your property inside. Check the mattress cover, tops, seams, sides and cracks very carefully, Also check around the bed near the floor, the headboard, nightstand, sheets, wall hanging, bedspread and baseboards. If you see insects or black specks or very small black smudges or blots, leave the room immediately, consider cleaning your shoes before getting in your car, and make other arrangements.

5- Assuming your room passes inspection, take your bags in, but don't place them on the floor. Instead, place them in the bathroom or on top of furniture. Let as little of your property as possible touch the floor. Throw the comforter in a corner of the room as far from your bed and property as possible.

6- Keep a laundry bag that seals and put as many of your items in it as possible to avoid picking up eggs or bugs and transporting them. When you're home, wash and dry the items in as hot heat as possible. Heat can kill the bugs.

7- If, soon after returning home, you find red marks on your body similar in appearance to mosquito bites, treat your home with food grade diatomaceous earth as soon as possible. Diatomaceous earth kills many insects naturally and without toxic chemicals, including bed bugs, fleas, ants, cockroaches, silverfish and garden insects.

By taking these simple precautions you'll not only sleep better when you travel, but you'll stand a much higher chance of never suffering from a bed bug infestation in your home.

Copyright: You may freely republish this article, provided that the text, author credit, the active links and this copyright notice remain intact.

Food grade diatomaceous earth is a safe, highly effective, all natural treatment for fleas, ticks and many other insects, including bed bugs and is available at www.AllNaturalPetHealth.com. More information on diatomaceous earth is available at http://www.allnaturalpethealth.com/AZ161.html and http://www.allnaturalpethealth.com/diatomaceous_earth.html.