Bed Bugs in July

[Tox]

I'm heading out in two weeks and am wondering if there are any updates on the bedbug issue so far this year, and projected for July & August. Are they biting?

[HuskyNerd]

I did not have problems with bedbugs in my May 12 - June 20 Camino to Santiago/Finisterre. I heard only two secondhand reports of bedbugs that bit two pilgrims, but it's hard to verify the truth of those reports.

I did bring a permethrin-treated sleeping bag liner to use in albergues I felt were a little dodgy, and perhaps that helped. But based on my personal experience I'd have to say bedbugs seemed to be no bigger problem this year than on my previous caminos in 2008 and 2010.

[Covey]

The problem with bed bugs is that you usually find out about them when it is too late!! In all my trips down to Camino Frances the bed bug problem has been random and there is no pattern to any infestation and no one albergue which we would suggest people avoid.

The best solution is to be prepared! That means spraying your sleeping bag/liner and pack with a 0.5% solution of Permethrin which seems to work well and gives protection through numerous washes. You can usually buy a 500ml bottle of pre-diluted "anti bug" solution in most serious camping stores.

This year I am taking a lightweight single "fitted" sheet which has been treated with Permethrin. The advantage of a fitted sheet is that it totally covers the mattress and sides and protects you if your arms are outside your sleeping bag.

Bed Bugs do not only live in albergues and last year I met a lady who stayed in a hotel in Vianna and was eaten alive overnight.

[HuskyNerd]

Covey, this is great advice! Since coming back from the Camino I've thought a lot about bringing my own fitted sheet so that I could unzip my mummy sleeping bag and use it as a blanket instead. By having the sheet permethrin-treated that would do two jobs at once. Brilliant!

[Covey]

I have used a pre-treated silk sleeping bag liner for the past 4 years and it has been fine, BUT, in order to keep yourself protected you have to keep all of yourself inside the liner. This is harder than it seems, and if you roll over whilst asleep, then there is a good chance that your arms and head are going to come in to contact with the untreated mattress cover and thus provide a route for the little critters to climb aboard for their nightly feast.

The fitted sheet idea came to me last year when I watched a French lady putting her own (untreated) fitted sheet on to a mattress and it suddenly occurred to me that if that fitted sheet was bug treated then the whole of the mattress top AND sides were protected and one would be far less likely to be bitten.

I had a look via Google for a treated fitted sheet and although a couple of specialist travel firms seemed to do one, they were very expensive.

I bought a single sized poly cotton fitted sheet in my local supermarket for €10 and bought a 500ml can of 0.5% Permethrin solution for €7 which was enough to soak the sheet in AND leave some over to spray my pack! A much cheaper solution to the problem than the €65 pre-treated sheet on offer on Amazon!!!

[geraldkelly]

There's an interesting article in this week's Economist magazine about biting insects. It seems our body hair pays a role in how likely bed bugs are to find us an attractive prospect. The research suggests that the more body hair you have the less likely you are to be bitten.

Body hair: The not-so-naked ape | The Economist

Possibly a good excuse to leave your razor at home!

Ger

[HuskyNerd]

Fascinating article, Ger. Thank you for sharing it. I shall now grow hair with reckless abandon.

[Lipka149]

I shall now grow hair with reckless abandon.

Ha ! I can hear it now:

Parishioner: "Why Pastor, what a lovely beard !"
Sandy: "Yes, it keeps the bedbugs at bay."

Go for it, Sandy !!!

[BoxOfFrogs]

Bedbugs, dont you just love the little critters!

Ok, maybe not! I have first hand experience of the little menaces, a particular fire station I was working at a few years back had modern 1 person rooms instead of the old communal dorms. We were operating a 4 watch system so that basically meant the bed was 'shared' by 4 different people over the course of 4 days.

Anyhow, I started waking up with uncomfortable and itchy bites in the night. I just assumed that some sort of mossie or bug had flown in and was having a free lunch. After a week or so it got worse that's when I reported the problem. Some health protection chap came out and sure enough there was the tell tail signs of bedbugs. Apparently if you are getting bitten a lot you can develop a tolerance to the bites and suffer no Ill effects. Turns out the other guys in the room could have been feeding the little blighters for years until I moved into that bed space and noticed the feeding frenzy!

The HPA guy got everyone to wash their bedding at 60 c to kill them off. Luckily I never look any of my bedding home and I always got changed and did my work laundary at work. A few guys were not so lucky and had managed to infest their own homes as well!!

Anyhow, I guess the point is when travelling now I always have a good luck at the mattress I'm sleeping on. Look in and along the seams and look for any flecks of blood ( usually from when a nice and full bed bug gets squished by its squirming victim). If there are any signs I'd be asking for a different bed! They also shed their skin, if underneath the bed doesn't get hoovered out a lot then you will find plenty of evidence under the bed in carpet etc.

Most of the advice here is really good, I will be buying and treating a fitted sheet not only for my upcoming camino but also for hostels here in the uk. Something I have been considering is how effective a silk fitted sheet would be? I know silk can be pricey, but would it be an effective non chemical and lightweight option? I'm sure I could get my hands on some silk at the local rag market then find someone to sow in an elastic seam.

In truth I'm more worried about taking bugs home than getting bitten by them. It was hard enough getting the better half to sign off on 5 weeks away! If I bring home some new friends of the biting variety then I think I really will be in the dog house!

[Scott]

I don't put much stock in the body hair theory. I'm 60 and have been very furry the past 45 years (mucho body hair full beard head hair past my shoulders) and all the little biters love me. I think blood type may play a role. My father could have played Sasquatch and almost never got bit or stung by anything. His bood type was different than the o+ shared by my mother and I. She was very popular with all the little carnivores as well. 12 years back my Dr. put me on a larger than usual daily dose of vit.B complex since then I seem to be a little less attractive to the pest but I'm still getting bit.