There’s no faster way to ruin a vacation, business trip or convention than to wake up realizing your hotel left you unaware and fully exposed to a blood-sucking nightmare. When you return home, it’s likely these nocturnal predators have already hitched a ride in your suitcase and are preparing to settle into your home.

Bed bugs have become a national epidemic and while there are a ton of myths about how to avoid and how to get rid of bed bugs, taking preventative measures such as early detections will help prevent an infestation from getting out of control. New monitoring tools called BB ALERT Active and BB ALERT Passive let bed bug victims bust the bugs before they start to bite. Travelers should look for hotels equipped with early detection devices to avoid engaging in high-risk bed bug behavior.

Mathew Kaye, a pest detection and extermination expert with over 20 years of experience, has offered a few tips for defending yourself and family from these veracious insects at home or abroad:

Luggage – Use luggage liners when away on leisure or business trips to ensure bed bugs cannot hitch a ride back home with you. If you suspect that your luggage is carrying more than just your clothes and belongings, keep your suitcase and bags isolated and away from your bedroom on your return home, and have it checked by a professional immediately

Be vigilant at home – Even if you are not traveling, it is best to ensure that all areas at high risk from bed bugs are checked on a regular basis (mattresses, sofas, luggage, etc.). To evade the labor intensive task of routine inspection, a product like BB ALERT® Passive is ideal for continuous unattended monitoring.

Mattresses – We recommend using a mattress encasement product such as the Secure Sleep range ( www.bbalertshop.com/securesleep). No seams ergo bed bugs cannot penetrate them. For more information about early detection and BB ALERT bed bug monitoring tools visit www.bedbugsalert.com.