Description
Bed bugs are flat, reddish-brown oval insects measuring 4 to 5 mm — roughly the size of an apple seed. After feeding on blood, they become swollen and darker in color. In Côte d’Ivoire, bed bugs are a growing concern for the hospitality industry, with Abidjan’s hotels, guesthouses and furnished apartments particularly exposed. They are expert hitchhikers, spreading rapidly through luggage, clothing and second-hand furniture.
Habits
Bed bugs feed exclusively on blood, preferring to bite at night while the host is asleep. Under cool conditions, they can survive up to a year without feeding, making them extremely difficult to eliminate without professional treatment. They hide in mattress seams, bed frames, headboards, behind baseboards, electrical outlet plates and picture frames. In hotels, they travel easily between rooms and attach to guests’ luggage, spreading infestations across properties overnight. A single bed bug infestation can devastate a hotel’s reputation — negative reviews citing bed bugs spread rapidly online and are extremely difficult to overcome.
Defense
- Act immediately at the first sign — bed bug infestations grow rapidly. Early detection and professional treatment are critical to preventing a full-scale infestation.
- Inspect regularly — hotels and guesthouses should conduct regular inspections of all rooms, particularly mattress seams, headboards and furniture joints.
- Control luggage and second-hand items — inspect all second-hand furniture before bringing it indoors and encourage guests to inspect their luggage after travel.
- Apply professional heat treatment — bed bugs are resistant to many chemical treatments. Your Orkin Pro uses targeted professional treatments to eliminate infestations completely.
- Wash and dry bedding at high temperatures — regularly laundering bed linens at the highest permitted temperature kills bed bugs and their eggs.
Contact Orkin Côte d’Ivoire today for a free inspection and customized bed bug control program for your hotel or business.