Bed Bugs

Over the past 20 years I have spent quite a few nights in Europe staying at hostels and a few hotels that were just a wee bit seedy. Only once did bed bugs run me out of an establishment. A hostel located in Kinlochleven, Scotland.

In the past I have used Permethrin treatment for my bushwhacking clothes in the spring and summer here in NH and it occurred to me that maybe I should treat my silk sleeping bag liner which I use in hostels. Many hostels require that you bring and use a "sleeping sack" and not a sleeping bag and maybe this would be a way to avoid being bitten in bed.

What do you think folks?

wee bitin' beasties...

Hillwalker, I must have stayed there in Kinlochleven before the bugs arrived. I am sorry you had to meet them
Having hosteled a bit, I'd be thinking that the permethrin applied only to the outside of the sleeping sack, and wearing a layer of clothes to sleep in, might well keep the critters at bay. I'd hope so, as the midge on the hill is bad enough without the bug in the bed...
Slainte, Creag nan drochaid

I'll admit that I have also considered the same...

A few moments with a search engine suggest that permethrin is a useful tool in combating the beasties:
http://www.bed-bug.org/insectisides-for-bed-bugs/
http://www.picaridin.info/permethrin.htm
http://www.bugclinic.com/bedbug.htm
http://www.sawyerproducts.com/faqpermethrin.htm

Lots more hits are available from http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=permethrin+bed+bugs

Doug

The recent publicity for bed bugs is that some strains have developed a resistance to the various pesticides used to traditionally treat them including permetherin. It will probably help in most areas but no guarantees.

I have been thinking alot about this and having grown up in Pest Control, I remember my father doing a few bedbug jobs in the 60's... Back then you could use DDT, Chlordane and/or Lindane, or hell probably even mix them together

Anyways, I have started to cut down on my travel and everytime I do have to go somewhere (granted not hostels) I inspect the bedding and mattress very closely.
for a measure of insurance, after inspecting the bed/bedding, you could pick up a roll of double side tape and apply the tape completely around the legs of the bed to stop any critters that are living behind baseboards and furniture.

Otherwise, I agree with using permethrin as a second measure of control.

It has seemed like a paradox that Bedbugs are getting so much media attention.
If they said they were carrying Lyme disease, malaria or something I would probably be more attentive to it. But here in Nh where we can hardly get treated for Lyme from ticks, bedbugs just kind of gets me wondering if it's more from the marketing end of the spectrum.
Not that I would like the things... eck.