Atlanta ranked 7th among U.S. cities for bed bug service requests in a 2026 Terminix report, and Southern states are recording a documented rise in travel-related infestations. That pattern isn’t happening in spite of summer travel from this region. It’s happening because of it. Every hotel stay, every rideshare, every airport layover is an opportunity for a bed bug to hitch a ride home with you.
At Astro Exterminating Services, we’ve been identifying and treating pest problems across Georgia and Florida since 1969. Over more than five decades, summer has consistently brought the same pattern: more travel, more exposure, more calls about infestations that started with a single trip. The good news is that a little preparation goes a long way.
Why Summer Is the Highest-Risk Season for Bed Bugs
Bed bug activity doesn’t spike because the insects change behavior in summer. It spikes because people travel more, and every vacation creates another opportunity for these hitchhiking pests to move between properties. A busy hotel running at peak occupancy turns over dozens of rooms daily, each one a potential transfer point.
In the Southeast, the seasonal risk compounds for a biological reason. Florida’s summer heat accelerates the reproductive cycle of Cimex lectularius, the common bed bug species, while the region’s humidity helps bugs survive longer indoors. Warmer temperatures cause eggs to hatch and nymphs to mature faster than they would in cooler climates, meaning a small introduction can grow into an established presence more quickly here than elsewhere in the country. Southern states including Georgia and Florida are also seeing a rise in infestations tied to increased international travel, adding another layer to the summer picture.
The Misconception That Puts Travelers at Risk
Most people assume bed bugs are a problem for cheap hotels or careless travelers. That assumption is wrong, and it’s the main reason so many people come home with unwanted guests. Bed bugs don’t discriminate by hotel star rating, thread count, or price point. They go where people go.
A 2026 NPMA Harris Poll survey found that only 32% of Americans can identify a bed bug on sight, and just 30% know how to inspect for them. Most travelers checking into summer accommodations are already at a disadvantage before they set their luggage down. The exposure risk extends beyond hotel rooms, too. Airports, rideshare vehicles, and shared seating areas in transit spaces can all serve as transfer points during peak travel season.
How to Inspect a Hotel Room Before You Unpack
The most effective habit you can build takes less than five minutes and happens before you unpack a single item. Start by placing your luggage on a hard, non-porous surface in the bathroom as soon as you enter the room. Do not set it on the bed, on the carpet, or on upholstered furniture. The bathroom floor or tub is your holding area while you inspect the rest of the space.
Work through the room systematically:
- Mattress and box spring: Pull back the bedding and examine seams, corners, and tufts for dark fecal spotting, shed skins, eggshells, or live insects. These indicators are small but visible under good light.
- Headboard and bed frame: Check crevices, screw holes, and any upholstered sections. Headboards are a primary harborage point because they sit close to where people sleep.
- Nightstands and upholstered furniture: Pull out drawers and check the underside and back panels. Inspect seams on any chairs or sofas in the room.
- Luggage rack: Before using it, inspect the rack itself. Woven fabric straps can hold fecal stains and eggs, and hollow legs are potential hiding spots. If the rack looks suspect, keep your bag on a hard surface or in the tub.
Protecting Your Luggage During & After Your Trip
Keep suitcases zipped and stored on hard surfaces for the duration of your stay. Hard-shell luggage offers fewer harborage points than soft-sided bags and is easier to wipe down at checkout. Before you walk through your front door, inspect your luggage in a well-lit outdoor space or your garage, checking seams, zippers, and pockets with a flashlight for dark spots, shed skins, or live insects.
Once inside, move directly to the laundry. Wash travel clothing in the hottest water the fabric allows, then dry on high heat. Per EPA guidance, it’s the sustained heat of the dryer that kills bed bugs at all life stages. Washing alone isn’t sufficient. Store inspected luggage away from sleeping areas until you’re confident nothing came home with you.
What to Watch for After You Return Home
Most travelers assume that if they don’t notice anything within a few days, they’re in the clear. The timeline doesn’t work that way. Early warning signs can take two to four weeks to appear, by which point the memory of the trip has faded and the connection is easy to miss.
Know what to look for in the weeks after travel:
- Rust-colored stains on sheets: Small blood smears from crushed bugs or feeding activity, usually appearing near where you sleep.
- Dark spots near mattress seams: Fecal spotting about the size of a pen dot that may bleed slightly into fabric like a marker would.
- A sweet, musty odor: In an enclosed room with an active infestation, the scent glands of bed bugs produce a faint, unpleasant odor often described as coriander or overripe fruit.
- Shed skins: As nymphs mature through five life stages, they shed their outer casing each time. Translucent, hollow shells near sleeping areas are a strong indicator.
Don’t rely on bites alone to make a determination. Reactions to bed bug bites vary widely. Some people show welts within hours; others don’t react at all. Physical evidence around sleeping areas is more reliable than skin marks.
One bed bug introduced to a home can develop into a much larger problem. A single mated female can lay one to five eggs per day, and at warm Southern temperatures, those eggs can hatch in roughly six to twelve days. Early detection is the best way to keep a small exposure from becoming a significant infestation.
If You See the Signs, Act Quickly
If those warning signs appear after you return home, we’re ready to help. Astro Exterminating Services has been identifying and treating bed bug infestations across Georgia and Florida since 1969. We offer two distinct treatment programs: fumigation with optional residual chemical treatment and traditional chemical treatment, along with ongoing monitoring after treatment is complete and a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Call us at (229) 404-4872 to talk through what you’re seeing and find out which approach fits your situation.