Insects are coming for your next vacation.
They had it in for Richard Campbell when he checked into a small hotel in Italy’s scenic Cinque Terre area.
At 2 a.m., he awoke to the stings of bug bites on his arms and legs.
“I noticed a few bugs on the headboard and wall,” says Campbell. “It was bedbugs!”
If it seems like insect encounters with travelers are on the rise, it’s because they are. And the reasons are simple. Climate change is making it easier for bugs to multiply. Plus, more people are traveling.
“An increase in travel means an increase in bug encounters,” says Mike Bentley, vice president of training and technical services for the National Pest Management Association.
That’s especially true for bedbug encounters like the one Campell had. Last fall, there was a bedbug scare in Paris. Bedbug infestations have been reported in other major cities, including Hong Kong and Seoul, and on cruise ships. (Some insect experts say these reports are exaggerated and don’t suggest that you cancel your travel plans.)
But there are other insect issues that could affect your next trip. And if you are bugged on your vacation, you have rights that you need to know before you go.
What happens when you’re bugged on vacation?
Campbell, who runs an adventure tour business, is no stranger to difficult traveling conditions. But when he told the proprietor about the unwanted bug encounter the next morning, he didn’t know what to expect.
“They were horrified when they saw me and the bed bugs,” he recalls. “Almost immediately, the innkeeper started yelling at her husband. I guess she had told him that she didn’t like the last group of travelers — and now look what happened. It was a bit like George Constanza’s parents arguing from Seinfeld.”
The owners went out of their way to fix the problem. They moved Campbell to a different room, laundered his clothes and gave him medication for his bug bites. They had the room fumigated the same day.
They also refunded his room and gave him 40 euros in cash to compensate him for the trouble. (Related: These unwanted guests joined us on vacation. Here’s what we did about them.)
“They also asked me not to post a negative review online, since it would ruin their business,” he says.
He didn’t, but plenty of other people do. You can read their misfortunes online in places like the Bedbug Report.
Most people freak out when they see an insect on vacation. They lose their minds and make the most outrageous demands, like asking for all their money back plus reparations and an apology from the general manager. Sometimes they get it, sometimes not. But nothing makes people lose their minds like creepy-crawlies in their bed at night. Nothing.
What kind of bug encounters can you expect when you travel?
Bedbugs are hardly the only insect encounters you can expect when you’re on the road. Here are just a few ways travelers are getting bugged:
- Ants. They’ve always been there, but increased tourism has meant the ants are more active because people are leaving crumbs in their rooms and rental apartments. I’ve heard about more ant encounters in vacation rental properties and apartments, although they can also happen in hotels that aren’t cleaned as frequently as they should be. (Related: “When I walked into the room everything was covered with bugs”.)
- Bees. If you’re hiking somewhere, you might run into bees. They’re usually harmless, although I’ve had some encounters with Africanized honeybees on a recent visit to Barbados that would make you extra cautious. “If you step on a nest, they will come out in force to defend their home,” says Jeff Weinstein. a paramedic and a medical operations manager for Global Rescue. “That’s when you need to get away as quickly as possible. There’s a risk of a deadly allergic reaction to a bee sting.”
- Mosquitoes. They’re not just annoying and ever-present in the woods and near rivers. Higher rainfall means these insects are everywhere. “Mosquitoes are known for spreading diseases such as dengue, Zika, chikungunya, and yellow fever,” says Bob Bacheler, managing director of Flying Angels, a medical transport service. “They can also carry several infectious diseases like malaria and Dengue fever.” (Related: Vampire bugs ruined my honeymoon.)
- Roaches. Also a favorite of vacation rentals, they have been popping up in all kinds of places — and making travelers wish they’d stayed home.
By the way, this is hardly a comprehensive list. Don’t even get me started on spiders. I’ll never forget the enormous tarantula I found in the kitchen of my vacation rental in Sedona, Ariz. I turned the light on and it scurried away.
The point is, there are a lot of bugs that can getcha when you’re traveling. And what are your rights? I’m glad you asked.
What are your rights when you find an insect during your travels?
Hotels will typically send you to a new room in a different area when you encounter bedbugs, says Keith Robinson, the vice president for pest control at expense management company Fine Tune US.
“They may also upgrade you to a better room as an apology, or refund your stay,” he says. (Here’s our guide to the best travel advice.)
There are no hard-and-fast rules for other insect encounters.
If you experience severe ant infestation in say a vacation rental booked through Airbnb or Vrbo, you may be able to negotiate a full or partial refund. I’ve personally negotiated refunds on behalf of customers through my consumer advocacy organization. But there are no published policies — or even regulations — that would require a full refund when you find a bug in your apartment.
The best advice, when it comes to your consumer rights, is to negotiate. There may be no rules for refunding a bedbug-infested rental, but there are consequences. A promise to post your encounter online might squeeze a manager or host to fix the problem, but it’s always better to ask politely. If they don’t believe you, show them the pictures you took when you first found insects.
You’re better off avoiding insects altogether.
Try these pro bug travel strategies
Some places are buggier than others, experts say.
“If you want to avoid insects as much as possible, don’t go to beaches, lakes, or any place with water really,” says Dini Miller, an urban pest management specialist for the state of Virginia who teaches at Virginia Tech.
In other words, you might want to skip that airboat ride in the Everglades if you’re squeamish about insects. Ditto for the Caribbean in the rainy season. Insects live everywhere, so there’s no guarantee you’ll escape the bugs on vacation — but you can make an educated guess.
Take a close look. “Inspect the area where you are staying,” says Eric Braun, a technical services manager at Terminix. “If you notice any activity, bring it to the attention of the front desk and ask to be moved.” Pro tip: Take photos of the insects before you ask for a transfer — that way, you’ll have proof of insect life.
Keep a clean apartment. If you’re in a vacation rental, make sure you keep the place tidy, especially the kitchen. On a recent visit to Santiago, Chile, during the middle of the summer, I found the ants immediately attacked anything I left on the counter. Solution: Don’t leave anything on the counter.
Don’t take any bugs home. Remember, insects can hitch a ride — and sometimes do. “When I arrive home I leave my luggage outside my house,” says Kathy Lopez, a frequent traveler and author from Prescott, Ariz. “I unpack my clothes, put them in a bag, dump them in the washer, wash and dry them before putting them away. I hose down my suitcase before I stash it and spray it with Lysol.”
If you travel, you’ll probably encounter an insect or two. Don’t lose your cool — and remember that you have certain rights, even if they’re not in writing.
