Bed Bug Registry: 5 Things You Should Know

In an attempt to help more people know about bed bug infestations, including helping travelers become more aware of the problem that exists in the United States and Canada, an online bed bug registry was created. 

The bed bug registry is a fantastic free resource offering a myriad of information. Here are some quick facts about its origin and usefulness:

1. Why was it created? The bed bug registry was developed and is administered by Maciej Cegłowski who is a writer and computer programmer. It was a way to deal with a traumatic experience in a San Francisco hotel involving bed bugs. Maciej thought that offering a free, public database about bed bug sightings in the U.S. and Canada by those who experience these insects first-hand would help more people deal with the issue and better motivate hotels and apartment buildings to do something about their problem. Since it started in 2006, it has logged 20,000 bed bug reports.
2. What information is available? You can opt to enter a hotel name and city/state or a street address in the database system and find out if there have been any citizen reports filed. You can also view interactive city maps of major metropolitan areas, including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and Toronto to name a few, which show where the bed bug reports are centered or clustered. The web site also has a resources page with lots of useful information and links as well as a blog, which provides even more information about bed bugs and how you can identify, prevent, and treat them. 
3. How do you know if the reports are accurate? Because it is a free site where anyone can post and the site owner does not review these, it is difficult to know just how accurate they are. When there are situations where it appears that competitors, angry customers, or upset tenants have clearly posted to get back at a certain hotel or apartment building owner, the site does try to flag those. 
4. Should this be the only web site I check? Because of the possibility that there is an inaccuracy or that the problem may have been fixed, it is best to expand your research and also check other web sites like Trip Advisor for more input on the bed bug issue.  Also call the property directly to inquire, whenever possible.
5. What type of warning system does the bed bug registry provide? The site will send you an email whenever someone reports bed bugs at a location within a mile of you. You can also opt to set up multiple alerts, using either a street address or zip code. The site will even email you all of the messages on these multiple reports in one single digest form to save you getting blasted with numerous emails. Your email address is only used for this purpose and is not used for any type of marketing purposes.

In Summary

Here are highlights from this blog post:

• The Bed Bug Registry is a great informational site where you can find out if bed bugs have been reported in hotels, lodging, and apartment buildings across the U.S. and Canada.
• It was created by someone that had their own traumatic experiences with bed bugs in a San Francisco hotel.
• It provides a wide array of resources, including a database of searchable reports, maps, and resources like articles and a blog.
• You can also sign up for a warning system through their alert emails to find out when a report is near you.
• While it is hard to prove that every report is true, it does provide a useful resource that should be part of a larger amount of research of other sites like Trip Advisor.

About The Author

Jeremy Ecker has worked in the pest control industry for the past 17 years. The last 8 years was spent as a Vice President of one of the most well respected regional Pest Control Companies in New York. He is part of a NESDCA Certified Dog Team