Yes, bed bugs are real—and creepy.
Bed bugs appear everywhere in Upstate SC: in homes, hotels and apartments. Bed bugs have been brought into the U.S. by travelers from foreign countries. The bed bugs travel in their luggage and then emerge at night in the hotel rooms or apartments these travelers stay in. Once they are released into the room, they are there to stay until treated which has spread in some cases to the entire hotel being infested. Greenville-Spartanburg is a popular overnight location for travelers to stay, and with the increase of international travelers coming to Greenville, the bed bugs have become a problem for many Greenville Hotels. It has become common for some hotels to see numerous rooms infested monthly, and it is leading complaints from very unhappy customers. Some of the larger hotel chains are now using mattress covers that enclose the entire mattress to prevent bed bugs from infesting the mattress. They also do monthly pest control checks to help prevent future outbreaks. If you think you are a victim of bed bugs while traveling check your luggage closely, wash all your clothes in hot water, and check your empty luggage again closely. If you find bed bugs in your luggage you will have to have the luggage treated or throw the luggage away.