The invasion of bed bugs has intensified since the banning of certain toxic insecticides throughout the world, affecting all kinds of places with a high turnover of people and homes.
The Camino de Compostela is a popular pilgrimage route in Europe, with thousands of walkers each year. With so many travellers sharing the same accommodation, there’s a high risk of bed bug infestation.
It’s well known that many accommodations on the Camino de Compostela are overrun with bedbugs, and the best way to prevent this is to talk to your hosts and fellow pilgrims to limit the spread of this parasite.
The Camino de Compostela is an unforgettable travel experience, but it’s very important to understand the risks and precautions to take to avoid a bed bug infestation. Pilgrims and owners of cottages need to work together to actively combat the problem by being vigilant, and by using both mechanical and chemical methods.
Egg – Larva – Adult Male and Adult Female
What do bed bugs look like?
- Brown in color
- Flat shape, able to squeeze through a gap the thickness of a bank card, and more or less oval depending on whether it’s a female or a male. Adult size approx. 5mm
- Lives near places where humans spend several hours and in dark nooks and crannies: beds, sofas, carpets, loose wallpaper, baseboards, cracks, electrical sockets, pictures…
- Females can lay several eggs a day
- Bed bugs can live without feeding for up to 18 months
- Dislike light, tend to feed on human blood at night. Daytime only if hungry
- Particularly invasive in places with high human turnover or inhabited areas
- Likes the smell of worn clothing. Can hide and lay eggs in backpacks and suitcases. This is how bed bugs spread, especially on hiking trails such as the Camino de Compostela!
Bed bugs are small in size and can be hard to spot. They travel easily on the clothes and backpacks carried by pilgrims.
How to prevent bed bug infestations on the Camino de Compostela?
Before booking your accommodation, check online reviews to make sure the establishment has no bed bug infestations. Once you arrive at the accommodation, inspect the room thoroughly, including the sheets and mattress seams. Also:
- Respect protocols: don’t bring bags into the dormitory, use loaner covers and sheets.
- Use a spray such as Sereni-d’s SHIELD spray on your bags and clothes every time you change accommodation.
- Check your bag regularly
- When you return home, empty your bag into a bathtub, be attentive, treat your belongings with an insecticide such as Sereni-d’s SOS spray and wash your laundry at over 60° or freeze your belongings for at least three days.
Natural bed bug treatment
How to treat a bed bug bite?
Bed bug rashes can appear several days after the bites. If you feel itchy and notice the presence of pimples in rows or clusters, bed bugs may have bitten you. Notify the B&B so that steps can be taken to get rid of the bed bugs, and a suitable treatment can be applied.
There’s a good chance your belongings are contaminated. Treat your belongings with an insecticide spray such as Sereni-d. And wash anything you can wash at over 60°C as soon as possible, and freeze the rest!
Avoid scratching if possible, as infections could develop. Buy a soothing cream from a chemist as soon as possible.
The Camino de Compostela is an incredible adventure, but bed bugs can be a real problem and ordeal for pilgrims. So be vigilant, take precautions to avoid bed bugs and thoroughly inspect every accommodation before you settle in. If you think you’ve been exposed to bed bugs, treat your belongings before you return, and place them in airtight bags.
Bed bug bites and pimples
