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Know the signs of hotel bed bugs and how to find them


A recent guest of the Econo Lodge off Roebuck Parkway in Birmingham is blaming the hotel for the rashes on his arms and a trip to the hospital.
A recent guest of the Econo Lodge off Roebuck Parkway in Birmingham is blaming the hotel for the rashes on his arms and a trip to the hospital.
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Imagine waking up at a hotel, covered in bed bug bites.

That's what happened to one family at an area hotel.

Photos provided by the family show a man covered in bed bug bites. He blames the Econo Lodge off Roebuck Parkway for the incident.

Though the hospital transported the guest to the hospital, the family is still concerned about their uninvited guests showing up again.

According to Craig Corwin, an inspector with the Jefferson County Department of Health, told ABC 33/40, knowing the signs can, literally, save your skin.

Corwin says rusty or red stains on the sheets or mattress are a tell-tale signal of a bed bug infestation. Dark brown spots that look like paint splatters could be an indicator of bed bug feces.

"If you see those, you need another room," said Corwin.

Corwin says a flashlight is most useful in this situation. After years of inspecting hotels, Corwin's advice is to " go to the bed and pull back the covers on the corner. Then shine the flashlight down the seams of the mattress. Check behind the headboard- and then again where the carpet meets the wall. Don't forget to examine along the wall that separates the main room from the bathroom, because there is a little bit of moisture there."

Sit any luggage on a hard tile bathroom floor. "You can even take them in your suitcases if you haven't done a thorough look and then you have them in your home. For all those reasons we do those inspections," said Corwin.

And last - but definitely not least - it's important to remember that bed bugs can travel five to 20 feet. It might be worth doing a quick once-over of your room to avoid that unwanted guest.

The Econo Lodge GM told ABC 33/40 that the family received a refund. But he also said no other guests in room 422 had prior complaints. The family chose not to go on camera.


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