Fumigation at Sahagún

[ivar]

I just got an e-mail telling me that:

Informing you that the albergue of Sahagún is shutting it's doors the days of the 28th and 29th of August for fumigation. It will reopen it's doors Thursday the 30th.

Does this mean that the bed bugs are back?

:?

 

[Dale]

Has anyone used a product called Bed Bug Sheet. It appears to be a netting which you put on the mattress like a fitted sheet. It is impregnated with Permethrin which kills the Bed Bugs. It is for sale in the UK at this website:

http://mountainwarehouse.com/shop/produ ... /1216.html

Wikipedia defines Permethrin as follows:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permethrin

As you might have guessed I don't like bugs. I would like to hear from anyone who has an opinion on this product or can suggest a better product to avoid getting bed bugs.

 

[Marie]

Hi,
I've returned from Santiago last Thursday and was talking to a Canadian man who stayed at Sahagun. He was telling me about the awful bites from bed bugs he had in that particular albergue in Sahagun. He still had marks on his face and arms. Also During my Camino in May/June, I walked with a lady who said she was bitten in the Albergue in Santa Domingo. (She said it was the one on the plaza) She told me that once she realised what the bites were, she washed every item of clothing, even her sleeping bag. Apparently they can live in your backpack.
Arrggghhh, what a thought. :?

Marie

 

[Dale]

Unfortunately if the are in the Refugio in Sahagun then they are in all of the refugios west of there as well. They might not be showing up in large numbers yet, but they are there. They move on warm bodies, in cloths and especially in bedding like sleeping bags. I hope they are planning to nip this in the bud before it reaches epidemic scale. It could really do a lot of damage to the Camino's reputation if it get worse. :evil:

 

[fiddletree]

I got really bad bed bug bites in the beginning of May, I think they were from an Albergue (the small one) in Burgos. I was covered, it was terrible! No one else there got bitten, as far as I know, just me. I don't think it could have been anything else, and I was there for 3 days because I was injured, so they had time to accumulate.

I washed everything I owned (including my silk liner) and had no problems after that. If you think have been bitten by bed bugs, wash your sleeping things immediately!!

 

[Martin0642]

ooh...this sounds nasty!! Shell got feasted on a few times but we always assumed it was mosquitoes (which in ribadiso it probably was as we were sleeping in the building next to the, on the floor...with the door open.

How do you tell whether it is a bed bug or mosquito bite???

 

[Dale]

I've never been exposed to them as far as I know but the tell tale sign to look for in a Hotel is to remove the bottom sheet and look for tiny reddish brown spots of the mattress or mattress cove. That is dried blood, so evidently the person bitten bleeds from the bite site. Blood spots on your liner or inside your sleeping bag would be a good indicator. :shock:

 

[fiddletree]

They are similar to mosquito bites, but if I remember correctly they are a little bit smaller, are all over you (and in places mosquitos can't reach, like the bottom of your feet, legs when you have been wearing trousers, and more sensitive areas I won't mention...), and you have them when you wake up in the morning.

 

[Dale]

I think one word pretty much covers that YUCK !!! :evil:

 

[Martin0642]

Right, that sounds familiar...I had a few bites in places that I wondered how mosquitoes got! Damn...thank god the zip on the sleeping bag broke and i've had to send it away for a replacement!

Best I check my pack now as well!!!

Thanks for the info folks!

 

[greenshank]

How do you tell whether it is a bed bug or mosquito bite???

They are very different, at least for me. More of a waterfilled blister. Plus a sure sign is if the bites are like a small path of bites. Think crawl, bite, crawl, bite, crawl... you get the picture.
I only encountered the little creatures once (in Scotland, no less) and I turned out to be somewhat allergic. The itching was nothing like mosquitos or midges. I had blisters for months, after having slept one (1) night in an infested bed. (Not even like the shock you get first day of the season, you who live in mosquito/midge infested areas know what I mean.)

* How to avoid spreading: If you put your rucksack under your bed, you'll bring them along on to your next stop. They "jump" or let themselves fall down from the bed.

* How to try to avoid bites: wear pyjamas or long johns, they tend to bite on feet, arms etc, and if you sleep in only a t-shirt you'll be more exposed. Appearantely (sp???) they "smell" where they can find a meal.

* How to get rid of eggs if you get infested: put gear in deep freezer for 72 hours. (Not so easy while on the road...) Don't use insect spray, they'll just get resistent.

hope you won't need this advice... :roll:

 

[marktqm]

Does anybody know if "OFF!" insect repellant lotion or spray (DEET) works against bed bugs? It sure works against mosquitoes and I use it often.

 

[fiddletree]

I'm am pretty sure that mosquito spray doesn't work for bedbugs. Although, there are some products out there made specifically for bedbugs (I'm not sure what they are)

 

[Dale]

I have no idea if this works or not but I'm thinking I will buy one and use it unless someone has a better idea: :idea:

http://mountainwarehouse.com/shop/produ ... /1216.html

 

[Martin0642]

Thanks for all the info folks! I think if that barrier sheet works against bedbugs then flea spray will as well (as in the cat/dog stuff) Its permethin, the same stuff that sheet is impregnated with. So if you think you've brought some back...flea spray your pack! (and possibly your bag but I think washing is a better option - not sure i want to sleep IN a permethin coated bag!)

 

[greenshank]

You don't need flea spray if you can keep it in a deep freezer for 72 hours (Three days + nights.) It's much better if you can avoid chemicals. We don't want them to become resistant, do we? :mrgreen:

PS. Ordinary washing at 30 or 40 degrees C, which is what a sleeping bag can take, does not kill bed bug eggs, but the freezing will. I got the information from a specialist at the health authorities in my council.

 

[nico500]

Hi!
Check this page, not very good news about bed bugs repellants

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12133597/

 

[windeatt]

They were in France when we were there in May and June so they have probably been working their way down. Advice on a noticeboard in France suggested unpacking (shaking and then repacking) all your stuff outside in bright sunlight because they hate the light. In good summer weather, this might be easier than finding a freezer.

I was never absolutely sure what had bitten me - and I suffered from bites most days. A mixture of fleas, bed bugs, flies and mosquitoes I think. We were attacked early on by a large kind of fly with long trailing legs -the bites don't appear until the next day but itch for several. I am only sure about this one now because I am suffering again this week having met the exactly the same flies (horseflies?) last Wednesday walking in Northumberland.

Flea bites tend to appear in lines as well - jump - bite - jump - and in my experience they go for warm places like under your watch strap, your waistband and the 'sensitive areas' mentioned before. I used to like cats but now I give them a wide berth because their fleas just love me.

 

[Minkey]

I have to say, there are a number of people sporting bites... Not good.

I was in Sahagun a couple of nights ago and it was fine, so it seems to have done the trick.