Albergue Don Antonio i Dona Cinia Aug 18 2016

[MelaCro]

Do not stay there if it is not necessary
I stayed there last night and have many bed bugs bites

Albergue is inLa Virgen de Camino, 7 km after Leon

 

[SYates]

Have you told the hospitaleros and what was there reaction? Buen Camino, SY

 

[Deleted member 3000]

They came from somewhere else, and probably have moved somewhere else.

 

[SYates]

Correct, but I ditch the 'probably'. ;-) Bed bugs should be re-named imo 'chinches peregrinantes' ;-) Buen Camino, SY

 

[MelaCro]

Have you told the hospitaleros and what was there reaction? Buen Camino, SY

Sorry did not have an internet to respond
I did not say anything, because I get up and leave very early, and did not see the bites until first break


Now, I am so affraid that I will bring the bed bugs home...

 

[Tincatinker]

@MelaCro you need to take responsibility and action now. You must inform the hosptiliera/os at your current location that you have been bitten. You must inform the Albergue where you think you were bitten - otherwise how will they know and be able to deal with the issue. You must follow standard procedures to decontaminate your gear. You may be spreading the little sods along the camino and the only person who can stop that is you.

 

[MelaCro]

@MelaCro you need to take responsibility and action now. You must inform the hosptiliera/os at your current location that you have been bitten. You must inform the Albergue where you think you were bitten - otherwise how will they know and be able to deal with the issue. You must follow standard procedures to decontaminate your gear. You may be spreading the little sods along the camino and the only person who can stop that is you.

I already took all the mesures-I washed all my clothes on high temperature and dry it in the dryer 3 times
Also, I threw away my sleeping bag ( so I dont have anything to sleep in)
And I spray everything every day with anti bed bugs spray
Dont know what else to do
Also I imformed last albergue that I was bitten
I will try to contact the abergue where I was bitten

 

[Tincatinker]

@MelaCro well done. I hope that your remaining camino is bug-free.

 

[Albertagirl]

I am wondering, since bed bugs appear to be very common this year, what other pilgrims do who have large quantities of merino wool garments which should not be treated with very high heat. Could they be sprayed with permethrin, left for some time, then washed? I suspect that this is what I will do with all my merino garments when I get home. I remember one occasion when a helpful friend whom I was visiting after a mountain excursion put all my dirty clothes through the washer and dryer and retrieved one very shrunken woolen undershirt for our mutual laughter. But my budget will not permit me to laugh at the loss of most of my hiking clothes (wool socks also do not like hot wash and dry). Any suggestions?

 

[Tincatinker]

The chances of you carrying bugs on your clothing are slim, very slim. The chances of you carrying eggs on your clothing are even slimmer. Think buying a lottery ticket so you can pay the rent. Deep in the crevices & folds of a sleeping bag or rucksac maybe. Nevertheless, and perhaps for your own comfort, a fort-night in a chest freezer will do the job on merino and or down.

 

[C clearly]

I am wondering, since bed bugs appear to be very common this year, what other pilgrims do who have large quantities of merino wool garments which should not be treated with very high heat. Could they be sprayed with permethrin, left for some time, then washed? I suspect that this is what I will do with all my merino garments when I get home. I remember one occasion when a helpful friend whom I was visiting after a mountain excursion put all my dirty clothes through the washer and dryer and retrieved one very shrunken woolen undershirt for our mutual laughter. But my budget will not permit me to laugh at the loss of most of my hiking clothes (wool socks also do not like hot wash and dry). Any suggestions?

Bedbugs are not microscopic creatures! Keeping your things minimal and well organized is helpful. I think that a good shake (somewhere away from your other belongings!) is a good idea in the morning. Enclosing your pack and belongings in a bag at night when they are most active is the best protection (and enclosing your sleeping bag during the day). Then if you find you've been bitten, it helps prioritize the management.

When you get home, you could put the merino into the freezer for a few days/weeks at -15C or so. I think that the agitation causes shrinkage even more that heat. Consider ironing your shirts. But again, inspection is likely enough if you do it carefully.

 

[Albertagirl]

Bedbugs are not microscopic creatures! Keeping your things minimal and well organized is helpful. I think that a good shake (somewhere away from your other belongings!) is a good idea in the morning. Enclosing your pack and belongings in a bag at night when they are most active is the best protection (and enclosing your sleeping bag during the day). Then if you find you've been bitten, it helps prioritize the management.

When you get home, you could put the merino into the freezer for a few days/weeks at -15C or so. I think that the agitation causes shrinkage even more that heat. Consider ironing your shirts. But again, inspection is likely enough if you do it carefully.

@C clearly
I have certainly heard the suggestion of putting woolens into a chest freezer before, but I don't own a chest freezer and am quite uncertain whether the little freezer above my fridge would have any effect on bedbugs. I have acquired a sturdy plastic bag and plan on keeping my backpack in it in albergues. Perhaps the only additional action that I can take is to plan on putting my sleeping bag and my nightwear in a hot dryer for a cycle if I think I have been bitten by bed bugs. I carry a DEET repellant, but will not use it on a regular basis as I loathe the scent and am unsure of its safety.

 

[C clearly]

I have certainly heard the suggestion of putting woolens into a chest freezer before, but I don't own a chest freezer and am quite uncertain whether the little freezer above my fridge would have any effect on bedbugs

The freezer at the bottom of my 2-year-old fridge goes down to -17C, which is supposed to kill bedbugs in a few days. (As soon as we got the fridge delivered, I put a thermometer in, to check the temperature for this very reason!) If your fridge is older, it might not get so cold, but it is easy to check with a simple outdoor thermometer.