Did you use any bed bug prevention methods that required a purchase (ie. spray) ?

[Worldwithamy]

I just want to be fully prepared. As I do more research, it seems that many things don’t actually repel bed bugs, but a spray like permethrin could kill it with longer contact. However, I cannot find it easily in Canada.

Apart from a sleeping liner (does it have to be silk?), is there anything else I can do to prevent bed bugs on the Camino? I also know not to put my pack on the bed, and try to cover it on the floor (is using the rain cover of the pack enough?)

Do you use any bed bug prevention methods that require the purchasing of something special? Did it work?

 

[lovelyshell]

Bring a large trash bag and put your pack in it overnight.

 

[C clearly]

There is now a tag "bed bugs" under the title of this thread. You will find all the information you could ask for in those threads.

Apart from a sleeping liner (does it have to be silk?)

A sleeping bag liner will not stop bedbugs. They will crawl into the bag exactly in the same way as you do - through the big opening in the top. There is nothing about silk that works to repel bedbugs (although you will read many unfounded claims). Maybe if your sleeping liner is tight around your neck, and you use DEET insect repellent on your face/neck, they will be repelled, but that's not a comfy way to sleep!

I also know not to put my pack on the bed, and try to cover it on the floor (is using the rain cover of the pack enough?)

Bed bugs live many places other than beds, which in fact are probably inspected daily. However, don't put your pack on the bed, because your pack is likely to be dirty.

Covering your pack on the floor with a rain cover will keep rain off, but won't stop bugs from walking across the floor and climbing onto your pack! You would need to use a tightly closed almost-airtight bag as enclosure. Bed bugs are not extremely small (think of the size of an apple seed) but they are capable of crawling into crevices and small spaces.

Keeping your belongings organized and put away in an airtight bag at night is a good approach. Bedbugs are most active at night. In the morning, carefully put all your nightwear and sleeping bag into another airtight bag inside your pack. Then if you notice bites during the day, it will be easier to heat-treat the exposed things, and there will be less likelihood of bugs elsewhere in your back pack!

a spray like permethrin could kill it with longer contact. However, I cannot find it easily in Canada.

Sprays containing permethrin are available in Canada, but not at the concentrations that seem to be available in some countries. You need to read the labels of various bug sprays.

 

[Robo]

I take minimal precautions and treat my gear.
But have never seen a bed bug or know anyone who was bitten..........
So who knows if my precautions work or not..........

I soak my sleeping bag / liner in a permethrin product prior to leaving for Camino.

On checking in to accommodation, if I remember to, I usually check mattress seams etc for evidence of bed bugs. Never found any. That's over about 160 Camino nights so far. Busy as well as more remote routes.

 

[J Willhaus]

No, it won't kill them before they bite me. I look for signs before I lay down or accept a bed.

 

[good_old_shoes]

a) big trash bag or dry bag to put the pack in at night. Close tightly and store as far as possible away from beds or even outside dormitory (especially if you plan to walk early, the trash bag will be noisy).

b) permethrine spray or "Clako anti punaise" (french all-natural product you can buy in St. Jean) to spray on your pack and sleeping bag. The Clako doesn't work long term so needs to be re-applied every few days (apply outside to not affect other pilgrims with the smell). Please know that permethrin is deadly to cats, so don't use that if you have cats at home or stay somewhere with cats. These products don't repel them but at least the bugs have a good chance to die if they are in contact with it for a longer time, so you're less likely to carry them with you.

c) liner that is big enough to crawl into completely, including head. A permethrin- treated one is a good idea ("insect shield"). Bed bugs can't walk through the fabric so if you cover most of your body you'll have less bites even if there is an infestation. Doesn't have to be silk, but it is lightweight and nice on the skin

d) dry bag for sleeping gear. Put all your sleeping gear that touches the bed in an extra dry bag. That way, if you notice bites during the day, you only have to treat that and not all of your gear once you arrive at the next stop.

e) Medication that helps if bites occur - citerizine, anti-inflammatory creams, ect. (also available in spanish pharmacies, some only with a doctor's prescription).


I've had bites / seen people with bites / seen signs of current and former bed bug infestations in albergues on all my Caminos in France and Spain so far. But I react badly to them so I'm very careful and maybe check more thouroughly than others.

Look out for signs like the one on the picture. It means there has been an infestation at least at some point (bed bug poop). Usually you'll find it in mattress seams, in crevices of the bed frame, sometimes behind pictures on the wall ect. Talk to the hospitaleros then, the problem might already have been resolved and only the poop is left but no bed bugs

Wish you a bed bug free buen Camino!

 

[thejoker]

I've walked lots of different Caminos and am yet to see a bed bug, though I have met lots of people who have been bitten by them.. I've seen the state of people's bodies after sleeping in infested places (I've seen this mostly after around Ponferrada, through to Triacestela , not surprising since two of the main annual suspects are are in Astorga and Villafranca del Bierzo)

However, I don't do anything special. I check-in and relax and don't even think about looking for them. I'm just thinking about my shower and then late lunch with a bottle or two of wine.

 

[Arctic_Alex]

Do you use any bed bug prevention methods that require the purchasing of something special? Did it work?

To make it short: no. I did never purchase anything special. And I have never been bitten - just lucky I guess. But I met 2 or 3 pilgrims who had been bitten and one even had been a spreader of bed bugs on an earlier camino of his.

I have to admit, that on my last Camino upon hearing stories I got a bit nervous in the end ... what if ... so I put all my stuff into a freezer for 3 days upon arrival home ;-)

 

[trecile]

No, it won't kill them before they bite me. I look for signs before I lay down or accept a bed.

I don't treat my gear to avoid being bitten - I treat it to avoid carrying bed bugs to the next albergue, or home.

 

[Trekker One]

I've done zero chemical based preventative measures to avoid bed bugs on my six Camino's and have had zero bed bug issues. I never pre-book lodgings but I always ask to see bunk rooms or private rooms before laying my money down.
And yes I have walked away from a few albergues by doing so.
I am not in favor personally of spraying my gear and sleeping bag with any product regardless of what is said about the safety of such chemicals.

 

[Lee Jackson]

I just want to be fully prepared. As I do more research, it seems that many things don’t actually repel bed bugs, but a spray like permethrin could kill it with longer contact. However, I cannot find it easily in Canada.

Apart from a sleeping liner (does it have to be silk?), is there anything else I can do to prevent bed bugs on the Camino? I also know not to put my pack on the bed, and try to cover it on the floor (is using the rain cover of the pack enough?)

Do you use any bed bug prevention methods that require the purchasing of something special? Did it work?

Check with vet or feed supply stores they can sell permethrin ( I am also Canadian and have purchased that way). If you are close enough to cross the border to US you can buy spray at REI

 

[dbeatriceb]

I just want to be fully prepared. As I do more research, it seems that many things don’t actually repel bed bugs, but a spray like permethrin could kill it with longer contact. However, I cannot find it easily in Canada.

Apart from a sleeping liner (does it have to be silk?), is there anything else I can do to prevent bed bugs on the Camino? I also know not to put my pack on the bed, and try to cover it on the floor (is using the rain cover of the pack enough?)

Do you use any bed bug prevention methods that require the purchasing of something special? Did it work?

The worst bed bug incident I’ve encountered was when I slept in a silk liner. Silk does not prevent bedbugs. They were crawling all over my silk liner.
The best prevention, besides barriers like putting the pack inside a plastic bag at night, is to treat the sleeping bag, shoes, and outside of the pack with Permethrin.

 

[trecile]

The best prevention, besides barriers like putting the lack inside a plastic bag at night, is to treat the sleeping bag, shoes, and outside of the pack with Permethrin.

I treat the inside of my pack and all of my cloth stuff sacks with permethrin.
If bed bugs get inside I want them to have maximum exposure to the permethrin because it takes prolonged exposure over time to kill them. I don't see the point of treating the outside of my backpack as permethrin is not a deterrent and doesn't kill them instantly on contact.

 

[Quahaug]

I just want to be fully prepared. As I do more research, it seems that many things don’t actually repel bed bugs, but a spray like permethrin could kill it with longer contact. However, I cannot find it easily in Canada.

Apart from a sleeping liner (does it have to be silk?), is there anything else I can do to prevent bed bugs on the Camino? I also know not to put my pack on the bed, and try to cover it on the floor (is using the rain cover of the pack enough?)

Do you use any bed bug prevention methods that require the purchasing of something special? Did it work?

Use a plastic trash bag. Put ur pack and belongings in the bag and close it up. Nothing works better.

 

[Kristie]

Permethrin is dangerous to cats, so spray your pack and liner at a friend’s house who does not have cats, and leave them there until they dry (usually overnight.) The odd thing is the pack and liner do not smell after the Permethrin has dried.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Check with vet or feed supply stores they can sell permethrin ( I am also Canadian and have purchased that way). If you are close enough to cross the border to US you can buy spray at REI

I recently saw two YouTube videos where permethrin bought for farm animal use (about 10% permethrin) was diluted 19 to 1 to make a large tub of 0.5% permethrin. This was at the right level to soak clothing for long term use and the same level used for spray cans bought in hardware and camping stores.

Permethrin is dangerous to cats, so spray your pack and liner at a friend’s house who does not have cats, and leave them there until they dry (usually overnight.) The odd thing is the pack and liner do not smell after the Permethrin has dried.

Yes, it is wet permethrin that is toxic to cats. Once things dry they are not a risk. You've probably treated stuff that is easy to pack away from cats anyway.

 

[MelissaBCanada]

I just returned from walking the camino frances from St Jean to Santiago. I never saw a bed bug or heard any pilgrims who had bedbugs. I did not spray my stuff, but did not use communal blankets in albergues. I also used an inflatable pillow. Buen Camino!

 

[trecile]

I just returned from walking the camino frances from St Jean to Santiago. I never saw a bed bug or heard any pilgrims who had bedbugs.

I have seen bedbugs in a dorm room, had a few bites, and met quite a few other pilgrims with bites during my late summer Caminos. But not during Spring Caminos. I think that the later in the season it is the more chance there is that bedbugs have spread on the Camino

 

[Anamiri]

I just want to be fully prepared. As I do more research, it seems that many things don’t actually repel bed bugs, but a spray like permethrin could kill it with longer contact. However, I cannot find it easily in Canada.

Apart from a sleeping liner (does it have to be silk?), is there anything else I can do to prevent bed bugs on the Camino? I also know not to put my pack on the bed, and try to cover it on the floor (is using the rain cover of the pack enough?)

Do you use any bed bug prevention methods that require the purchasing of something special? Did it work?

Ive been bitten on 2 Caminos, I take antihistamines daily , and took a creme for the itch - the bites were annoying for a few days but didn't spoil my trip.
I spray my pack thoroughly with the yellow bottle Sawyers solution. I buy it online.
I dont spray to avoid being bitten, I treat my pack to avoid taking them home with me. I figure that the long trip back to NZ will ensure that any hitchhikers will eventually die on route. I dont want an infestation at home.
I use a silk liner for sleep comfort purposes only, it is never going to stop a bedbug - which is as capable of crawling in through the top as I am.

*

 

[Anniesantiago]

The only benefit of a silk liner is to the bedbugs.
They love the feel of it on their itty bitty feeters!

As far as permethrin, what Trecile said.

As far as buying it in Canada, try your local livestock or veterinary store or feed store.
It's the exact same permethrin. Dilute it, spray it on, and let it dry.

 

[Lurch]

I purchased some spray made specifically for bed bugs, before leaving sprayed the surfaces of my sleeping bag and pack. Got two questionable bites on my lower arm, which may have wandered outside the bag, but no others.Probably four/five days between spraying and using my bag.

 

[dick bird]

I have seen bedbugs in a dorm room, had a few bites, and met quite a few other pilgrims with bites during my late summer Caminos. But not during Spring Caminos. I think that the later in the season it is the more chance there is that bedbugs have spread on the Camino

Public albergues are sprayed or fumigated during the off-season, usually in February. Whether or how long it takes for new infestations to appear is a matter of chance, mainly, though vigilant hospis will help.

 

[trecile]

I purchased some spray made specifically for bed bugs, before leaving sprayed the surfaces of my sleeping bag and pack. Got two questionable bites on my lower arm, which may have wandered outside the bag, but no others.Probably four/five days between spraying and using my bag.

Care to share the name of this spray?

 

[peregrino_tom]

It is not necessary to apply the insecticide Permethrin to have a good, enjoyable and meaningful camino. You can mitigate the risk of experiencing bed bugs by being alert, continually taking sensible precautions and acting quickly and responsibly should you be bitten.

While you as an individual may choose to weigh up the science and decide Permethrin is a little bit of technology that will improve your own personal experience, actually this is about more than just you.
Your decision should also consider how others - fellow pilgrims in close proximity and your hosts in Spain (where you are guests) - perceive what you are doing. And, the collective impact of potentially tens of thousands of visitors (or more) like you, every year, each leaving a chemical micro-trail along the Way and into its groundwater.

I strongly recommend that every thread on the forum discussing Permethrin comes with a header that makes it clear that using Permethrin is a contentious issue. That people should consider the implications of its use both on themselves and others and then make up their own minds as to whether they should use it for their camino.
Moderators and staff members (by their very titles at least) are perceived as voices of common sense and reason. I recommend that for a subject that’s still as contentious as Permethrin they should recuse themselves from describing their own practices, where these can be perceived as an endorsement of Permethrin.

 

[dougfitz]

It is not necessary to apply the insecticide Permethrin to have a good, enjoyable and meaningful camino. You can mitigate the risk of experiencing bed bugs by being alert, continually taking sensible precautions and acting quickly and responsibly should you be bitten.

While you as an individual may choose to weigh up the science and decide Permethrin is a little bit of technology that will improve your own personal experience, actually this is about more than just you.
Your decision should also consider how others - fellow pilgrims in close proximity and your hosts in Spain (where you are guests) - perceive what you are doing. And, the collective impact of potentially tens of thousands of visitors (or more) like you, every year, each leaving a chemical micro-trail along the Way and into its groundwater.

I strongly recommend that every thread on the forum discussing Permethrin comes with a header that makes it clear that using Permethrin is a contentious issue. That people should consider the implications of its use both on themselves and others and then make up their own minds as to whether they should use it for their camino.
Moderators and staff members (by their very titles at least) are perceived as voices of common sense and reason. I recommend that for a subject that’s still as contentious as Permethrin they should recuse themselves from describing their own practices, where these can be perceived as an endorsement of Permethrin.

I suggest that anyone who still sees the use of permethrin as a contentious issue read a resource like the NPIC factsheet: Toynton, K.; Luukinen, B.; Buhl, K.; Stone, D. 2009. Permethirn General Fact Sheet; National Pesticide Information Center, Oregon State University Extension Services. http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/PermGen.html as the first part of gaining a better understanding of the topic. If you don't change your mind, you will at least know that some of the claims made here are not sustained by the evidence.

 

[dick bird]

contentious as Permethrin

Given that Permethrin is a commonly used substance, you need to be a little more specific about why it is contentious. Dougfitz has provided a link to an article from a reliable source that suggests that the dangers associated with Permethrin are few and relatively small. If you can provide links to publications that suggest otherwise, preferably peer-reviewed, it would help us decide one way or the other.

 

[Lurch]

Care to share the name of this spray?

Trecile…it is in Tucson right now, I am 550 miles north, but I remember buying it in a grocery store. Maybe Utah is a “hotbed”(pun intended) of bedbug activity. I will do more research…

 

[Lurch]

Internet search reveals, RAID!, looks like same stuff I used. Has a tube attached to the sprayer. I used a general spray overall on my pack, sleeping bag and IKEA bag. Then used tube on the seams. This was a week before embarking on my flight, giving the items a chance to air out.