Traveling for Christmas? Make sure you take precautions to reduce encounters with bed bugs and avoid bringing them home for the holidays.

Some common signs of bed bugs include pepper-like stains on fabric-covered items, molted bed bug skins, the bugs themselves in various life stages, white eggs and empty egg casings. All travelers should thoroughly inspect the room for the presence of these bed bug indicators upon arriving at their intended destination. This includes pulling back the bed sheets to examine the mattress seams, checking behind the headboard and looking in furniture crevices. A small flashlight can help aide in this investigation.

If a bed bug infestation is suspected, guests should immediately notify management or property owners, and request a new room.