The BedBugRegistry.com has been around for years ... but lately, it's been getting a lot of traffic. Experts say bed bugs spread through travel. Especially during the summer ... and they're hitting hotel rooms more often than you might think.
From clothing stores in New York ... to homes and motels throughout the Valley, bed bugs are making people's lives miserable.
Maciej Ceglowski said, "This summer, especially the last six weeks, we've seen an enormous jump in the number of reports. We used to get 20 a day. Now we're getting 150."
Ceglowski is the creative mind behind a website called BedBugRegistry.com. He started the site four years ago after he was bitten in a San Francisco hotel room. The site allows people to alert others as to when and where they were bitten.
Action News checked it out and found several Valley businesses mentioned. One person filed this report claiming he was attacked by bed bugs while staying at this Motel 6 in Central Fresno. The motel confirmed the infestation in a statement to Action News. "Per our protocol, Motel 6 management in Fresno acted swiftly to address the issue as soon as they were alerted of it, and the room in question was treated and cleared by a third-party exterminator."
While Motel Six acted quickly, Bret Clay, with San Joaquin Pest Control says others make the problem worse without even realizing it. "Cause you've been the bedroom sleeping, now I'm getting bit, I'm gonna sleep in the front room, 2 days later they're in the front room, so now you've spread them through the rest of the house."
A bed bug infestation can cost home and hotel owners more than a dollar per square foot. But, Fran Blackney ... with the Clovis Chamber of Commerce worries sites like Bed-Bug-Registry dot com will cost a business even more. "Even if it's just a rumor, not based on fact that makes it terrible because so much of their reputation is based on word of mouth."
Ceglowski says he does take down false reports and even helps mediate disputes between guests and hotels. His goal is simply to fix the problem by educating others. "I would like the website to go out of business. I would be happiest if we found an effective and safe pesticide and bed bugs go back to where they came from."
The website has become so popular, major hotel chains check it daily. If you're worried about bed bugs, the first place to check is in the seams of your mattress.
