Last year I rented an apartment for three days in Prague and was bitten pretty badly by what I believe were bedbugs. I didn't see any, and originally thought it was just mosquito bites, but the bite pattern looked more like bedbugs. Oddly enough, they hurt and swelled much more three or four days after I was bitten than they did at the time. Fortunately, none of the bugs hitched a ride in our suitcases, which is a miracle. I don't want to experience this again!

Some time back i read advice for visiting a tropical country, and one suggestion was to bring permethrin and spray all of the baseboards are areas around the bed. It also said to spray the sheets lightly. I hate the thought of sleeping on top of pesticide. My dad and uncles used to rub themselves lightly with DDT powder on the farm without ill effect. I'm sure permethrin is safer than that!

Have any of your done anything like this? I would think just spraying the baseboards and edge of the mattress and box springs would be helpful, without actually spraying the bedsheets. Anyway, would love to hear any comments.