There has been an increase in bed bug infestations. Pest control companies have been reporting the infestations in multi-family housing, apartments, hotels and even hospitals.
Moravia, NY (PRWEB) March 5, 2006 -- Bed bugs are back.
As scary headlines go, this can't compete with most world news today. But if the bugs end up in your bed, world news can wait until you get rid of 'em.
Today's over-clean Western culture never expected that "good night, sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite" might be for real.
Clean is not the issue, however. Due to a thriving international travel industry, even world-class hotels have reported infestations of Cimex lectularius, a.k.a. the common bedbug. Keep in mind that Mr. Cimex is not attracted to unsanitary conditions. Unlike cockroaches, who feed on human scraps, bed bugs feed on human and animal blood, just like mosquitoes.
Anxious to know if you brought any unexpected critters home from your latest junket to Patagonia or Pango-Pango? Here’s what to do. The bites can be itchy, so you might already have lost some sleep. Conquer your squeamishness and search your bedclothes for the small brownish or reddish dots the bugs leave behind. Also look for moving objects -- fat brown dots about one-eighth to three-sixteenths of an inch long.
If you find anything crawly, call an experienced pest control expert. Bed bugs can live pretty much anywhere, and they easily migrate from your bed to behind the television during the day. They are resilient little creatures, and you need the precision and skill of a pest professional to get rid of them.
Avoiding them is even better. On your next foreign tour, here's some advice for evading bed bugs:
• At hotels, pull down the bed covers at night. If you see something moving, or if you see spots on the sheets, move to another room or switch hotels.
• After traveling, inspect your suitcases before bringing them into the house. Consider vacuuming them thoroughly to remove any suspicion of pests.
For more on bed bugs, go to http://ipmathome.com/main/ for information and links to relevant sites.
Judith Pratt is a freelance writer who writes in a variety of styles. She writes news articles, grant proposals, public relations material, fund-raising materials, even articles for academic journals. Background research is a specialty.
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