The Resurgence of Bed Bugs

Recently, there has been a lot of talk about the resurgence of bed bugs. Bed bugs were very common until they were nearly eradicated from the U.S. mid-twentieth century. In a joint statement, The Center for Disease Control (CDC) & The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suggest that the increase in bed bug populations stem from increased travel, increased resistance to pesticides, lack of bud bug knowledge and the decline or elimination of local pest control programs.

Bed bugs are difficult to treat as they can live for months without feeding, are excellent at hiding, and quickly become immune to chemicals made to suppress them.  Bed buds normally live within 8 feet of their feeding ground (IE, your bed) but can travel up to 100 feet in a single night. There has been no proof that bed bugs transmit disease to their victims. Their bites can trigger mild (small, inflamed bite mark, think mosquito bite) to severe (anaphylaxic shock) allergic reactions and secondary infections of the skin (try not to itch!). The bed bug presence in the home can also cause mental health (anxiety & insomnia) & economic (purchasing new furniture, bedding, carpeting, or rugs, pest control related costs, and possibly moving expenses) hardships.

So what can you do to reduce the chances of breading a ground for bed bugs? When you stay at a hotel keep you suitcase in the bathroom if possible, this may help minimize bed bugs from becoming sow-aways in your luggage. When you return from a trip "heat treat" your luggage & clothing (IE, put them in a hot dryer) to kill the bugs that may have tagged along. At home, remove clutter around you bed so that they have fewer hiding places, become a vacuum guru and religiously vacuum your bed, bedding & their surrounding areas to remove possible bed bugs, seal cracks & crevasses so that bed bugs cannot gain entry, & finally if necessary, use non-chemical pesticides (such as diatomaceous earth) to kill the vermin.

Read the entire CDC/EPA statement, Bed Bug Control in the United States for more detailed information.