Bedbugs: No Longer Just an Urban Myth

Vile. Disgusting. Downright revolting. These are just some of the instant descriptions some come up with when the subject of bedbugs is addressed.

They have been around for centuries (they were documented back in the 17th century). The application of pesticides such as DDT in the 1960's exemplified what the notorious chemicals were designed for; bedbugs essentially became a pest of the past. The vast majority of the US population are only familiar with the critters in the expression "Don't let the bedbugs bite!"

Bedbugs are savvy little travelers. They are well versed in international modes of travel, including (but certainly not limited to), cruise ships, airplanes and trains. They have flourished in recent years; enough to have prominent hoteliers take note.

Although not widely publicized, luxury hotels have discussed bedbugs at conferences and meetings. According to USA Today, Timothy Wenk, a noted speaker, cautioned hoteliers attending the Washington bedbug symposium that they "should be able to show that all housekeepers enter trained to look for (for bugs), and that they used a checklist, and that they had a professional pest firm in place." Another article appeared in the Las Vegas Sun about an entrepreneur with a sniffer bed bug finder. Sara, an ex pound puppy, works exclusively for K-9 Sweeps. Sara is discreet but she is rumored to work for some of the better hotels in Las Vegas.

Hotels are not the only places that bedbugs take residence. According to the Ohio State University Extension, "Bedbugs seem to prefer fabric, wood, and paper surfaces. They may hide in window and door frames, electrical boxes, floor cracks, baseboard, furniture, and under the tack of wall-to-wall carpeting. Bedbugs often crawl upward to hide in pictures, wall hangings, drapery pleats, loosened wall paper, cracks in plaster, and ceiling moldings."

This description allows for just about anywhere to be a steak dinner and home for these repugnant bugs. Recently (July 2009), Langdon Mills in Manchester, NH, home to many refugees from Africa, became so infested that all the apartment dwellers had to relocated for the entire building to be exterminated.

How do you know if you have bedbugs? People that have been bitten by the nocturnal creatures report irritated and itchy skin. The bites themselves do not necessarily hurt but can cause allergic reactions and also may become infected due to scratching. It is typical to see welts of three in a row. They differ from flea bites because they do not have a visible tiny red bite mark in the center. They are not known to carry diseases, but they do have a lingering disgust factor.

If you suspect bedbugs, look for bloodstains of crushed bugs and signs of excrement on sheets, blankets and walls. An adult bedbug is about a quarter inch long and visible to the naked eye.

If you find yourself in the midst of bedbugs in a well traveled place they probably hitched a ride with a prior vacationer in their luggage. They may have been having a party long before you made an entrance. If you find them, promptly notify the owners of where ever you are staying and ask to be moved at least a couple of rooms away. Bedbugs do travel, that is why they are in the news after all.

One preventative measure you can try is looking up where you are considering staying beforehand on http://bedbugregistry.com/ or tripadvisors.com.

Sources: www.concordmonitor.com
www.ohioline.osu.edu
www.bedbugregistry.com
www.tripadvisors.co www.lasvegassun.com/