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Not like the struggling Mets and Knicks, bed bugs have once more made headlines in New York City. Bed bug violations in New York City totalled 377 in 2004, up sharply from only 2 in 2002 and 16 in 2003. Reports of bed bug infestations continuously come from different parts of the United States but those coming from New York are seemingly the most disturbing.
Hordes of bed bugs were found in a duplex apartment in Park Avenue, while residents of a Riverside Drive co-op spent $20,000 to eliminate these pesky insects. The comeback of bed bugs has been attributed by pest control groups and entomologists to the continued entry of immigrant settlers coming from third world countries, increased travel activity and use of less effective insecticides.
A new mattress purchased from a department store may have been stored in a truck carrying a bug infested couch disposed by its owner. Bed bugs are not selective on what type of place to dwell, as long as there is a warm body available nearby. Even a well-cleaned and maintained home will be good for them, unlike mice or roaches, which prefer to move in a filthy environment.
Once they enter a home, bed bugs can attach themselves to pants and crawl into neighboring residences. Anybody who stays in a hotel has a chance of bringing home bed bugs and even a few of New York’s best places to stay in have infestations.
Bed bugs have been found in hospital maternity wards, private schools and even in the waiting room of a local hospital in downtown New York. Shortly after World War II, bed bugs were almost an afterthought by using DDT. However, concerns over the probable effects of the chemical to human health eventually resulted in the banning of its use.
Who’s the real enemy
Bed bugs have its scientific name – “Cimex lectularius”. They do not have wings unlike most insects and have a brownish color. Bed bugs move similar to nocturnal parasites, and are active in hunting for human hosts. Normally, they are inactive during the day and only come out during nighttime. Given this behavior, people will only be able to discover them when their population has increased to hundreds or even thousands.
Human blood is the favorite meal of bed bugs but they can also feed on dogs and cats if they are left with no option. Bed bugs have highly developed mouthparts used to bite and suck blood. The insects normally come out to attack when the person occupying the bed has dozed off to dreamland.
Bed bugs suck blood for as short as less than a minute to as long as 10 minutes. And they can expand three times their original size once they are filled with blood. In addition, humans will have a hard time detecting that he is being victimized by a bed bug, as its bite is painless.
Bed bugs do not transmit disease and the bite only results in an orderly trail of red wheals that dermatologists mistakenly identify as hives or scabies. An adult bed bug’s lifespan can last for as long as a year and a female can lay as much as 500 eggs.
Bed bugs prefer beds with many tears and holes and can even occupy egg foams, sleeping bags, cardboard stacks and even waterbeds. Waterbeds feature crannies and nooks and normally kept warm.
A street fight in Brooklyn
Insecticides purchased from the local hardware have become ineffective in fighting bed bugs, as they have become more resilient over the years. Using a cockroach bomb will only scatter them in different places of a room.
Pest control groups in New York have recommended those with beg bug problems to wash and bag every piece of clothing in an infested room, as part of a pre-extermination procedure.
Beddings or garments badly infested should be thrown out, as these cannot be sprayed with insecticides. Cleaning clutter is also a requirement, as areas filled with belongings will just delay the inspection and treatment process.
In addition, bureau drawers and bed frames need to be taken apart, as various chemicals will be used in the treatment. Processes have to be done multiple times if the infestations are of the worst kind.
Despite various ways to fight bed bugs, people need to accept the fact that they are back and will continue to stay in the Big Apple.
Tagged with: bed bugs control • pests control
Filed under: Bed Bugs