“Bedbugs not a threat in Midland County” |
| Bedbugs not a threat in Midland County Posted: 23 Aug 2010 08:13 AM PDT Posted: Monday, August 23, 2010 12:30 pm | Updated: 11:38 am, Mon Aug 23, 2010. While media have been reporting on the return of bedbugs in some communities, Midland County has not had any reports of the tiny creatures causing problems. "So far so good," Mike Krecek, director/health officer for Environmental Health Services in Midland, said, noting that the county has not received a report of bedbugs "this year or last year." They're a "little bit problematic to get rid of," said Krecek. And they're "making a resurgence as of late." "Bedbugs were pretty well gone until a few years ago," said Krecek. "DDT pretty well eradicated them." But now they're "making a comeback," he said. "Warning! Bed bugs are back with a vengeance!" reads a Don't Let Bed Bugs Bite brochure, produced by the Michigan Bed Bug Working Group. Bedbugs -- brown, flat, small and about 1/8 inch-long -- are usually seen in mattress seams or inside mattresses, under box springs, behind headboards or cracks and crevices of furniture, curtains and cardboard, in addition to other places. Bed bugs can hitchhike on clothing, bags or lunchboxes. They are active at night and they feed on human blood. Three or four bites in a row or grouped together can indicate bed bug bites. Another thing to look for are pillowcases with tiny black dots. Although bed bugs do not spread disease, but are a nuisance and can make people feel itchy and anxious. Bedbugs are difficult to eradicate. In order to avoid them, people who are traveling can inspect their hotel room, especially bedding and around the bed, before they open their bags. "People should be cautious when staying in hotel rooms," Krecek said. "They're probably clean in most cases, but there is that concern." Some bites don't immediately hurt and swell up later, he said. The bites are also usually in a line or grouped together. "They have a tendency to bite, move, and bite again," Krecek said. People should check their suitcases and luggage before going inside after they return home from a trip. At home, vacuuming regularly, minimizing clutter, avoiding second-hand upholstered furniture and mattresses or inspecting them carefully is recommended. If a person gets bed bugs, they should call a pest management professional. Treating bed bugs is a sooner-the-better situation: they are harder to treat the longer you wait. People might not want to try to eradicate them themselves because they are likely to miss places and the chemicals or insecticides can be hazardous. Krecek recommended hiring a professional exterminator. Get luggage and clothing laundered with hot water and monitor your body for additional bites, Krecek said. "Hot water seems to be effective -- and chlorine bleach," he said. No one should be embarrassed if they are invaded by bed bugs. Having bed bugs is not a sign of uncleanliness or socio-economic status, nor the sign of a dirty home. They travel in belongings and will infest any place where people sleep. For more information including pamphlets and links to a list of state licensed pest management professionals, go to www.michigan.gov/bedbugs. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
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