“'Don't let the bedbugs bite' - but how?” |
| 'Don't let the bedbugs bite' - but how? Posted: 28 Sep 2010 09:00 PM PDT Staff file photo by PAUL LAMISON Bedbugs have evolved into a fast-food lifestyle where their next meal ticket could be as close as a stowaway in a suitcase. Published: September 29, 2010 It's the souvenir nobody wants to bring home. Perhaps that bump in the night is coming, not from the closet, but from under the mattress. When mom used to say, "Sleep tight. Don't let the bedbugs bite," a laugh was the response. Now that advice is more pertinent than ever. Bedbugs are biting back across the nation. With their ironclad immunity to the pharmacy of poisons under the kitchen sink, these bothersome bloodsuckers have gone forth and multiplied. Bedbugs are veritable hitchhikers. With the sleek contours of its bloodthirsty relative, the louse, and with the scurrying power of a V-8 engine, bedbugs have evolved into a fast-food lifestyle where their next meal ticket could be as close as a stowaway in a suitcase. Now innocent locations like movie theaters, airplanes, hotels, and even stores take on sinister nuances as unwelcome guests settle in to stay. New York City has been feeling the blight, or perhaps bite, the hardest. Flagship stores such as Niketown, Hollister, Abercrombie & Fitch, and Victoria's Secret have closed due to infestations. And while bedbugs don't appear to transmit diseases, loosening their grip on their favorite haunts is creating the pocketbook illness of expense. Bedbugs are equal-opportunity bloodsuckers. As their rampage targets both the rich and poor, the only solution is a Robin Hood that works in reverse. Those less equipped to handle the influx with the financial finesse of a retail store, have found no affordable cure for the ailment en masse. With DDT off the market and Raid as weak sauce, exterminators have become the heroes of the house. Yet the cost of pesticide warfare can create a pinch on the purse strings as some exterminators charge per room. As bedbugs live in tight spaces, such as behind or inside wall sockets, infestations can quickly overtake the very walls of any stronghold. With psychological desperation setting in, some have taken to using outdoor pesticides inside the house. However, outdoor pesticides are highly toxic and some are even carcinogenic, so putting down the granules is highly advised. As bedbugs climb to the top of the ecological chain, other bloodsuckers have hitched a ride, as well. Products that claim to oust the offensive insects have experienced a rise in popularity. Solutions run the gamut from ovens that bake suitcases to traps that are placed under the legs of a bed. Yet the silver bullet remains to be found. Last week's first-ever bedbug summit in Chicago has helped place the problem in the light. Entomologists' studies have proven the obstacle of settling the score as results from their experiments are less than optimistic. The hardy creatures can last more than 550 days without food and thrive in warm, dry climates. The fear that lower income communities will become the haven for bedbugs has spurred scientists to search for a cost effective solution. However, perhaps the best insurance against bedbugs is the first step of any vacation: room inspection. Constant vigilance upon entry and exit can help leave bags and lifestyles bug free. Checking mattress seams, baseboards, and the backsides of headboards for the black spots of bedbug fecal matter can leave headache and heartache checked at the door. Perhaps blasting these buggers into oblivion is around the corner, but until then, the bedtime adage will retain its sinister meaning until either human or insect tires of the dance. Suzannah Beiner is a senior at Sebring High School. 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 |
| You are subscribed to email updates from Content Keyword RSS To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
0 comments:
Post a Comment