“Bedbugs can and do bite” |
| Posted: 03 Dec 2010 07:11 AM PST The Quad-City Times | Posted: Friday, December 3, 2010 8:59 am | 'Night 'night. Sleep tight. Don't let the bedbugs bite! That rhyming phrase has been used by generations of parents as they bade their children goodnight, but there's nothing lighthearted or comforting about the subject of bedbugs today. Bedbugs, a tiny parasitic insect, have plagued humans for thousands of years, but they were mostly eradicated in developed nations after World War II, a time when they were a serious military problem. The determined pests have made a comeback, though, while experts also say that the public is more aware of bedbugs' existence. They are mainly a nuisance since the insects have not been found to carry disease to humans. "They are like mice. There are more emotional and psychological problems having them around than anything," said Larry Linnenbrink, the environmental health services coordinator for the Scott County Health Department. The bedbug problem has expanded in the Quad-Cities, Iowa and Illinois. Ken Holscher, an entomologist at Iowa State University, said he has seen an increase in cases during the past five years. Companies such as Ace Pest Control in Davenport receive two to three calls a week about bedbugs compared with one to three times per month just two years ago. During a recent week in November, though, the business received six to eight calls about bedbugs, including one while owner Tony Arguello was being interviewed for this article. Long-term problem The Quad-City area and the rest of the country will be dealing with bedbugs for the next few years, Arguello predicted. Holscher, the entomologist, believes the numbers have increased because of several factors: n People are more mobile than they used to be and bedbugs are a worldwide problem. n More people are renting than they were not long ago, and there is a greater chance of running into bedbug problems because of the turnover in leased properties. n Pest-control companies can no longer use the deadly insecticide DDT to kill the bugs. Current chemical treatments are not as strong, and they require more expertise and patience to eradicate the insects. For example, pest control companies typically spray and bait for cockroaches, but that type of treatment has no effect on bedbugs, Holscher said. Little, reddish-brown Bedbugs are reddish-brown, oval and flat, about the size of an apple seed. They hide in the cracks and crevices of beds, boxsprings, headboards and bed frames during the day, according to the Mayo Clinic website, www.mayoclinic.com. "If you scratch at them while you are asleep, they'll just move over and bite again," Arguello said. On a recent call, Arguello found a bedbug colony in a man's recliner chair. Arguello inspected the elderly man's home and found no bugs anywhere except in the chair, which was thrown out. In another inspection at a different home, he found bedbugs in the baseboard of a bedroom. That could be where they stayed before venturing out to feed, he explained. A typical bedbug case requires two or three treatments, and cooperation from homeowners or apartment managers in terms of keeping a room clean with any carpeting vacuumed. Arguello uses steam in areas where insecticides cannot be used safely. Steam has shown great effectiveness when it comes to killing both the pest and its eggs. Springer Pest Control, with locations in Davenport and Des Moines, recently brought in a dog that has been trained to sniff out the bugs. Named "Chloe," she is internationally certified to find bedbugs. The dog does so accurately 98 percent of the time, said her handler, Sabrina Lowery. Humans, on the other hand, successfully detect the bugs about 30 percent to 60 percent of the time, she said. Lazy bugs Bedbugs are basically lazy, said Holscher, the entomologist. They hide 99 percent of the time, come out briefly at night, run up to exposed skin, feed for a few minutes and then hide again. The insects prefer not to go under bedcovers to feed, he said, nor will they commonly climb into pajamas or other clothing. Bites generally are found on the arms, neck and face or whatever the first piece of exposed skin that they encounter happens to be. A typical way to be exposed to bedbugs is when a person moves into a new residence that is already infested. Also, the bugs may travel from room to room in hotels, motels and multifamily dwellings. In addition, people have been known to pick up bedbugs through used furniture, such as mattresses and box spring sets, and used clothing if, for example, it was stored in a box near an infestation. "People love to go to flea markets and get great bargains," Holscher said. "You should just make sure that you don't bring home more than you bargained for." 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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