"Don't let the Bed Bugs Bite." Can you still hear those haunting words from your childhood
echoing in your dark room every night? The scary little bed bugs are back in the news and unlike
the cute bed-time saying, these bugs are out for blood, - your blood to be precise.
The problem of bed bug infestation has become so big that the little blood-suckers are now the
main topic of their own 2 day convention. More than 360 people who are concerned about
bedbugs — entomologists; pest control workers; government, military and university officials;
and, especially, inventors of anti-bedbug devices — recently gathered in the outskirts of Chicago
for the event, which also had a massive waiting list with more than 200 people anxious to get in
and attend the classes that took aim at wiping out the little devils.
The seminars, which attracted standing-room-only crowds, were not designed for those without
an intense interest or for those with weak stomachs. Among the topics: “Bring the Heat,”
“Fumigation” and “Group Homes — Unique Challenges in Transient Settings.”
Bed bugs are small, non-flying, oval, insectsthat belong to the insect family Cimicidae, including
three types that often bite humans. Adult bed bugs can easily reach 6-8 mm in length, and when
they are young (juveniles or nymphs) are as small as 2 mm. Bed bugs have a flat body and are
often mistakenly identified as baby cockroaches or ticks. Bed bugs feed themselves by sucking
blood from humans or animals. Adult bed bugs are brown or red in color, appearing more on the
reddish side after feeding on meal of blood. Nymphs are clear in color so they turn a bright red
color after feeding. Bed bugs have wings, but they cannot fly.
Where are bed bugs found?
Bed bugs were very common in the U.S. before 1940 and became rare after widespread use of the
pesticide DDT began in the 1940s and 1950s. They existed in great numbers in other countries
and, in recent years, have been making a comeback in the U.S. Increases in immigration and
visitors from third world countries as well as restrictions on the use of strong pesticides may be
factors that have led to the relatively recent increase in bed bug infestations. While bed bugs are
often reported to be found when sanitation conditions are poor or when birds or mammals
(especially bats) are nesting in or near a house, bed bugs can also live and thrive in clean
environments. Overcrowded living conditions also can cause the spread of bed bugs.
Bed bugs are hearty and can thrive in any almost any area of the home and can reside in small
crevasses in furniture or on textiles and upholstered furniture. They tend to be more commonly
found in areas where people sleep and usually infest beds, including mattresses, box springs, and
bed frames. They do not nest on the sleeping surfaces of beds as commonly as cracks and crevices
associated with the bed frame and mattress. Other areas where bed bugs live include curtains,
under carpet, nooks and crannies inside drawers and other furniture, gaps in wallpaper
(particularly near the bed), and inside the spaces of wicker furniture.
Fortunately there are affordable options available for identifying and eliminating bed bug
infestations. One such solution is BedBug 911 , a very easy to follow step by step method for
getting rid of bed bugs. Of course if you have a massive infestation it is probably best to call your
local exterminator and pay the big bucks for the pros to do the job for you.
