Bedbugs and
Bedbug Infestations
 The
United States is experiencing the worst bedbug infestation since the 1940s.
Apartments, college dorms, and hotels are seeing a boom in the population of
bedbugs and that trend is spreading across the world.
Bedbugs are easy to see. They are tiny, tick-like insects that will
suck your blood as you lay in your bed at night.. They inject you with a
numbing agent and an anticoagulant so that your blood flows while they eat all
without you knowing it.
Most people do not even know they have been bitten until they awake to
swollen, itchy, red bumps. Bedbugs leave a small red blood stain on the
sheets and their feces looks like tiny, black specks.
During the daylight hours, they hide in the cracks and crannies of your
mattress and furniture.
Bedbugs may transmit many human diseases, but the most common side-effect is
infection caused by scratching. Cases of allergies have been found and
severe reactions can cause hives and, in some cases, can lead to an asthma
attack.
Your chance of having a bedbug attack increase if you live in a building with
many other residents, have pets in your home or live in tropical areas. It
is best to not buy or pick up upholstered furniture, clothing, or mattresses at
garage sales or resale shops. If clothes are purchased, wash them
immediately in HOT water and dry in a hot dryer.
When staying in a hotel, check the sheets for rusty-looking stains. Do
not stay at a hotel where there are any signs of bedbugs. And, when you
get back home, check your bags to make sure no stray bugs came home without your
knowing it.
If you do get bedbugs in your home, hire a professional to get rid of them.
They will treat your mattresses by inserting them in special bags and vacuuming
or by heat/steam treatments. They will use pesticides in other areas to
treat your home.
So, the old adage of "sleep tight, don’t let the bedbugs
bite!" still holds true. Be wary and be
safe. |
