Friday, July 24, 2009

Do Bedbugs Really Exist?

Yes. Encounters with bedbugs used to be rare in this country, but not anymore, thanks to increased international travel. Here's how you can detect, prevent or annihilate them....

What are bedbugs? They are insects that lurk in the crevices of mattresses, box springs, and furniture. They emerge at night to feed on the blood of their sleeping victims. While their bites are generally painless, they can leave behind red, itchy welts similar to a mosquito bite.

Why are they making a comeback? Encounters with bedbugs used to be rare in this country, but not anymore, thanks to increased international travel.

Do they fly coach? They can travel by crawling into luggage or attaching to clothing, furniture, or mattresses. Really. They can even crawl into the cuff of your trousers for a free trip home.

Are they really "bed" bugs? Yes, they are typically found in and around the bed, including mattresses and box springs. They also live in headboards, night stands, lamps, baseboards, and electrical outlets.

If I have them, am I a lousy housekeeper? Bedbugs have been found in even the nicest homes, but cluttered environments do provide more locations for these pests to hide.

Do they prefer one region over another? No. They are everywhere. Bedbugs are found in every state, even the hot-weather ones (although temperatures higher than 113 degrees can kill the creatures and cause their eggs to explode).

How do I get rid of them? They are even more tenacious than squirrels. They hide in hard-to-reach locations, making them difficult to eradicate. The only solution is to hire a pest-control expert to treat the infestation.

What should you do when you find them? Bedbugs cannot be effectively eliminated with do-it-yourself approaches such as washing all the bedclothes. Quarantine the infested items, since moving items out of one room and into another may spread the infestation. Tenants who have bedbugs should contact the landlord or property manager. Bedbug populations can grow quickly, allowing them to spread to other rooms of the home or neighboring units.

Ounces of prevention. This is what you can do to protect yourself, the experts say:

Inspect vintage furniture, antiques, and used appliances or consignment items for signs of bedbugs before bringing them into the home.

Use zippered encasements on mattresses and box springs. This will help keep these items from becoming infested and will trap the bedbugs inside if bedbugs are already present.

If you suspect you have bedbugs, have your home inspected by a trained professional. Controlling bedbugs will require the assistance of a pest control professional.

If you are traveling abroad, here's what you should do while there to minimize the risk:


Hang all clothing. Leave nothing lying on the bed or furniture. Avoid unpacking clothes and storing them in the hotel's furniture drawers.


If you notice evidence of bedbugs, request another room or change hotels. When returning home, leave luggage in the garage or basement until you are able to thoroughly inspect it for bedbugs.

Vacuum suitcases upon returning from trips, and immediately wash clothing in hot water.

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