12/5/2011 Survey: Travelers Fear Bedbugs And Dirty Sheets

Bedbugs, unwashed sheets and dirty toilets are among the biggest hygiene fears of Kiwi travellers, a survey has revealed.

The Travelbug survey of 11,000 New Zealanders, conducted by the Trade Me website, asked people their destination preferences and hotel habits.

Of those, 32 per cent revealed their biggest hotel hygiene fear was discovering unwashed sheets in a room, followed by an infestation of bedbugs (24 per cent) and dirty toilets (15 per cent).

“Maybe people think bedbugs are unlikely but unwashed sheets are quite a real fear – you do hear some horror stories about what people find when they pull back the sheets. But in reality NZ hotels are very clean by world standards,” said Trade Me head of travel Daniel Bridges.

Those most scared of germs were women aged 18-29, with 95 per cent having some hygiene fears, compared to the least concerned – men over the age of 60 – 22 per cent of whom had no hygiene fears.

The survey also revealed some fascinating habits of travellers once behind the hotel room door, said Mr Bridges.

Men were more likely to wander into the wrong hotel room, with seven per cent having done so; and 68 per cent of female respondents aged 18-25 had no problem taking the hotel toiletries home with them.

Queenstown was a clear winner when it came to the most sought-after destination.

More than 80 per cent of New Zealanders planned to travel around the country this summer, with the town topping the list of best destination they had visited and most preferred place to return to.

The visitor-friendly aspect of the town was a large part of its appeal, said Mr Bridges.

“It’s no longer just a winter playground there’s so much to see and do and it really is an exhilarating place to be all year-round. It’s exciting and unlike anywhere else in the country with world-class visitor experiences like ZipTrek Ecotours, Shotover Jet and bungy-jumping.”

The “Queenstown obsession” was particularly strong among young people, with 26 per cent of those aged 18-29 picking it as their number one holiday destination.

Northland also rated strongly, with those over 60 selecting it as their favourite place to visit.

When travelling, most people preferred to people were happy to pay for accommodation and have their own space rather than stay with friends and family.

Continue Reading More: Survey Travelers Fear Bedbugs & Dirty Sheets

10/31/2011 South Bend Indiana Apartment Residents Overtaken By Bedbugs

Trash bins overflowed with mattresses and furniture last month at a South Bend apartment complex. But anyone tempted to repurpose the loot would have been in for a nasty surprise.

The bedding and furnishings were infested with bedbugs.

The bugs had moved into several of the complex’s buildings and were “spreading like wildfire” from apartment to apartment, according to one resident, who didn’t want to be named for fear of eviction.

“I noticed the bites first and I was thinking, ‘I’m breaking out or I have the measles,’ ” she said. “But then I saw a little bug.”

She called the complex office and they sent Terminix to look at her place. They confirmed that she had the bugs.

So did her daughter and grandchildren, who live in a nearby apartment.

“They are bit up bad,” she said. “My daughter and her friend threw away everything.”

The family is sleeping on the floor until the problem is resolved.

Meanwhile, the woman is concerned that the bugs might spread through the complex’s schoolchildren.

“My grandson goes to school and other kids out here go to school,” she said. “They say (the bugs) can travel on people’s clothing or purses.”

She’s right. Bedbugs don’t stay put.

“They are the best hitchhikers there are,” said Tim Harvey, manager of Terminix’s South Bend branch.

“They ride from place to place on clothing, luggage. They can even get on your pants and travel from room to room or be transported anywhere.

“It has nothing to do with sanitation or cleanliness. They are just good hitchhikers,” he said.

They tend to infest places with a lot of traffic: college dorms, hotels and motels, nursing homes, office buildings, schools and day cares, hospitals, public transportation and movie theaters.

Last year, Hawthorne Elementary School in Elkhart dealt with an infestation. In August, the Niles Housing Commission’s Hi Rise apartments had to call in a company with a bedbug-sniffing dog to deal with an infestation. There have been several reports of bedbugs at hotels in Michiana. And, of course, there are homes.

“I’ve actually gotten double the calls this year than we did previous years,” said Harvey. “We probably do an average of two to three jobs per week.”

Science and health

Bedbugs are small, flat, oval insects that feed solely on blood, preferably that of humans. They are usually active at night and prefer to hide close to where people sleep – especially in the crevices of the mattress, box spring, bed frame and headboard. They cannot fly, but will crawl as far as 20 feet to obtain a blood meal, said Marc Lame, an entomologist at Indiana University Bloomington.

Bedbugs feed by piercing exposed skin like a mosquito. They are not able to burrow into skin or through material. It takes them about five to 10 minutes to feed, but people seldom know they are being bitten.

“Basically their whole survival depends on getting on, getting a blood meal and getting off without being squished,” Lame said. “They inject an anticoagulant to make the blood flow faster and an anesthetic so they can remain undetected.”

Some people develop an itchy red welt similar to a mosquito bite within a day to two weeks of being bitten, while others have little or no reaction.

Female bedbugs might lay 200 to 500 eggs during their lifetime. When they first hatch, the bugs are about the size of a pinhead. As they grow, they molt or shed their skin five times. Before each stage of the life cycle, the bugs must have a blood meal. However, they can go for months, as many as 10 to 12, without eating, Lame said. If conditions are right, they can mature within a month – which means they can produce several generations in one year.

While a lot of research is still being done on the subject, studies so far have shown that bedbugs do not transmit disease.

However, the government is beginning to recognize the bugs as a serious health concern. Just last year, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a joint statement on the matter. This is because the bugs have a psychological effect on people, Lame said.

“If you think you’re sleeping with bedbugs, you are not going to sleep very well,” he said. “Which causes you to function very poorly – from crazy to just darn tired.”

That, in turn, can impair reflexes and contribute to other health problems.

“After they get rid of (the bugs), it can take three weeks or three months for (a person) to psychologically get over the infestation,” Lame said. “I’ve even had some sleepless nights after bedbug calls that were heavily infested – where they were really numerous and gross.”

Some people become obsessed and would do anything to rid their homes or themselves of the bugs, including “dousing themselves with pesticides or bedbug bombs,” Lame said, or scraping their skin with sharp objects.

A North Carolina woman died after she and her husband used several chemicals in their home in an attempt to rid it of bedbugs.

“We could all have bedbugs and survive,” Lame said, but when it reaches an epidemic and causes anxiety in people, public health officials play an important role.

Continue Reading More: South Bend Apartment Residents Overtaken By Bedbugs

10/29/2011 How To Keep Bedbugs Out Of Luggage: Remember These Tips For Safer Travel

If you are ever unfortunate to stay in a hotel room that is infested with bed bugs, then you will know how uncomfortable they can make you feel. If you are not careful they can get into your luggage and before you know it you have given them a free ride to your house.

Prevention is obviously better than cure, but if you suspect that you might be at risk of picking up some passengers then there are some precautions that you can take to try and minimize the risks of having some new bed bug pets at your home. Try not to put your clothes or luggage directly onto your bed, and if possible store your luggage on a metal luggage rack or in the bathtub when possible as bed bugs can’t climb metal or porcelain. Also, try to pack everything in plastic bags and pack a plastic bag large enough to hold your luggage.

If you suspect that you might have picked up some passengers, make sure you wash everything thoroughly in hot water and then dry it for a minimum of thirty minutes at the highest dryer setting. For more delicate items, soak in warm water with lots of laundry soap for several hours before rinsing. Other items can be put into a dryer for thirty minutes to eliminate bed bugs.

Your luggage itself should be vacuumed as thoroughly as possible before scrubbing with a stiff brush to dislodge any eggs that you missed. The vacuum bag should be sealed and emptied immediately. You can store the luggage in your garage to prevent any that survive from getting into your house.

Continue Reading More: How To Keep Bedbugs Out Of Luggage

10/23/2011 How Hotels Are Trained To Handle Bedbugs: Experts Write Proper Procedure To Follow When Guests Complain              Hopefully you will never have to deal with bedbugs in your hotel.  However, if you do, below is the way the hotel should deal with the matter:

We know all too well there is always a risk that hitchhiking bed bugs will be introduced into one of your hotel guestrooms. Catching bed bugs ahead of a guest sighting/attack is clearly the best possible outcome.  

Unfortunately, there will still be the occasion where a guest comes forward with a bed bug report. With endless media reports of bed bugs, there is little doubt that travelers are on heightened alert. Add to this that guests will often confuse other insect activity with that of bed bugs. 

Basically, there are two possibilities for bed bug reports: a guest reports having seen what they believe to be bed bugs (but is not complaining of bites), or a guest is complaining they have received bed bug bites at your hotel.

Under either scenario, there are common “response” and “action” steps to take.

RESPONSE
Whenever a guest complains of sighting a live bed bug (and/or bed bug indicators) or comes forward with a complaint of bites, it is important for the staff to take quick and decisive actions. As part of my efforts with B3G (a company whose mission is to eradicate bed bug infestations at hotels), I have developed an easy-to-remember response protocol. This approach starts with using the response acronym “LOCATE.” Think of the bed bug epidemic as a battle against tiny terrorists. Before you can take proper actions, you need to locate the enemy’s base of operations. “Locate” as our acronym helps you remember the six elements of the proper response.

Step 1: Listen. Listen completely to the guest’s bed bug report without interruption.

Step 2: Offer a different room. As soon as you have completed listening to the guest’s bed bug account, let the guest know that you are prepared to offer them an alternative room.

Step 3: Comfort. Comfort the guest and provide reassurance that bed bug prevention is taken very seriously at your hotel.

Step 4: Ask. Ask for the details that led to the guest reporting bed bug activity within their room. Fact gathering basics include: what did they see; where did they see it; how much did they see?

Step 5: Tend to needs. Typically, the guest will request an alternative room. Relocating the guest should be seamless via the help of hotel staff.

Step 6: Explain. Explain the steps that the hotel will take as a result of a guest report. Continue to keep the guest informed throughout the process.

ACTION
Responding to the guest is important but without taking quick and appropriate physical action, the hotel will lose credibility.

Just as there is an acronym for the appropriate response, B3G has developed an easy to remember list of actions to be taken by the staff following a report of bed bug activity in a guest room. The easy to remember acronym is “ACTION,” which was selected in order to help your staff remember the six steps that need to be completed.

Step 1: Attend to guest. Attending to the guest is synonymous with the response protocol, LOCATE (Listen, Offer, Ask, Comfort, Tend, and Explain).

Step 2: Contain. Avoid cross-contamination. Do not relocate a guest reporting activity without completing an inspection. If the inspection results are positive for BB activity, take appropriate steps regarding the guest’s belongings.

Step 3: Treat. Any report of bed bug activity will result in treatment and taking extra preventative maintenance measures.

Step 4: Impart seamless service. Imparting seamless service means that the staff is aligned to tend to the guest’s needs and provides timely and appropriate assistance.

Step 5: Offers. Follow your hotel’s protocol for problem resolution. Then, follow-up with the guest to ensure that they are satisfied with the hotel’s response to their bed bug report/complaint.

Step 6: Notes. After taking care of the guest and all steps to inspect and treat a guestroom, properly reporting the situation is the final action.

THE FOUR “DON’Ts”

1.    Don’t delay in responding to the guest (best practice is to extend an immediate response by GM or MOD).

2.    Don’t be defensive about the possibility that the guestroom has bed bug activity.

3.    Don’t disregard the inconvenience the guest will experience as a result of making report.

4.    Don’t drop the ball—complete all the following steps:

a.    Do your fact gathering

b.    Tend to the guest’s needs at all points of the process

c.     Keep the guest informed along the way

d.    Complete an incident report and make entries into your hotel’s bed bug log.
Continue Reading More: How Hotels Are Trained To Handle Bedbugs

10/19/2011 Bedbug Report Shows Treatment For Infestations Way Up

The pest management community has once again weighed in on a topic that for many Americans causes concern and embarrassment: bed bugs. The 2010 survey gave the American public insight into the bed bug resurgence in a way no other survey had before. In 2011, the U.S. pest management industry offers its unique perspective on just how extensive the bed bug invasion is and whether circumstances have improved or gotten worse in the past year. This report highlights the key findings obtained from more than 400 pest management professionals who participated in this survey.
The Resurgence Continues. The survey reveals that nearly every pest management professional (99 percent) — from coast to coast — has encountered a bed bug infestation over the past 12 months, compared to the 95 percent who reported bed bug encounters in 2010. The survey further reveals that bed bug infestations are continuing to rise, a trend noticed by more than eight out of 10 survey respondents (84 percent). This increase is consistent with findings from the 2010 survey.

The respondents had varying opinions to explain the increase in bed bug infestations, pointing to a surge in travel, a lack of public awareness and too few precautionary measures being taken. Many respondents also mentioned changes in pest control products and methods and the bugs’ resistance to some available pesticides.

The majority of respondents — six out of 10 — reported that infestations are a year-round phenomenon, seeing no seasonal influence to the pest. However, 25 percent of professionals indicated they saw a spike in reports during the summer. As people tend to travel more during the summer months, it’s possible that more people will unknowingly transport bed bugs to their residences after picking them up on vacation.
Just About Everywhere. While nine out of 10 respondents have treated bed bugs in apartments, condominiums and single-family homes in 2011 and 2010, in the past year bed bug encounters have become more commonly reported in many other places. For example, PMPs report seeing large increases in the number of bed bug encounters in college dorms, hotels, nursing homes, office buildings, schools and daycare centers, hospitals, public transportation and movie theaters compared to last year. More specifically, many places experienced double-digit growth from a year ago, including:

• College dorms (54 percent, up from 35 percent a year ago)
• Hotels/motels (80 percent, up from 67 percent a year ago)
• Nursing homes (46 percent, up from 25 percent a year ago)
• Office buildings (38 percent, up from 17 percent a year ago)
• Schools and day care centers (36 percent, up from 10 percent a year ago)
• Transportation (train/bus/taxi) (18 percent up from nine percent a year ago)
• Hospitals (31 percent, up from 12 percent a year ago)
• Movie theaters (17 percent, up from four percent a year ago)

Additionally, in this year’s survey, 21 percent of PMPs reported treating bed bugs in retail stores.
Public Attitudes. Bed bugs are widely reviled by consumers who get them. In fact, nearly every respondent (98 percent) described bed bug customers as upset and concerned. The most frequent description was “very” concerned (78 percent).

The respondents report one-quarter of their bed bug customers (25 percent) attempted to treat these pests prior to calling a pest control professional. A year ago, the comparable figure was substantially higher (38 percent), suggesting that in this arena the DIY approach is becoming less popular.

Consumers who do try to eradicate bed bugs often use methods that are both ineffective and dangerous. The respondents offered myriad examples, including the excessive and improper use of insecticides (especially “bug bombs” and foggers); the use of unregistered products; resorting to extreme measures such as propane heaters and open flame; and the application of inappropriate, often flammable chemicals, such as bleach, kerosene, alcohol, gasoline or diesel fuel. The respondents also observed many customers either do not read the instructions-for-use on insecticide packaging — or simply ignore them. Similar findings from 2010 fostered a conclusion still valid today: When it comes to treating bed bugs, consumers would benefit from more education and help from a professional.
Finding and Treating. Used almost universally, visual inspection continues to be the most popular method of finding bed bugs. The respondents noted, however, that other methods are significantly more popular today than they were a year ago. These include passive traps, pitfall traps and canine scent detection, with the latter showing the greatest gain.

Once bed bugs are found, nearly all pest management professionals (99 percent) report using insecticides to treat for bed bugs. Many respondents use mattress encasements or have clients launder the infested items. Fewer respondents — but still more than half — use vacuums or dispose of infested items entirely.

When it comes to controlling infestations, bed bugs continue to be the most difficult pest to treat, according to 73 percent of survey respondents. By comparison, 17 percent pointed to ants, nine percent said cockroaches and one percent said termites were the most difficult pests to control.
Pesticides. Pesticides are available to pest management professionals in a variety of formulations. Liquids and dusts are by far the most popular. Fewer respondents use aerosols, insecticide-impregnated resin strips and fumigants. Very few use total release foggers. Furthermore, although many respondents still use pyrethroids, the two most widely used products contain chlorfenapyr, a non-pyrethroid, and a new product containing β-cyfluthrin and imidacloprid.

Satisfaction with insecticides is relatively high. Three out of four respondents (77 percent) are very or somewhat satisfied with the insecticides they use, a modest gain from a year ago (68 percent). Four out of 10 respondents (41 percent) said they never seem to encounter a bed bug population resistant to insecticides. Last year, the comparable figure was lower at one out of three (34 percent).
All in a Few Days’ Work. In a typical residential setting, eight out of 10 respondents can control a bed bug infestation in two or three visits, with the initial visit lasting almost three hours. Here, little has changed since 2010.

Given the increase in bed bug infestations noted earlier, it is hardly surprising that many respondents report their bed bug service work is up by more than 50 percent. Also up over 2010 is the percentage of revenue bed bugs contribute to the bottom line for pest management firms, an average of five percent in 2011 compared with 3.6 percent in 2010.
Best Management Practices. The majority of respondents (78 percent) currently follow the Best Management Practices for bed bugs developed by the NPMA. Fewer than three out of 10, however, needed to alter their bed bug services as a result of the BMPs.

Continue Reading More: Bedbug Report Shows Treatment For Infestations Way Up

9/29/2011 Milwaukee Puts Out Health Alert Against Bedbug Motel: Diamond Inn Has Massive Bedbug Problem With 279 Violations

The City of Milwaukee has put out a health alert at a motel in the city.

Prompted by repeat complaints, the Department of Neighborhood Services says the Diamond Inn, on the 6200 block of West Fond du Lac Avenue, has a massive bed bug problem.

The manager says they’re working on it.

Lakisha Lewis stayed there on Tuesday night, and she claims she was bit.

She showed TODAY’S TMJ4′s Diane Pathieu bit marks up and down her arm.

“I woke up this morning and I was itching,” said Lewis.

“My guy told me it was bed bugs.  I showed him the marks on my arm.”

This building is no stranger to problems.

“They have 279 violations since 2007, so it does have a history of a number of issues, both building code violations and sanitary and environmental conditions,” said Todd Weiler of the Department of Neighborhood Services.

This time, it was bed bugs.  Of the eight complaints received, all eight of the rooms were infested with bed bugs.

Shanda Rice cleans the rooms at the hotel, and she claims hotel staff has been aware of the problem.

“We’re treating it.  Every room is getting new carpet, everything else like that.”

The manager on site explained that the hotel’s owner is planning on re-doing the whole place, with new furniture, carpeting and beds in two weeks.

Until then, the DNS is warning them to clean up their act.

“We’re going to issue an order to restore it to clean and sanitary condition,” said Weiler.

“We’ll give them 30 days to do that, and also prove that they’ve specifically been treated for bed bugs by a professional.”

Continue Reading More/Watching Video: Milwaukee Puts Out Health Alert Against Bedbug Motel

9/25/2011 How To Avoid Hotel Bedbugs: 5 Tips To Minimize Risk

The creepiest thing about making a hotel reservation these days is worrying about whether you’ll be greeted by bedbugs at your destination soon after you slide the key card into your door.

Unfortunately, the more frequently you travel the greater the risk. An alarming new report from the hotel review website Raveable suggests that the odds of actually encountering bedbugs on a trip are 660 percent greater this year than last (based on data from January 1- September 1, 2011). The worst may yet be to come, warns Raveable CEO Philip Vaughn, because the highest number of bedbug reports are generally filed between September and November.

Of course, the problem isn’t confined to hotels. The critters are turning up in movie theatres, trendy shops, offices, moving vans, laundromats, public transportation, and yes, even in ambulances. But you’re more likely to think about bedbugs when you think about beds!

Here are some of the precautions you can take to help avoid them the next time you check into a hotel:

1) Search before you go

Before you book a room, check out whether your hotel has been cited for bedbugs by other travelers. Sometimes hotel reviews on Trip, Advisor, Yelp and IgoUgo include reports. The Raveable site specifically compiles bedbug reports from travelers. Bedbug Registry is a free, public database of 20,000 user-submitted reports covering 12,000 locations. Yes, user reporting isn’t always accurate but wouldn’t you rather stay at a property that isn’t listed?

2) Know thy enemy

Know what a bedbug looks like. The bugs are oval flat and brown — about the size of an apple seed (although size depends on life stage). Attracted to warmth and carbon dioxide, they tend to come out at night and can hide in the tiniest cracks and crevices. The health risks are minimal but the “yuk” factor is extremely high if you bring them home. Getting rid of them can be an expensive and time-consuming inconvenience.

3) Check out your room

Before you take off your shoes and get under the covers, do a cursory check of your room. It pays to look for reddish-brown specks on pillowcases, sheets, covers and the mattress (especially at seams and corners); this is a sure sign that the bugs have been feeding there. If you have a few extra minutes, check the bedframe and headboard.

4) Pack and unpack accordingly

Although bedbugs don’t fly, they are great long-distance crawlers hitchhikers who are adept at getting into luggage, shopping bags or shoes. Only take whatever clothing or personal articles you really need and use sealed plastic bags to pack. Try to avoid hotel drawers and leaving suitcases or other personal belongings on carpeted floors. If you are totally bedbug-phobic, wrap your suitcases in large plastic trash bags and store them in the bathroom. Don’t use your laptop in bed; the heat of the unit can attract bedbugs that will decide to stay behind the keys. Check for any signs of bedbugs immediately when you return home (preferably before you enter your house).

5) Pay it forward

If you find any evidence of a hotel bedbug infestation, report it both to the hotel management and to user sites like those previously mentioned. If you do find traces of them at home, don’t try to do-it-yourself. Hire a professional.

Continue Reading More: How To Avoid Hotel Bedbugs

9/22/2011 How Texas Wildfires Have Fueled Bedbugs

With many Texans displaced by recent wildfires, bed bugs may become another unwanted irritation during relocation, said Texas AgriLife Extension Service and Texas AgriLife Research experts.

“With so many people being displaced and having to find accommodations in hotels or motels, it’s important for them to be aware of the possibility of encountering bed bugs and to know something about their behavior and biology,” said Wizzie Brown, AgriLife Extension integrated pest management specialist in Travis County.

Brown said bed bugs have been a growing problem throughout the U.S. and beyond, especially in urban areas with a large volume of visitors.

And national media have noted complaints of bed bugs by people in accommodations ranging from low-end motels to five-star hotels.

“However, I also get calls from student housing on campus, people in apartments, in homes and other locations,” Brown said.

“It’s not just hotels or motels. People can even  be exposed to bed bugs while staying in the home of a friend who doesn’t know they have them.”

Bed bugs often leave dried blood or rust-colored stains in mattresses, especially on the mattress folds and tufts, she said.

“When you get to your hotel or motel room, pull back the bedding to expose the mattress and box springs and check the mattress, especially the areas near the seams and tags,” Brown said. “It’s also a good idea to inspect the headboard as well as items near the bed, such as a lamp base or nightstand.”

While bed bugs, as their name implies, prefer beds and bedding, they also can be found under cushions, behind picture frames, near lamp stands, behind baseboards, in back of electrical switch plates and in other locations, she said.

Inspect the room where you plan to stay before bringing up your belongings, Brown suggested.

If there’s evidence of bed bugs upon a thorough room inspection, request a different room or, if possible, go to a different location.

“But the more hotels and motels you stay in, the greater the probability of being bitten by bed bugs,” said Dr. Roger Gold, urban and public health entomologist with AgriLife Research in College Station.

“They have really proliferated over the past several years throughout Texas and the rest of the U.S.”

Gold said newly hatched bed bugs are about the same size as a sesame seed, only flatter, and can hide in a variety of cracks, crevices, nooks and crannies.

A large adult bed bug, about the size of an apple seed, can be mistaken for a tick.

Brown and Gold said there are some steps travelers can take to protect themselves from these pests and reduce the risk of bringing them home.

The first is to have housekeeping vacuum thoroughly to remove as many bed bugs and their eggs from mattresses, box springs, carpets and other areas, concentrating particularly on mattress and box springs seams, tufts and edges, as well as where baseboards and carpet meet.

Entomologists say bed bugs are thought to locate their human hosts by body heat and the carbon dioxide exhaled during respiration, but some bed bugs may wander before they locate a host.

Therefore,  people should take steps to  reduce the risk of taking the pests home with them when they leave their temporary accommodations.

Since bed bugs crawl into cracks and crevices near the bed, they suggested keeping suitcases off the floor.

“Placing luggage in the bath tub may be an option since it has smooth sides and may be harder for bed bugs to access,” Brown noted.

“If there’s any positive at all to bed bug bites, it’s that they’re relatively painless,” Gold said. “Typically they’ll feed and be gone and you won’t even know it.”

However, about half of all people bitten have an allergic reaction to the saliva injected while bed bugs feed, Brown said.

“It’s the people with the allergic reaction who develop the welts,” she said. “This also explains why there have been many cases where people are unaware that they have bed bugs – because they aren’t reacting to the bite – as well as why one person develops welts while another in the same room doesn’t.”

Continue Reading More: How Texas Wildfires Have Fueled Bedbugs

9/21/2011 Bedbugs Infest Ohio Homeless Shelter: Toledo’s Cherry Street Mission Latest Victim Of Critters

Since spring, bedbugs have infested the Cherry Street Mission, which provides shelter and food for Toledo’s needy.

The pesky bugs have already been a problem in Ohio hotels and college dorms.

Exterminators have been brought in at least twice.

A man who lives there but did not want to be identified was bitten several times overnight on his arms.

“It’s like a burning, like a sting, like an open wound, you know what I mean?” he said. “The bad part is you open it up. Once you open it up, it spreads. You know the itching, the red marks and all that.”

The bedbugs are concentrating in the third floor bedrooms.

Blankets provide a great place to hide, and they can move from clothing to clothing, guest to guest.

“For a while one of our bunk rooms had carpet in it and we figured out that it was a giant bedbug hotel. And so we took out the carpet,” Steve North of the Cherry Street Mission said.

North says the shelter is above capacity, 170 men a night, and bedbugs are likely transferred as they come and go.

Besides the exterminators, they’ve even tried putting mattresses in freezers to freeze the bugs to death!

They keep coming back.

And it’s not just the Cherry Street Mission that is affected.

“I know for certain one of my staff members here in the men’s facility has been bitten by bedbugs himself, and that they have shown up at his house,” North said.

Guests have been told to use a bleach and water mixture to spray under their beds and their bed frames.

The Mission promises to continue treating the problem.

Continue Reading More: Bedbugs Infest Ohio Homeless Shelter

9/9/2011 DC Area Firefighters Battling Bedbugs: Three Montgomery County Firehouses Infested

Bed bugs are a scourge on society. They have spent the last few years moving into our homes, our hotels, our dorms, and even our airports. Now they are going after the people who protect us. They are going after our heroes. They are nipping at firefighters in their fire station bunks.

Three Montgomery County stations just finished fighting off the itch inducers this summer with professional artillery. The last of several high-tech fumigation interventions commenced yesterday, and fire officials hope to never see or feel or think about the pests again. Firefighters will be required to wash their sheets more, among other preventive steps.

County fire officials refuse to identify the stations infected. I assume this is because they don’t want residents served by those firefighters to worry that bed bugs will be transferred during visits. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says: “Bed bugs are usually transported from place to place as people travel.”

This raises the question: How did the fire stations become infested to begin with? Tim Burn, spokesman for the International Association of Fire Fighters, says his organization does not have reports of bed bugs being a nationwide problem for firefighters, though an Iowa fire station fought some off in May.

“We don’t know how they were brought in,” said Montgomery County assistant fire chief Scott Graham. “God knows how they got there.”

But Eric Bernard, head of the county’s volunteer firefighters, suspects bed bugs are now another hazard of firefighter life.

“We go into all sorts of environments — hotels, jails, people’s houses,” he said. “We go into places that might have a problem with bed bugs, and we bring them back. If we find a patient in bed, we are kneeling on that bed to treat them.”

Not to worry, though. Firefighters aren’t scared.

“Yes, there has been an annoyance factor,” Bernard said. “But our firefighters are not gonna let a few bed bugs bother them.”

Continue Reading More: DC Area Firefighters Battling Bedbugs