Bed Bugs
Bedbugs are Back!
When you see headlines such as
New York Bed Bugs Threaten Hotel Industry, you know that things are getting serious.
Bed bugs are small, oval, non-flying insects. They often travel from place to place by hitchhiking with people. For instance, someone with bedbugs may go to a movie. Some bedbugs crawl into a seat. When the next person comes along, the bedbugs crawl into their clothing. That person goes to their five star hotel and inadvertently leaves a few bed bugs in the room. The next client comes in and picks up the bedbugs which hitchhike all across the country to his home.
Mainly because of the use of DDT, bedbugs were largely eradicated as pests in the developed world in the early 1940s. However, bed bugs have made a comeback starting around 1996.
Treatment for Bites
Often no treatment is required for bed bug bites. If itching is severe, steroid creams or oral antihistamines will relieve the symptoms. If a victim scratches the bites too severely, secondary bacterial infections may develop. That would require the use of antibiotics.
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Getting Rid of Bedbugs
You may have to call in a pest control expert. You may have to scrub infested surfaces with a stiff brush to remove eggs, dismantle bed frames and furniture, fill cracks in floors, walls, and moldings or use a powerful vacuum on cracks and crevices.
Before you call a pest control man, you may want to spread around a power called Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth. It is non toxic, can be purchased at just about any feed and supply store and it works great! You may also be able to find it at one of the large home supply stores.
You spread the diatomaceous earth around your room. When the bed bugs cross the power, they coat themselves and become dehydrated.
Make sure your diatomaceous earth is food grade. Otherwise it is a health hazard to humans.
Dust your carpets with the product then vacuumed it up several hours later. You may want to encase your new mattresses and box springs with mattress protectors and pull your beds away from the wall. Make sure blankets don’t touch the floor. Make sure bed frames are bed bug free. Put the powder around the legs of the bed. When the bugs crawl up to bite you, they have to go through the powder to get you. The powder kills them. Apply the powder once a week for 5 weeks. Eggs hatch. The insects will then want to feed.
Warning: Diatomaceous Earth is hard on the vacuum cleaner.You may want to buy a shop vac to vacuum the power.
