KENN STARK
Times Correspondent
Published: Wednesday, June 01, 2011
Bed Bug Problems Plaque Pennsylvania
UPLAND — Some children or pets may be as cute as a bug in a rug, but when little bugs are infesting your bedroom rug, there’s nothing cutesy about it.
Such was the story told by three West 21st Street residents at borough council’s May 24 public meeting, where the bedbug alarm was sounded for residents in the 300 and 400 blocks.
The afflicted neighborhood lies on the border between the borough and the city of Chester, with the alley behind the homes officially serving as the boundary.
The complainants were all homeowners, who said the root of the problem is unkempt rental properties.
Constance Bennett said the bedbug problem started last year, but the wafer-thin insects have now flourished in warmer weather.
Neighbor Rosalyn DeMiranda agreed, noting that she has several bug bites on her body, that not only itch, but “burn.”
“The whole row is infested,” DeMiranda said of the 400 block of her street.
It was noted that the only natural way to kill off the pesky bugs is with extreme heat or freezing cold.
Bennett said she has already spent $925 on pesticide bombs and other chemicals to rid her home of the bedbugs, all to no avail. A bedbug exterminator will charge about $1,500 to bring in sniffing dogs and apply pesticides. The extermination process requires the residents to completely clean out all household belongings to ensure success.
“We can’t move anywhere else, because we’ll take them with us,” Bennett said.
To begin to address the infestation, the borough’s board of health officer will make on-site inspections.
No comments:
Post a Comment