Backpackers cop blame for plague of bedbugs

By Jeff Bell

5:30 AM Thursday Jun 30, 2011

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The Motel Association shows members dead bedbugs so they can identify the pest. Photo / AP

Bedbugs are back - experts say a plague is affecting hotels, apartments and student housing.
Exterminators are doubling their work and hotel staff are being trained to spot the pests.
New Zealand's popularity with backpackers and tourists is partly to blame, but experts say poor hygiene is not necessarily to blame for their arrival.
Motel Association chief executive Michael Baines said hotel staff were being trained to search for the bloodsucking pests, which have also become a problem in New York and some parts of Europe.
"We have some fairly significant training programmes that we go through to make sure motels are aware what bedbugs are," he said.
"We've even gone so far as to take dead bedbugs around New Zealand so they can identify them."
The technical support manager for the pest control company Kiwicare, David Brittain,, said bedbug problems were increasing around the world, and New Zealand had been hard hit because of its popularity with backpackers.

"Increased travel is a cause because the bugs don't fly and they don't travel far from their host's living space.
"The thing about bedbugs is they will find anywhere, usually within 5m of the bed, which usually means the bedroom or adjacent rooms."
Mr Brittain also blamed the increase in second-hand furniture exchanges and the resistance bugs had developed to weak insecticides.
He said Kiwicare had sold more than 20,000 bedbug products in the past year, double its expectation.
Poor hygiene was rarely associated with an infestation - the bugs were found in expensive hotels and upmarket apartments.
Mr Brittain recommended a combination of pesticides, vacuuming, heat treatment and plastic wrappings that suffocate the bugs to fully eliminate bedbugs and their eggs.
Eric Van Essen, technical director of Ecolab, which provides cleaning services to the hospitality industry, said the insect did "not discriminate between five-star accommodation and backpackers accommodation".
"If you don't eradicate the problem by getting rid of every last bedbug - as in very, very thorough searching of all of their harbourages and not underestimating how small a crack or crevice they can hide in - then there's the risk that it's just going to keep on becoming a problem," he said.
The Auckland Council said it was hard to determine the number of yearly bedbug complaints since it was mainly the individual responsibility of the accommodation providers.
BATTLING THE BUGS
* Infestations rarely caused by lack of hygiene.
* Bites occur on arms, shoulders and legs, with itching that may last several days.
* Treating infestation requires a combination of strong pesticides, vacuuming, heat treatment and plastic wrappings that suffocate the bugs.
* Bugs mostly infest mattresses but also nearby carpets and baseboards. Increased travel and resistance to insecticide are factors
By Jeff Bell

Avoiding bed Bugs While Traveling

CHICAGO (CBS) — Before you hit the road for your summer vacation make sure to take steps that you don’t bring back any unexpected souvenirs in the form of bed bugs.
As WBBM Newsradio 780′s Nancy Harty reports, Chicago was recently ranked as the fourth most bedbug-infested U.S. city, behind New York, Cincinnati and Detroit, in a study by the pest control company Terminix.


But even more important is the ranking of your summer vacation destination.
Purdue University entomologist Timothy Gibb says bedbugs have been around since the time of the pilgrims, and are not going away.
“I would not believe it’s on its way out,” he said. “In fact, I’m not even sure we have peaked with bedbug infestations yet.”
Gibb appeared on the CBS 2 Morning News Wednesday with some advice for preventing bedbug infestations if you’re traveling.
“When you check into a hotel, look for bedbug signs, and if you find bedbugs, do something about it,” he said. “Certainly in a hotel situation, you could ask to be relocated. In a home or an apartment, you can use a product called Hot Shot that will actually take them out if applied directly to them.”
Anyone will know bedbugs are present by their bites, but they can be found visually too, Gibb said.
“Sometimes they will leave little black spots when they harbor, where they live, and that’s also a good sign, as are cast skins – if they grow, they leave skins behind,” Gibb said.
If you do discover bedbugs on your vacation, how do you avoid not bringing them home?
“Inspection – actually understanding where the bedbugs are,” Gibb said. “If you put luggage, or suitcases, or clothing on a bed, and then bring it back to your bed, that’s how bedbugs are transported from one area to the other.”
Taking off bedspreads in hotels is also a good idea, given that they are the least laundered bedding items in hotels.
Also, it’s important to remember that bedbugs don’t only lurk in beds, but anywhere people sleep. Couches, chairs, futons and other furniture could also be affected.

Bed Bugs 101: Basics of Cimex lectularius.

Bed Bugs 101:
the Basics of Cimex lectularius.
Harold J. Harlan

100 American Entomologist • Summer 2006
in public shelters in the last half, as
compared with the first half, of the
year (Hwang et al. 2005). In Great
Britain, reported infestations more
than quadrupled each year from
1998 to 2002 (Burgess 2002). In
Berlin, Germany, a 10-fold increase
in bed bug infestations has been
reported, rising from 5 reported
cases in the 1992 to 76 cases in 2004
(Bauer-Dubau 2004). An Australian
government public health agency
reported a 400% increase in bed
bugs submitted in 2001–2004
compared with 1997-2000. They
also reported increased interceptions of bed bugs
in luggage by quarantine inspectors from 1986 to
2003, with 74% of those occurring from 1999 to
2003 (Doggett et al. 2004). The continued spread
and increased problems due to bed bugs seem to
be inevitable.
Public Health Aspects
Bed bugs consume only blood from mammals
(e.g., humans) or birds. Adults need at least one
blood meal of adequate volume for nutrition and
reproduction. Each active instar may feed multiple
times if hosts are readily available. Adults may
feed every 3–5 d throughout their typical 6–12-
mo life span.
Vector Potential
Although 28 human pathogens have been found
naturally occurring in common bed bugs, they have
never been proven to biologically or mechanically
transmit any of them (Usinger 1966, Jupp et al.
1991, Blow et al. 2001).
Health Effects of Bites
Bed bug bites can cause physical and psychological
discomfort. Although their feeding usually
is never felt, the saliva contains biologically active
proteins, which may cause progressive, allergenic,
visible symptomatic skin reactions to repeated
bites. Typical symptoms include a raised, inflamed,
reddish weal at each bite site, which may itch intensely
for several days. Immediate reactions may
appear from 1 to 24 h after a bite and may last
1–2 d; delayed reactions usually appear 1–3 d (or
more) after a bite and may last 2–5 d (Feingold et
al. 1968). There can also be a social stigma attached
with having a bed bug infestation (Usinger 1966,
Krinsky 2002). There is no current requirement to
report bed bug infestations to any public health or
government agency.
Importance as Pests
Bed bugs are often hard to control because
they are nocturnal, seek cryptic harborages, are
very small and elusive, and can detect and avoid
many chemicals, including cleaning agents. They
are easily transported on or in luggage, furniture,
boxes, and clothes. Because they are very thin,
except just after a blood meal, they can fit through
or hide in very narrow cracks. Adults can live for
several months (some more than a whole year), and
nymphs can survive for 3 mo or longer without
feeding. Complete elimination of an established
infestation is almost impossible to accomplish in
a single service visit by most PMPs. The bed bug’s
importance as a pest has increased because of its
biting and associated effects, its characteristic odor,
and the public fear of them.
Conditions in which bed bugs thrive include
an adequate supply of available hosts, abundant
cracks or harborages within about 1.5 m of a
host, and ambient temperatures between 28 and
32 ºC and 75–80% RH. Currently occupied, cluttered
bedrooms with little air movement are ideal.
Although sanitation alone will not eliminate an
infestation, eliminating clutter, removing accumulated
dirt and debris, and sealing cracks and
crevices reduce available harborages, make it easier
to detect remaining bug populations, and increase
the probability of successful treatment.
Detailed inspection is essential to any effective
control effort. The bugs must be found promptly
and correctly identified; and their harborage sites
and extent of infestation, including a rough estimate
of the population size, must be determined as
rapidly as possible.

All About Bed Bugs- How To Avoid and Remove Bed Bugs

	Bed Bugs	Printer friendly version (PDF 47KB)	Signs of Bed Bugs Red, itchy bites on skin noticed after sleeping. Small rusty-red and black spots on mattress, pillows, and bed linens. Sweet, musty odor. If You Find Bed Bugs Tenants - Notify your landlord immediately. Landlords - Hire a licensed and trained pest control company. Confirm you have a bed bug infestation with a professional. Reduce and remove clutter. Vacuum mattresses, box springs, and carpets. Immediately place the vacuum's contents into a sealed plastic bag and throw it away in an outdoor garbage can. Clean bed linens and garments in hot water and dry them in a hot dryer for at least 20 minutes. Contact a pest control company for additional help controlling bed bugs.
	What are bed bugs? Bed bugs are small, flat insects that feed on our blood, typically at night, while we are sleeping. Adult bed bugs are about 1/4 of an inch long, have flat, rusty-red-colored oval bodies, and look like an apple seed. They feed for about 3-10 minutes and their bodies swell and become bright red. During the bed bug life cycle, a female can lay 200-400 eggs depending on food supply and temperature. Bed bugs don't fly, but can quickly walk across floors, walls, and other surfaces. Can I get a disease from bed bugs? No, there are no known cases of infectious disease transmitted by bed bug bites. However, some people are more sensitive to the bites and develop itchy, red welts. Scratching the bites can lead to infection. Bed bugs may also affect a person's mental health. Anxiety, insomnia, and irritability have been reported in some people. How do I prevent bed bugs from entering my home? People often bring bed bugs into their homes via infested luggage, furniture, bedding, or clothing. Bed bugs can hitch a ride on items purchased second-hand, or from furniture and bedding that is delivered to your home. Bed bugs may also travel between apartments through small crevices, cracks, and ventilation ducts in walls and floors.   Regular house cleaning, including vacuuming your mattress, can help to prevent an infestation. Clean up clutter to help reduce the number of places bed bugs can hide. Wash clothing and inspect luggage immediately after returning from a trip. Inspect used furniture for bed bugs before bringing it into your home. Never bring discarded bed frames, mattresses, box springs, or upholstered furniture into your home. When traveling, how do I avoid bed bugs? Look for blood spots or live insects in the seams, cracks, and crevices of the mattress, box spring, and other furniture. Request a different room if you find evidence of beg bugs. Keep all belongings in your luggage. Keep luggage off the bed and floor - use the suitcase valet stand or luggage rack. Consider storing your luggage and belongings in sealed plastic bags during your stay. If possible, move the bed away from the wall. Tuck in all bed sheets and keep blankets from touching the floor. When packing to come home, place clothing in sealed plastic bags. Upon returning home, keep your luggage in an isolated area, such as the garage. Inspect the luggage. Take your clothes from the plastic bags and place them directly into the washing machine. Wash all your clothes in hot water and put them in a hot dryer for at least 20 minutes. How do I know if my home has bed bugs? Itchy swollen bites may be the first sign of a bed bug problem. However, these itchy bites can take as long as 14 days to develop in some people, so it's important to look for other clues if you are concerned about an infestation. Bed bugs typically infest mattresses, box springs, bed frames, and couches. You may be able to find them hiding within the cracks and crevices of beds, furniture, floors, and walls. Bed bugs often leave evidence of small dark stains (fecal droppings) and rusty red spots (bloodstains) on bedding sheets, mattresses, and other areas they hide in or travel along. Heavy bed bug infestations can cause a sweet, musty smell. If you suspect a bed bug problem, it's important to first confirm that you really have bed bugs. Contact a pest control company for bed bug identification help.
	What do bites from bed bugs look like? Skin reactions from bed bug bites vary from person to person. Bites may go unnoticed or may be mistaken for flea or mosquito bites or other skin conditions. The most common skin reaction to bed bug bites are itchy red bite marks that appear clustered or in a straight line, often along the edge of clothing or where sheets were pulled up to a person's skin. Small swollen red bumps are also common. In rare cases, people may develop large, often itchy, red welts. A single bed bug bite is similar to a flea bite, except that a red area does not occur in the center. Flea bites tend to be found around the ankles while bed bugs tend to bite any exposed area of the body while a person is sleeping, such as the face, neck, arms, hands, or legs. How do I stop itching from bed bug bites? Most bed bug bites go away by themselves and don't need treatment. Keep the skin clean and try not to scratch. Over-the-counter, anti-itching cream for insect bites can help relieve the itching. If the bites are very itchy, your health care provider may prescribe cream or antihistamines to relieve the itchiness. Oral antibiotics may be prescribed for any secondary skin infection from excessive scratching. How do I get rid of bed bugs? The best way to control bed bugs is to use an integrated pest management approach, which combines a variety of control techniques that pose the least risk to human health and the environment. The use of pesticides is just one part of the potential control strategy for bed bugs. Confirm that you have bed bugs. Contact a pest control company for bed bug identification help. Use your vacuum's nozzle attachment to capture the bed bugs and their eggs. Vacuum all seams and crevices on your mattress, bed frame, baseboards, and any other objects close to the bed or furniture in the home found to be harboring bed bugs. It is essential to vacuum daily and immediately place the vacuum's contents into a sealed plastic bag and throw it away in an outdoor garbage can. Wash all your linens in hot water and place them in a hot dryer for at least 20 minutes. Cover your mattress, box spring, and pillows with a certified bed bug cover encasement. Remove all unnecessary clutter. Seal cracks and crevices between baseboards, on wood bed frames, floors and walls with caulking. Repair or remove peeling wallpaper, tighten loose light switch covers, and seal any openings where pipes, wires or other utilities come into your home. Pay special attention to apartments or rooms that share a wall - bed bugs can move through extremely small gaps to infest new areas. Monitor nightly to catch the bed bugs. Trapping provides evidence of bed bugs, but it shouldn't be used as the sole method of control because it probably won't catch all the bed bugs. You can purchase a trap or make your own, see UNL Extension's Do-It-Yourself Bed Bug Trap (PDF 550KB). Closely examine any items that you are moving around in your home or are bringing in. If you throw away infested items, make sure that no one else will want to use them again - cut holes in upholstery or attach a sign to it saying, "Infested with Bed Bugs." Contact a professional pest control company to assist you with these control steps and to see if pesticides or other bed bug control strategies should be included. Use the least toxic pesticide product available and follow the label's instructions. Never use pesticides that are intended to be used outdoors, inside your home. Bug bombs, or total release foggers, are not effective in controlling bed bugs. Bed bug infestations can be difficult to control, but don't resort to improperly using pesticides. Serious health risks can occur when pesticides are used improperly. Hiring a Pest Control Company Consider hiring a pest control company, especially if there appears to be a significant infestation of bed bugs.

Getting Rid Of Bed Bugs

Get Rid of Bed Bugs Once and for All

Know the steps you need to take to clear out these uber-pests.

The United States is under siege. A growing infestation of bed bugs has moved beyond being a mere itchy, painful annoyance in major cities to become a threat to the health of citizens around the country.
Bed bugs look like small cockroaches, and they’re darker after they feed. They congregate where they can find blood, especially in beds and on furniture—but they can also live on hard surfaces such as bookshelves, picture frames and walls. Their bites, which are raised itchy bumps, may be mistaken for flea or mosquito bites, so bed bugs often go undetected for some time. The dark blotches of blood and fecal matter that they leave on bedclothes and in the crevices of other surfaces are often the first sign of an infestation.
Researchers recently found bed bugs carrying two types of drug-resistant bacteria, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE). Even more frightening is the fact that these nasty little critters are developing a resistance to pesticides. Compared to ten years ago, today's bed bugs are a thousand times more resistant to the chemicals used to fight them.
So how does one battle uber-bed bugs like those found today?
First and foremost, do all you can to prevent bed bugs from entering your home. Bed bugs tend to move from one location to the next by means of hitchhiking, often grabbing a ride on suitcases, moving boxes or even clothes.
A few precautions may be warranted if you stay at a hotel or other location where bed bugs might exist.
For starters, do not put your suitcase on the bed. Instead place it on a hard wooden surface or metal rack. If that’s not an option, wrap your bag in a large plastic bag before departure. When you get home empty the contents directly into the washing machine and wash at the highest temperature possible. Similarly, use the highest heat setting on the dryer. If it's below freezing out, place your bagged suitcase outside for a few cold nights to freeze the bugs out. Otherwise, vacuum your luggage thoroughly on a hard surface where escaping bugs will be visible. Dispose of the vacuum bag immediately.
If you suspect bed bugs have found their way into your mattress, act fast. Begin by stripping your bed and washing and drying your bedding at the highest heat possible. Next, vacuum the mattress and box spring thoroughly to remove bugs and eggs. When you re-make the bed, make sure none of the bedding touches the floor.
If that doesn't resolve the problem, place your box spring and mattress in a zippered, vinyl cover for at least a year. If you're a tenant, notify your landlord and ask for assistance. If you're a homeowner, contact a professional pest company for a full assessment and recommendation.