Bed Bugs 101

        It has not taken long for sweet dreams to have turned into a nightmare about creepy, crawling, blood sucking pests. Bed bugs are steady on the rise, but not everyone knows why. We are all familiar with the saying, “Sleep tight and don’t let the bed bugs bite,” but what does this really mean, and how can we keep this from happening?

Bed bugs have been around since the beginning of time. Aristotle mentioned them in two of his plays back in 388 B.C. Bed bugs did not make their way into America until 1930s. Most researchers found the reason to be travel in and out of the country from WWII.

Over the years these tiny vampire-like bugs have been increasing at a steady pace. Their evaluation started back thousands of years ago.

Bed bugs belong to Animalia Kingdom under the classification Insecta. They begin as eggs and go through five lifecycles before reaching adulthood. Pre-adulthood bed bugs are called nymphs which are translucent in color. They will remain this way until their first feeding.

 Feeding times are common during late night/early morning hours. It is not unheard of for bed bugs to come out during daylight to feed. If they are hungry, they will feast.

Bed bugs try and feed every five to ten days. They can live up to a year without feeding. A typical meal lasts for about five minutes. After their meal, they go back into hiding until their next victim or feeding time arrives.

When they have found a prey, the insect inserts two tongue-like tubes into the flesh. One tube is designed for sucking, and the other tube injects saliva containing an anesthetic. This anesthetic prevents their prey from feeling any discomfort.   

Diane Edwards, 54, a recent victim to these bugs said, “I had no idea they were on me. I’m a very light sleeper, so I’m very surprised I didn’t wake up to them crawling on me.”

The more a person travels, the more at risk they have meeting bed bugs.

 “I’m on the road a lot for work, so I’m always staying at lots of hotels. I’ve known about bed bugs, but I’ve never been overly concerned.”

Bed bugs do not discriminate when it comes to choosing their homes. They can be found in fancy hotels, bedrooms, couches, cruise ships, and offices. Their only requirement is warmth, blood, and carbon dioxide. This gives them many options to call somewhere “home.”

One place of  is hotel rooms. Some websites help keep people informed. One well known site is bedbugregistry.com.  

According to bedbugregisty.com, Evansville has had four reported infestations in different hotels. Anyone that has experienced bed bugs at a hotel or public facility can report to this website.

The most recent beg bug report being March of this year at Evansville Microtel Inn located at 1930 Cross Pointe Blvd.

Each hotel denied all reports. Hampton Inn refused to release any information.

Crystal, the front desk employee at Evansville Microtel Inn stated, “No, we have never had bed bug problems. We have our maintenance man spray for everything, and our cleaning ladies do a through inspection.”            

Steve, an employee at Econo Lodge East located at 5006 E Morgan Ave said, “We have not had no bed bugs, well at least not that I know of. I’ve  never heard anything. We have someone come in and spray every two weeks.”

When Steven was asked who the exterminator was he could not give an answer, “I’m not sure who we use. I am not there during that time.”

The third hotel reported was the Marriott Evansville Airport located at 7101 Highway 41 N. 

Tamara, the first desk employee at Marriott said, “We have never had any reported. There may have been a guest or two that may have claimed they had bites, but we have never seen any.”

She too was asked about the report on bedbugregisty.com and said, “I have no idea about that report. I would have heard something and we would have taken care of the problem immediately. We actually have a contract with Action Pest Control, and they come in every three months with their little blue light thing.”

It has been undetermined if these employees have not been informed about the reports. One thing is certain, a person cannot tell by looking at a hotel if it is clean or not.

“I stayed at Country Inn suites in Ohio. The hotel itself looked nice from the outside as well as on the inside. The room appeared to be very clean and well inspected,” Edwards said.

If you or anyone else is concerned about bed bugs, try to make a checklist. Remember, the less clutter the better. Always check your mattresses and behind headboards. Some people even pack a magnifying glass when taking trips to inspect mattresses. Never sit your luggage or any other belongings on the floor. Wash your sheets regularly.

If you are one of the many who encounter bed bugs, exterminators suggest these actions.

If they are in your home, dismantle and scrub everything down to the best of your ability. Use a vacuum with a bag, because bagless vacuums give bugs more options for hiding. Always empty the vacuum bag outside. If the infestation is serious, call a local exterminator.

If the bed bugs have made their new home in clothes or other materials, simply put them in a dryer with the temperature at 120 degrees F and up. Keep the heat consistent and let the dryer run for at least 20 minutes.

If there are materials that do not fit or are not allowed in the dryer, simply place them in a plastic baggy and let the sun bake them out.

If luggage has been infested, follow the advice of Edwards, “I put my entire luggage in the bath tub. Bed bugs can’t crawl on porcelain, so I would be able to see the trapped ones and know if they were in my luggage.”

Always remember, just because the bed bugs may not be there, they will always be remembered, “I have a complex. I actually set my alarm at 4 a.m. to see if I can catch the bugs. The only thing I have as a reminder are my scars and bad memories,” said Edwards.