Bed Bugs

[one...two...tree 2,762]

The blood-sucking insects are the bane of most city-dwellers, but one entomologist proudly keeps a colony at the American Museum of Natural History. Is there any way for the rest of us to steer clear of them?

By Brendan Borrell

A PESKY BEDFELLOW: The common bedbug is Cimex lectularius

Interview with Louis Sorkin, an entomologist at the American Museum of Natural History, who sustains a personal colony of the bugs with his own blood.

What are bedbugs?

The common bedbug is Cimex lectularius. They are true bugs [of the order Hemiptera] in that they possess a hinged beak in the front of the head and have a stylet. The stylet is what is pushed through the skin to find a blood vessel inside. The bug sucks until it's full, and when it's finished it will go and hide and digest the blood. The body swells up to six times its normal size—from a flat insect to football-shaped.

So are they really just found in beds?

By virtue of its name, people always think bedbugs are found only in beds when, in fact, they fit anywhere their bodies can be hidden and they are as thin as a sheet of paper. They are found in all kinds of furniture, electric appliances, clock radios, computers, printers, behind pictures, books and, of course, bookcases. They are found in cracks and crevices in the wall and within walls as well as in electric outlets, wiring, pipes, plastic and metal conduits.

The problem with calling them a "bedbug" is people have an infestation and they throw out the mattress, but then the critters come back. It's really a nest or roost-inhabiting insect, and our homes are our roosts.

How do you get bedbugs?

They are good hitchhikers. Often people carry them unknowingly in their luggage. This can be baggage when you are traveling, a briefcase, a backpack or just clothing. They can be picked up in public transportation sometimes or in theaters. They will travel on pipes and wiring and conduits from one apartment to another.

Are they dangerous?

As far as the research shows, they don't transmit diseases, but they do bite and take blood. People can get secondary infections if they scratch their wounds. In some people, the itching is unbearable. There's some disagreement as to how many people don't itch at all. That's one reason why infestations can be so bad, because people don't realize they have them

In a few cases, there may be an anaphylactic reaction. It is also possible to have an asthmatic reaction because of the shed skin the bugs leave behind as they grow and die.

How do you know if you have bedbugs?

If you have unexplained bites, that's a good way to know. You can also look for their blood droppings. The excrement is a liquid that varies from either light brown to black and can either bead up or be absorbed by the surface.

In some cases, we use dogs who are trained to sniff out live bedbugs or past infestations. They'll pick up on the odor of even one bedbug. We can't typically smell bed bugs, but we do pick up their alarm pheromone when they are disturbed, which smells like coriander. If there are a lot of live bugs, there may be a smell of blood, like rusty iron.

If you are traveling, you should examine the headboard in your hotel room. The headboard should be taken off and looked into. Massive headboards would be a great condominium complex for bedbugs.

How do you get rid of them?

Often you have to seek the services of a pest control expert who has had a lot of experience. You don't have to get rid of your furniture. Insecticides can be sprayed on furniture or furniture can be taken apart and sprayed with orange oil or Murphy's oil, both of which have an insecticidal quality. There are special preparations labeled for mattresses.

The nonchemical ways to remove bedbugs include low-vapor steam treatments, which are done for mattresses and furniture. There are also encasements that you put the mattress box spring in. You starve them to death, but it will take months.

In medieval times, when people would travel to inns with bedbug problems, they would send a pig into the room first so the bedbugs would feed and be satiated.

Don't you have a colony of bedbugs at the museum?

I've only had them for three years, but the original population had been collected from Fort Dix in New Jersey by an Army entomologist in 1971.

I have two eight-ounce jars with about a thousand bugs. There's a fine screen and I have duct tape around the base of the screw-on lid. Inside, there is just cardboard and paper, because they like to hide between the pieces.

Once a month, I just have to invert them on my arm in order to feed them. I get a bump on my arm for an hour or two and then it goes away. It doesn't itch.

And why is it that you keep these vile creatures?

They're mostly for educational purposes. I can show people and reporters all sizes of bedbugs. I also supply bedbugs to the companies that train the bedbug-sniffing dogs.

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=what-a...bugs&page=2

[46]

We need to bring back good old DDT.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

We need to bring back good old DDT.

You're insane.

[trinket 30]

In India they use Neem oil for bed bugs. I don't know much details but I have heard of it from old folks.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

We need to bring back good old DDT.

You're insane.

http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts35.html

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

How can DDT, DDE, and DDD affect my health?

DDT affects the nervous system. People who accidentally swallowed large amounts of DDT became excitable and had tremors and seizures. These effects went away after the exposure stopped. No effects were seen in people who took small daily doses of DDT by capsule for 18 months.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

In India they use Neem oil for bed bugs. I don't know much details but I have heard of it from old folks.

Murphy's Oil Soap is pretty inexpensive and according to the epidemiologist, is effective in killing the little buggers.

[almaty 19]

brother ken just had a bout with them

[Ban Hammer 13,692]

How can DDT, DDE, and DDD affect my health?

DDT affects the nervous system. People who accidentally swallowed large amounts of DDT became excitable and had tremors and seizures. These effects went away after the exposure stopped. No effects were seen in people who took small daily doses of DDT by capsule for 18 months.

that also sounds like quite a few liberals when obama was inaugurated.

[milimelo 4,581]

I think I read in RedEye Chicago that some areas of Chicago are full of them - it will take months to get rid of them completely - not sure which neighborhoods though - south, southwest ones?

[Jasman0717 9]

We need to bring back good old DDT.

Nasty stuff

[Danno 1,228]

I have heard of bed bugs forever but never heard of anyone having them. (who would want to tell?)

When I hear bed bogs mentioned I am reminded of a story I read about a guy in the Gulag camps where people were put in wooden Boxes and the Budbugs would come in buy the hundreds or even thousands to eat.

He said at first you slap and slap, killing and smashing the putrid bugs on your skin killing hundreds but hours later you were so exhausted from the effort, you just accept it and let them feed.

[Staashi 371]

I have heard of bed bugs forever but never heard of anyone having them. (who would want to tell?)

When I hear bed bogs mentioned I am reminded of a story I read about a guy in the Gulag camps where people were put in wooden Boxes and the Budbugs would come in buy the hundreds or even thousands to eat.

He said at first you slap and slap, killing and smashing the putrid bugs on your skin killing hundreds but hours later you were so exhausted from the effort, you just accept it and let them feed.

My friends had picked them up in Ireland while on vacation...they traveled back to the US unbeknownst to them and infested their home, beds, and carpet. It was a disaster of epic proportions...thousands of dollars.

[Waldo 0]

We need to bring back good old DDT.

Yeah, put it in your bed and it also cures fertility!

Good topic I'm getting tired of political #######!

[Lorenzo09 0]

To know more about bed bugs read... http://www.whatdobedbugslooklike.net/interesting-bed-bugs-pictures.html