A Rising Epidemic Bedbug Extermination

I recently had the good fortune of having a child move back home however she brought some very unexpected guest with her. Bedbugs. I learned very quickly just how big a problem they can be.

I tend to have more sensitive skin and a number of allergies that cause skin irritation so I didn't pay a lot of attention to what I thought was a new rash on my arms. I took my antihistamine, and used anti-itch cream and moved on. The problem however persisted. Because it did not seem to be affecting anyone else in the house I figured A new allergen had been introduced and I set out to figure out what it was. I quit eating certain foods, started hand washing my clothing etc.

I did not figure it out for several weeks and then when i did it was purely accidental. I was awakened early one morning by the phone. I am a light sleeper and when the phone rang I was almost instantly alert. I was alert enough to see and kill a tiny bug scampering across my blanket. With the tiny corpse in hand and the phone call handled I went to my computer.

It did not take long to identify the little pest or to determine that we were in some major trouble. How did this happen?.

• My daughter and her children moved back home.- She is not a bad housekeeper and they were not aware that they had a problem because not everyone is affected by the bites.
• My home is not very large so my daughter and granddaughters dressers and clothes were put in my room.
• these bugs are almost completely flat and can hide literally under the paper finish on cheap furniture or behind wallpaper.
• These creatures live in colonies. The colony can multiply itself by over 5 times in a week.
• They locate a food source by our body heat, our breath, and our perspiration.
• People that are not affected by the bites are still most likely getting bitten just not showing it.

So in a few short weeks every bedroom in my house was affected.

I learned that this was a growing epidemic in America thru Internet research. Since the government banned the use of DDT pesticides there is not a one shot fix for the problem which has caused a super bug situation. Because all chemicals out there today take 2-3 applications to be effective the pests are developing an imunity to these treatments. This immunity is particularly prevalent in colonies that are several generations old.

I also learned that;

• You will need to contact a good exterminator.
• They can be killed by temp. over 120 degrees (your Dryer will be your new best friend)
• That every infested room must be stripped bare of clothing, bedding, and toys.
• anything that can be run thru the dryer should be then stored in plastic bags in an uncontaminated area.
• If you cannot get rid of mattress and box spring ask your exterminator if they sell or provide bed bags. (These are special made waterproof cloth bags for this purpose)
• If possible sleep in uninfested location while things are being treated.
• It will take 2 or more treatments to totally eliminate your problem.
• If you bought mattress bags be diligent for at least a year about preventing rips. (yes they can live unfed that long)
• The entire process cost me about $1600.00
• There are no quick fixes or cheap outs.
• If you are an optimist this is the best way to get the whole family involved in spring cleaning.