“Sleep tight and don’t let the bedbugs bite.”
It used to be just a cute little nursery rhyme.
Bedbugs, tiny vampires of the night, are making a resurgence thanks to increased travel by many Americans.
“We don’t want to create any panic, but we do want to raise awareness,” said Dr. Mike Bush, an entomologist at Washington State University Extension in Yakima.
Some simple tips can help prevent the problem or catch it early, before the pests reproduce and create an infestation, experts say.
The tiny nocturnal critters exist by feeding on human blood. They live and breed in bedding, walls and furniture.
People generally wake up to discover a series of itchy welts, like mosquito bites. After a bit of sleuthing, they find bedbugs living in their mattresses or furniture.
The critters, about the size of a pencil eraser and nearly as thin as paper, are natives of Central America. They hitch rides from place to place, easily hiding in luggage, clothing and bedding.
They don’t discriminate and will just as eagerly feed on the rich as the poor. They’ll check into five-star hotels as well as youth hostels, and it’s hard to evict them.
They’re pesky, but other than being totally gross, are not much of a health hazard.
“We’re concerned about them, but they’re not an established public health threat,” said Gary Hanada, a spokesman for the Snohomish Health District.
Unlike other vermin, bedbugs do not carry disease, so the health department doesn’t officially track their prevalence.
What officials do know is that bedbugs are here in Snohomish County.
In July, the Everett Gospel Mission had to close temporarily to clean out an infestation. Bush said the WSU Extension office has seen a steady rise in the number of inquiries about bedbugs.
The key is to uncover the problem early, entomologist Ron Harrison said. He’s the director of technical services for Orkin, a national pest control company.
“It’s a lot easier for us to make sure they’re gone if you intercept early,” Harrison said. “If you don’t pay attention, and the population gets to 20, 30, 40, then they’re going to start migrating.”
Once the crawly critters start to spread, they can be very tough to exterminate.
Find bedbugs by looking around where people sleep. Expect tiny droplets of blood on linens, or evidence in the cracks and crevices of mattresses and other bedding.
The best method of prevention is a healthy amount of caution, especially after taking a trip. Immediately after returning home, wash clothes in hot water and put them in a drier on high heat for at least 20 minutes. Store luggage away from bedrooms right after returning home.
If bedbugs do make it into a home, the best solution is a combination of cleaning up sleeping areas and calling in a professional, experts said.
“The worse thing you can do is to buy some insecticide that’s not meant for indoor use and expose yourself to it,” said Mike Young, a senior environmental health specialist with the county health district.
Over-the-counter sprays can make people very sick and few are safe enough to use on bedding.
Professionals first will determine the extent of the problem. Then they use a combination of chemicals and heat treatments to kill the bugs and their larvae, Harrison said.
It’s a process that may require several treatments, especially if there are adjoining rooms or apartments, he said.
Mostly experts say not to freak out.
“The bedbug issue didn’t happen last night,” Harrison said. “It’s been building over a long time. Awareness is the biggest thing.”
Got bugs?
• Look under mattresses, near baseboards, behind picture frames, in drawers and under wallpaper or carpets.
• Telltale signs: Tiny, rust-colored stains on mattress tags and seams, under seat cushions, behind headboards and around light switches, as well as a musty, sweet odor, like soda pop syrup.
• Unsuspecting travelers may carry bedbugs with them. Keep personal belongings and other items off the floor and away from the bed in hotel rooms.
• Inspect luggage after traveling, and as an extra precaution, dry your clothes on high heat.
• Clear clutter, which makes bedbugs harder to find and kill.
• Do not bring discarded furniture into your home or business.
• Adult bedbugs can live for more than a year without feeding and can withstand extreme temperatures, up to 120 degrees.
• If you think you have an infestation, call in a professional with experience exterminating bedbugs.
Source: Orkin Pest Control
Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3447; jholtz@heraldnet.com.
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