Bedbugs Make A Comeback In Michigan!
"Good Night, Sleep Tight, Don't Let The Bedbugs Bite."
When I was growing up I thought they were some fictitious little creatures in a rhyme my Grandma used at nighttime... which, coincidentally, scared the stuffing out of me.
But as it turns out, unfortunately, these critters are for real. And they are making headlines as they make a big comeback across the nation.
Not too long ago, I saw this headline in a Newsweek magazine: Bedbug Nation: Critters Make A Comeback
So, how bad is it?
Several weeks ago in New York City, the critters forced temporary closures of a Times Square movie theater as well as retail chains Hollister, Abercrombie & Fitch and Victoria's Secret. They took residence in the Empire State Building.
In Ohio, dubbed the new "Bedbug Capital of the United States," some residents have taken to sleeping on the streets just to get away from their co-habitants, according to Time magazine.
Professional Help -- Not Just A Euphemism For A Psychatrist
Experts blame international travel as one of the culprits in the bedbug resurgence. They need humans for survival, so they just hitchhike along and take up residence wherever humans are.
Another problem is that bedbugs have become resistant to many pesticides. Experts are blaming the resurgence largely on a surge in humans traveling internationally. The insecticide DDT worked so well, bedbugs became virtually extinct. When it was banned, bedbugs became resistant to many other pesticides. Now that they're back, happy in places where there is a lot of human turnover: dormitories, hotel rooms (even high-end ones), homeless shelters, even churches.
And once their established, they are difficult to get rid of. Even pest control companies have gone beyond pesticides. They are getting creative with their techniques: ozone generators, heating houses to 140 degrees F to kill the bugs, freezing with carbon dioxide... even using bedbug-sniffing dogs.
Bedbugs can live for months without eating, they can live in clothing or under furniture, hide behind wallboards or under rugs... and of course, they can hide in a mattress, waiting for dinner time.
So if you have any concerns, call a pest control company right away.
There Is Some Good News
Even though they bring physical discomfort, mental stress and drain the bank account, bedbugs aren't known to carry disease. So when you call it quits this evening, be sure to sleep tight. Just don't let the bedbugs bite.
Side Note
Sorry, fellow Michiganders: we have a problem in our state.
Top Five Infested Cities (according to Terminix): New York City, Philadelphia, Detroit, Cincinnati, Chicago
Top Infested State (according to Terminix): Ohio
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