Night Night, sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite.
\nI can remember hearing that when I was a child. It never occured to me that bed bugs were real. Then I read about Medieval times and I discovered that bed bugs and lice and all sorts of miserable insects were commonplace. That might have been the start of my interest in herbs. A number of different herbs, including lavender were strewn among the rushes or straw that covered the floor of a castle’s common room.
\nBed bugs were eliminated in the United States, but they have reappeared.<\/p>\n
\nSigns of bed bug infestation had been reported in 28 states by 2002. Homes, apartments, and even posh, world-class hotels have reported them. It seems that the increase of international travel, coupled with a change in the kinds of pesticides available to us account for the infestations. At one time we used pesticides which killed the bugs, but we have since found those pesticides to be dangerous to humans. So, the bed bug thrives, and is carried around the world in suitcases and airplanes.
\nIf you find that you have them, you can dispose of your mattress, or you can set it outside for a few hours this winter. Bedbugs can’t survive temperatures below 25 degrees F. With severe infestations, clothing, sheets, bedding and curtains should be doused in boiling water, and washed regularly in hot water. Carpets should be steam cleaned, and vacuumed frequently. Look for pesticides that contain pyrethrin as an active ingredient.
\nBed bugs suck human blood. They are a pale tan insect about a quarter of an inch long, and as they feed, they turn a dark red, and can swell to the size of a ladybug. The bugs are drawn to human breath and emerge at night, so the bedroom is the logical place for them to strike. You will realize you have an infestation when you notice small blood stains on walls and sheets. They are able to hibernate up to a year in cracks between floorboards, long after the exterminator is gone.
\nEven if you are not an international traveler, you could still come in contact with these beggers. Many of the hotel chains in the US are fighting infestations. Orkin offers training seminars for hotels to teach their workers what to look for to head off infestations.
\nOkay, I’ve done my duty by spreading the alarm. Just writing about it has made me itch! I think I’m going to go check my bed….<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Night Night, sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite. I can remember hearing that when I was a child. It never occured to me that bed bugs were real. Then I read about Medieval times and I discovered that … Continue reading