Bedbug Information from MedlinePlus

Some of the tips below were new to me, as checking secondhand furniture.
On a related note, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) describe emerging public health issues associated with bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) in communities throughout the United States.

Bedbugs feed on your blood and cause itchy bites. Adult bed bugs are brown, 1/4 to 3/8 long, and have a flat, oval-shaped body. Young bed bugs (called nymphs) are smaller and lighter in color. Bedbugs hide in a variety of places around the bed. They might also hide in other places, such as in the seams of chairs and couches, between cushions, and in the folds of curtains. They come out to feed on blood about every five to ten days. But they can survive over a year without feeding.

To prevent bedbugs in your home:

• Check secondhand furniture for any signs of bedbugs before bringing it home.
• Use a protective cover that encases mattresses and box springs. Check it regularly for holes.
• Reduce clutter in your home so they have fewer places to hide.
• Unpack directly into your washing machine after a trip and check your luggage carefully.
•  When staying in hotels, put your suitcases on luggage racks instead of the floor. Check the mattress and headboard for signs of bedbugs.

To get rid of bedbugs:

• Wash and dry bedding and clothing at high temperatures.
• Use mattress, box spring, and pillow encasements to trap bed bugs and help detect infestations.
• Use pesticides if needed.

The good news? Unlike some other pests, bedbugs don’t transmit and spread diseases.

[US Environmental Protection Agency]

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(October 7th addition)

A New Online Database from the EPA [US Environmental Protection Agency] : The Bed Bug Product Search Tool (Approved Pesticides)

EPA has developed a search tool that can help you choose an EPA-registered bed bug product that meets your needs. You can search for a product by its:

• Name
• Company
• EPA-registration number
• Where you can use the pesticide
• Pesticide type

The BedBug Search Tool allows one to search by area of the house (as bedroom) and options as type of product.

Related Articles

• Tips on Checking for Bed bugs
  Here are a few tips on how to check for Bed Bugs at home.
  1. Starting with the area closest to the bed, visually inspect using a good, strong flashlight. Check for bed bugs in the mattress and pillow seams thoroughly.
  2. Check for dark brown or reddish blood spots from the bed bug fecal droppings on all bedding surfaces (sheets, comforters, dust ruffles, mattresses, pillows).
  3. Slowly lift the mattress or box spring off the frame. Check the underside of the box spring– the most common hiding place for bed bugs. Remember, that fine mesh lining the bottom of your box spring is no match for bed bugs wanting to hide inside.
  4. Check for bed bugs along the top and underside of the frame carefully. This is a particularly favorite place for bed bugs as it is close to its blood meal (you) and is an undisturbed and well-hidden location on the bed.
  5. Clutter on the floors, closets, bookshelves, etc, are all good hiding places for bed bugs. Inspect these areas methodically and carefully.
  6. Inspect yourself and your family. Bed bugs typically, but not always, bite in a straight line. The bites appear red and swollen and may have a small dip in the middle, much like a mosquito bite. Beware it is difficult, even for professionals, to diagnose that a bite is indeed from a bed bug. And remember, not all family members will show signs of bed bug bites, even though they are being fed upon.
• Q&A: ‘Bed Bug Survival Guide’ Author Has Words of Wisdom (time.com)
• Ohio House passes resolution urging EPA to allow bedbug pesticide (dispatch.com)
• Beware bed bugs extermination scams (cbsnews.com)
• Top 10 Non-Toxic Ways to Control Bed Bugs(Maria’s farm country kitchen – WordPress blog)
• Dogs have a nose for bedbug detection (dispatch.com)
• Bedbugs can carry dangerous “superbug” bacteria, study says (cbsnews.com)
• Bedbug Revival 2011: What you need to know (scientificamerican.com)
• Bed Bugs Found Carrying Drug-Resistant MRSA – CDC Journal Study In Canada (ducknetweb.blogspot.com)

• Bed Bugs May Be More Than Creepy (JAMA)

  “Considered icky but not infectious, bed bugs now have been shown to carry drug-resistant bacteria. “