Really? I’ve never had them but my fear of getting them is so real.
Yep. Fear sells: media stories, exterminator service, refund requests.
Mosquitos are much more dangerous.
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In the UK they are associated with poverty and lack of cleanliness in the past. Why are they back with a vengeance in the US?
The US does have a lot of poverty for a rich country and there are some places here that are simply not clean.
Bed bugs (like head lice) should not be associated with cleanliness. That is a myth. They do not discriminate.
Likewise, poverty should not be associated with a lack of cleanliness.
The filthiest houses I’ve ever seen were owned by rich people. The dirtiest guests I’ve ever had were wealthy, judging by the shopping bags they left behind along with their disgusting mess.
https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/bedbugs/faqs.html
“Bed bugs have been found in five-star hotels and resorts and their presence is not determined by the cleanliness of the living conditions where they are found.”
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Bedbugs are a big problem in Hamilton, and indeed, all Golden Horseshoe. Special bed and pillow covers, no carpets, all linen bleached, every room supersprayed on rotation, and just for fun, the entire house is superheated to 140F. Linen specially stored, and on and on.
With each rotation I place a special adhesive strip on the floor and date it. A month later they may find dust, stray hair, or false eyelashes, But it’s my proof and theirs that we are bug free…not withstanding the two legged ones!
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5 stars for cleanliness.
I don’t see any connection between these 2 things at all???
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I disagree in regards to the bed bug not being a problem.
Here’s a relatively recent scientific study. https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/bed-bugs-epidemic-in-the-united-states.2161-0983.1000143.php?aid=40202
I costs about $2-3,000 dollars to exterminate. Plus you have throw out all of your furniture, bedding, rugs, etc. and close down your Airbnb for about a week.
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I did not say they aren’t a problem. I was answering this question
They aren’t a big thing. and I also said the fear is out of proportion to the reality. In terms of the epidemic and other dramatic language used, yes, there’s a big surge because bedbugs had been all but eradicated. When you go from zero percent to any number it seems dramatic.
The costs to eradicate them are high and no one wants to have them in their Airbnb but that’s not what I was addressing. I’m fairly certain the risk comes with letting travelers into your home, not from the bedbug “epidemic.”
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The bed seemed dirty so it made me afraid there would be bed bugs too. I’m just paranoid, lol.
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Are they more typical for colder climates? I barely ever heard of the bed bugs here where I’m coming from. Sometimes they have outbreaks in elderly homes or other places where there are a lot of people living in one place, but I’ve never heard of them occuring in private accommodation or even in hotels.
DO bring up concerns with your host, rather than saying nothing and then leaving a bad review!
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I am not really sure if climate has anything to do with bed bugs. I know that the Sopinka courthouse downtown was done for them, and other public places in Hamilton, and two neighbours had them. That is enough evidence for me.
The initial setup was expensive. And I am a frequent flyer at the Industrial cleaner’s. But in the long run, those measures eliminate a whack of stress. Kills everything. Easy to maintain.
In a previous life we had a cockroach problem, but my tenants were very cooperative and I had great fun dressing up in camo gear with a pressure washer. Hasta la bug.
The third plague is mice. This house is 120 years old and twice a year they try to move in. The heat treatment kills everything, but just in case they get any bright ideas, there is a very safe and effective trap in each room.
Cheers!
You sound completely on top of any invasions, i’d Love to have you as my neighbour or landlady
As noted above, bedbugs aren’t scary or dangerous. They can’t fly or even hop very efficiently. This is completely unlike the dreaded, but very common, mosquito that most people just take for granted (here anyway) but that carry all sorts of pretty gross diseases. Plus mosquitos can buzz about flying all over the place and get you indoors or out. They are little buggers.
And mosquito bites itch like crazy yet they say (I don’t know first hand) that bedbug bites are painless and only go red and become a little bothersome if the bitten person is allergic. So yes, there’s a lot of media stuff about bedbugs that’s quite unnecessary.
The exist worldwide evidently and in every state of the USA. And it’s thanks to us that the are spread around. It’s said that bedbugs are great hitchhikers and it’s we humans who spread them around the world in our luggage. We can also pick them up without realising it on aircraft seats. Lice live there too. Oh, the joys of travel!
There’s a good EPA factsheet about bedbugs linked from this page:
Right, Jaquo. Having had cockroaches, mice, spiders, mosquitos, PTSD, and a dastardly ex husband, I found that being proactive about pests was cheaper and less stressful in the long run.
The bed covers, pillow covers, chemicals, etc. Are expensive. But it’s peace of mind. And a high capacity dryer helps, too.
If you live in a cold climate, leaving furniture, bedding, plush, etc. In sub zero temperatures for 3 days will kill them too - say, in a garage.
We have plastic drawers from Walmart to store linen too. You can also throw laundry in a hot dryer for 30 minutes too.
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They used to treat Bedbugs with DDT, but since it’s been banned Bedbugs are making a big comeback. It’s difficult to eradicate them because they hide in unlikely places, can hibernate for months without food (blood) and are immune to most pesticides. They travel in pant cuffs, luggage, handbags, duffel bags, backpacks, anything with crevices and pockets. Crafty little devils!
And once you get them it’s next to impossible to get rid of them without calling in the pros for $$$. That’s why we’re “terrified” of getting them here in the US.
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