subject: New York And Its Bed Bug Problem [print this page] . Bed bugs have invaded New York in a big way, a very big way. In 2004, there were 82 reported incidents of bed bugs in New York, in 2009, there were 10,985. That is a massive rise by anyone's standards.
It used to be said that bed bugs were a poor family's problem because they lived in squalor. This is not true, they like all classes of people and all kinds of residences. A short time ago, part of a hospital was closed down in Brooklyn because of bed bugs and before that two trendy clothes stores owned by Abercrombie had to be de-infested in Manhattan.
These bugs really do not care where they live. Bed bugs move from one location to the next by a practice widely known as hitch-hiking. If you bought clothing from an infected shop, there may be a bed bug in the lining or there may be a few eggs in a pocket, when you have taken your new garment home, you will begin a new infestation there.
Or you could be sitting in a bus and one will creep up your back and under your collar where it can sleep or lay eggs. When you get home, you will hang your coat up and the bug will go looking for food within five days. If it was a pregnant female, then you could have eggs hatching out withing ten days. Females can lay a couple of eggs a day for months on end.
It is a rule of thumb, that once you are able to catch bed bugs, you have an infestation, because we are not generally on the look out for them, they are very timid and they usually only come out in the twilight before dawn, while you are asleep.
Joel Roodman, the film-maker and his wife, Ms Taft, a past top fashion model, were 'shocked and horrified' that their $18,000 holiday rental was 'crawling' with bed bugs. One New York pest control company said that they are being more and more frequently being called to commercial buildings such as '... banks, grocery stores, cinemas, judges' chambers, schools, dentists' offices - everywhere'.
Needless to say, hotels are also being infected. One complainant reported finding a sated bed bug. When he complained to the receptionist, he was told: 'Welcome to New York'. In an incident map of the top ten cities affected by bed bugs, New York came in second. Columbus, Ohio was first and Toronto, Canada was third.
Luckily, bed bugs do not convey diseases, but they are fairly horrifying creatures. They insert two tubes into their hosts, one squirts in spittle which contains anticoagulant and anaesthetic and the other draws blood.
They like to strike an hour before dawn and they have normally sated themselves within five minutes. The red marks and itchiness that most people feel is an allergic reaction to the bed bug's saliva.
Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on many subjects, but is at present involved with getting rid of bedbugs. If you are interested in this, please go over to our website now at Picture Of Bed Bugs for more details.
