BED BUGS ARE BACK! 

You have probably heard the old saying,
“Sleep tight don’t let the bed bugs
bite”, well; bed bugs have made a big
comeback in the U.S. Their name comes
from their tendency to live between
mattresses and feed on the occupants at
night. Bed bugs do not fly or jump, but move
quickly over floors, walls, ceilings, and
furniture.

Bed bugs are wingless, approximately ¼
inch in length with a flattened oval shape
and rusty brown in color. Female bed bugs
lay up to five eggs a day and five hundred
during a lifetime. A bed bug can live up to 12
months without a blood meal. Since bed
bugs are mostly active at night, any daytime
sightings may indicate a heavy infestation.

  
WHERE DO BED BUGS COME FROM?

Bed bugs can seem to come from nowhere,
but are being seen more and more in
apartments, hotels, homes, shelters,
dormitories and nursing homes. They are
active travelers, usually transported in
luggage, boxes, clothing, furniture and even
hair. Infestations are not tied to unsanitary
living conditions; even world-class hotels
have reported bed bug problems.

WHERE TO LOOK

Check for bed bugs on the seams, tufts, or
folds of mattresses, bed frames and head
boards.

Bed bugs may also be behind baseboards,
pictures, frames, windows, door casings,
loosened wall paper, curtains, cracks in
plaster, and behind electrical wall plates.

HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE BED BUGS?

Usually the first sign of a bed bug infestation
is the appearance of small black or rusty spots on
your mattresses and bed linens. These are
bed bug droppings and blood spots.

Bed bugs feed on any bare skin exposed
while sleeping. Red itchy welts are an
indication of an infestation. Bed bug “bites”
occur when the bed bug is actually drawing
blood. It may take several days
for a welt to appear from a bed bug “bite”.

The infected person should resist the urge to
scratch the “bites”, as this may intensify the
itching and cause an infection. Some people
have a reaction to bed bug “bites” and may
need to seek medical assistance. Bed bugs
are not known to transmit any diseases to
humans.

HOW CAN I GET RID OF BED BUGS?

Complete elimination of a bed bug infestation
may be difficult without the services of a
knowledgeable licensed Pest Control Service. It may
even take as many as five or more
treatments to gain control of an infestation.

Do-it-yourself measures used by
homeowners and renters sometimes cause
more problems than benefits.

SO WHAT DO I DO?

• Reduce the amount of clutter to
achieve a good treatment and
eliminate hiding places
• Vacuum mattresses , box springs
and carpets; dispose of vacuumed
contents in a sealed plastic bag
• Cover mattress and box spring with
plastic covers
• Spray bed bugs directly with alcohol (use
small plastic spray bottle and 90%
rubbing alcohol undiluted), in-
between professional treatments - DO NOT spray alcohol on any item or area that may be near an open flame. 
• Wash bedding and garments in hot
(120° F ) water
• Put clothing in a hot dryer for at least
ten minutes to kill bed bugs
• Inspect any furniture being brought
into your home for bed bugs
• When returning from a trip, inspect
your luggage and clothes for bed
bugs

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have developed a document to highlight emerging public health issues associated with bed bugs in communities throughout the United States.  Click on the link below to view this joint statement released on August 5, 2010.

CDC & EPA Joint Statement on Bed Bug Control

For a copy of a bed bug factsheet, click on the link provided below.

Bed Bug Factsheet

For additional information on bed bugs, click on the link provided below.

Link to the Ohio State University Extension.

Link to the Central Ohio Bed Bug Task Force