A PESKY BEDFELLOW: The common bedbug is Cimex lectularius.
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Editor's note: This article originally appeared on February 27, 2009. We are re-posting it because of current concern about bedbugs.
NEW YORK—Sleep tight and don't let the bedbugs bite? If only. The creepy critters have become such a nuisance here that the city council is mulling legislation that would establish a bedbug task force, ban the sale of used mattresses, train exterminators, and regulate mattress disposal. Just how infested is Gotham? According to the New York Daily News, there were 22,218 complaints to the city's 311 hotline about infestations of the blood-sucking hemipterans, a 34 percent jump since this time last year.
And the Big Apple is not alone in its battle against the bugs. In Chicago, the number of official complaints doubled from 900 to 1,650 during that same period, according to the Tribune. Boston already slaps warning stickers on discarded furniture and Cincinnati has its own bedbug task force. The bugs, which originally hailed from Europe, were nearly wiped out by DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) in the 1950s. But they have been making a comeback since the insecticide was banned in the U.S. in 1972, a decade after journalist Rachel Carson documented the chemical's damaging effects on humans and wildlife in her book Silent Spring.
"I'm petrified to turn the lights off at night," one discouraged New Yorker told Newsday this week. "I'm not getting proper sleep, I can't concentrate on work."
Contrary to their name, bedbugs do not only hang out in beds. They can be found in just about in nook and cranny and can survive for several months without a warm blood meal. The adults are reddish-brown, as about 0.2 inch (five millimeters) long, roughly the height of the numbers on a credit card, and resemble tiny cockroaches; when young, they're pale and about the size of a pinhead. They leave itchy red skin welts and cause endless grief for their victims.
So what's the story on these pesky ectoparasites? Is there any surefire way to avoid them—or to get rid of them if they grace you with their vampiric presence?
To find out, we spoke with Louis Sorkin, an entomologist at the American Museum of Natural History here, who sustains a personal colony of the bugs with his own blood.
[An edited transcript of the interview follows.]
What are bedbugs?
The common bedbug is Cimex lectularius. They are true bugs [of the order Hemiptera] in that they possess a hinged beak in the front of the head and have a stylet. The stylet is what is pushed through the skin to find a blood vessel inside. The bug sucks until it's full, and when it's finished it will go and hide and digest the blood. The body swells up to six times its normal size—from a flat insect to football-shaped.
So are they really just found in beds?
By virtue of its name, people always think bedbugs are found only in beds when, in fact, they fit anywhere their bodies can be hidden and they are as thin as a sheet of paper. They are found in all kinds of furniture, electric appliances, clock radios, computers, printers, behind pictures, books and, of course, bookcases. They are found in cracks and crevices in the wall and within walls as well as in electric outlets, wiring, pipes, plastic and metal conduits.
The problem with calling them a "bedbug" is people have an infestation and they throw out the mattress, but then the critters come back. It's really a nest or roost-inhabiting insect, and our homes are our roosts.
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15 Comments
Add CommentWill citronella oil not kill them?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisMore to the point, what will kill them, besides DDT and burning the house down?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWhy they chose different people to bite, I mean, my greatgrandpa said bedbugs never bite him.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWhy bedbugs chose different people to bite? I mean , my greatgrandpa said bedbugs never bite him. Why?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisSomething to do with your body temperature, hormones or pheromones you emit?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisVacuum, vacuum some more, and when you think you have vacuumed enough, do it again. Vacuum the carpets, base boards, cabinets, drapes, furniture, mattresses and box springs, and along moldings around doors and windows. Most of the bugs sucked up will simply die from getting beat up by the beater brush and bouncing off the walls in the vacuum cleaner. When you are done vacuuming, spray inside the bag with retail ant and roach spray, seal the bag with duct tape and discard immediately. If you have a bagless vacuum, dispose of the contents into a plastic trash bag, spray as above and seal tightly, discard immediately. This will break the life cycle of the critters for less cost than a professional treatment but will not completely eliminate them and can be time consuming. The eggs (which can be resistant to vacuuming) take about two weeks to hatch, the nymphs are ready to feed upon hatching, and must feed on blood prior to each of five molting stages before reaching maturity.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisClean out your closets and wash all the clothes (again, could be time consuming). Do the wash weekly including pet bedding. Avoid fancy clothes hampers that could provide hiding places (woven straw and fabric hampers are heaven for the beasts). Dry on high heat any fabrics that will tolerate this setting as >160 degree F will kill eggs, nymphs, and adults.
Don't bother to use retail bug sprays yourself because the bugs are showing resistance to the chemical classes used in most of these products. NEVER spray chemicals on bedding, furniture, or clothing! Should you decide to use a professional pest control service they will likely require you do most of these cleaning steps before the treatment anyway.
Particularly in apartment buildings, seal the baseboards, moldings around doors and windows, cabinets, and any gaps around cable plates, pipes, or ducts that pass through walls with caulking.
An excellent article is available at:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/158065.php
we had terrific bed bugs in the 40's. now it is easy to eradicate the rooms and beds with GBHC/gammexane/lindane.# and you bring back more from waiting rooms and buses.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thislarge scale citronella is expensive. GBHC lindane Gammexane is so cheap.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI had no idea what they were when I brought them back in my luggage from a 5-star resort 2 years ago. I find that lots of vacuuming, spraying surfaces with cedar oil, and hanging sheets, blankets and pillows up in the sun all help--but they're still not 100% gone...
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisOur first encounter with them occurred more than 500.000 years ago, when we began to inhabit caves. They parasitised bats originally, and when we became cave dwellers, they found a new food source. And they have been with us ever since. And since that time they have became a distinct spices, from their ancestors, who still live in bat caves.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAlso, their mouth parts are modified hypodermic needles, that contain a natural pain suppressor, so they can feed on their hosts, without disturbing their hosts sleep. They also feed on our dogs and cats. They only feed on mammalian blood.
The female can lay up to 5 eggs a day, and lay 300 eggs in her lifetime. And go without feeding, for up to a year. Tough little suckers.
Good news is, they cannot transmit human or animal pathogens(HIV and other contagious diseases), from host to host, like mosquito's and other insects(West Nile Disease, Malaria).
They are a global pandemic, and are found in every major city on Earth. They eat on the best people and live in the best hotels, so if you travel to another place, and stay in hotels, make sure you close your suitcase when you are done with it, don`t leave it open, or you will bring them home. That is how they travel from country to country.
New York State hadn't seen any in over 60 years, DDT keep them at bay, but because of the environmental damage that chemical caused, it`s use was discontinued.
I was born and raised in downtown west Toronto, and seen my first Bed Bugs at the age of 47. And when I was a child, my Mom used to say, sleep tight and don`t let the Bed Bugs bite ! lol
Yours Truly;
Tabucur...
For more info see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cimex_lectularius.
I went to war with them 5 years ago, and won ! I would like to share this with your readers. If you are infested, you should vacuum the area they inhabit, then wash the area with water and soap, chemical sprays are good but they cause the Bugs to scatter, which can cause you problems in the future. Chemical sprays only kill on contact(And are more dangerous to humans and pets, than the Dam Bugs), if you can see them, use the vacuum.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI used 2 products, Chemfree Insectigon, Crawling Insect Killer and Green Earth Ant/Roach Killer. They are made of Diatomaceous Earth(Silicon Dioxide)which is mined from the earth, and are not toxic to humans or pets. They kill within 48 hours, after they(the Bugs)come into contact with the powder, then after that if you wish, you can back up the treatment with chemical sprays (I did not have to). Both products can be found in any hardware stores or garden centers, and are cheap in price($8.00 for a 200 gram container). Boracic acid is also effective, and nontoxic.
As their name implies, you will find them in or around your bed, in the folds of sheets and between the joints of your bed frame. Vacuum the area, their droppings leave dark stains, wash these spots with soap and water, wash all sheets, pillow cases etc... Apply the power to the joints of bed frame and between the mattress`s if you you have a double mattress. They will also hide in baseboards, dressers and under rugs, anything hung on a wall, in any crack or crevasse.
Also apply around the legs of the bed, where they touch the floor. Don`t let sheets touch the floor or let the bed touch the walls.
I read your article on Bed Bugs, I went to war with them 5 years ago, and won ! I would like to share this with your readers. If you are infested, you should vacuum the area they inhabit, then wash the area with water and soap, chemical sprays are good but they cause the Bugs to scatter, which can cause you problems in the future. Chemical sprays only kill on contact(And are more dangerous to humans and pets, than the Dam Bugs), if you can see them, use the vacuum.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI used 2 products, Chemfree Insectigon, Crawling Insect Killer and Green Earth Ant/Roach Killer. They are made of Diatomaceous Earth(Silicon Dioxide)which is mined from the earth, and are not toxic to humans or pets. They kill within 48 hours, after they(the Bugs)come into contact with the powder, then after that if you wish, you can back up the treatment with chemical sprays (I did not have to). Both products can be found in any hardware stores or garden centers, and are cheap in price($8.00 for a 200 gram container). Boracic acid is also effective, and nontoxic.
As their name implies, you will find them in or around your bed, in the folds of sheets and between the joints of your bed frame. Vacuum the area, their droppings leave dark stains, wash these spots with soap and water, wash all sheets, pillow cases etc... Apply the power to the joints of bed frame and between the mattress`s if you you have a double mattress.
They will also hide in baseboards, dressers and under rugs, anything hung on a wall, in any crack or crevasse.
Also apply around the legs of the bed, where they touch the floor. Don`t let sheets touch the floor or let the bed touch the walls.
I read your article on Bed Bugs, I went to war with them 5 years ago, and won ! I would like to share this with your readers. If you are infested, you should vacuum the area they inhabit, then wash the area with water and soap, chemical sprays are good but they cause the Bugs to scatter, which can cause you problems in the future. Chemical sprays only kill on contact(And are more dangerous to humans and pets, than the Dam Bugs), if you can see them, use the vacuum.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI used 2 products, Chemfree Insectigon, Crawling Insect Killer and Green Earth Ant/Roach Killer. They are made of Diatomaceous Earth(Silicon Dioxide)which is mined from the earth, and are not toxic to humans or pets. They kill within 48 hours, after they(the Bugs)come into contact with the powder, then after that if you wish, you can back up the treatment with chemical sprays (I did not have to). Both products can be found in any hardware stores or garden centers, and are cheap in price($8.00 for a 200 gram container). Boracic acid is also effective, and nontoxic.
As their name implies, you will find them in or around your bed, in the folds of sheets and between the joints of your bed frame. Vacuum the area, their droppings leave dark stains, wash these spots with soap and water, wash all sheets, pillow cases etc... Apply the power to the joints of bed frame and between the mattress`s if you you have a double mattress.
They will also hide in baseboards, dressers and under rugs, anything hung on a wall, in any crack or crevasse.
Also apply around the legs of the bed, where they touch the floor. Don`t let sheets touch the floor or let the bed touch the walls.
I went to war with them 5 years ago, and won ! I would like to share this with your readers. If you are infested, you should vacuum the area they inhabit, then wash the area with water and soap, chemical sprays are good but they cause the Bugs to scatter, which can cause you problems in the future. Chemical sprays only kill on contact(And are more dangerous to humans and pets, than the Dam Bugs), if you can see them, use the vacuum.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI used 2 products, Chemfree Insectigon, Crawling Insect Killer and Green Earth Ant/Roach Killer. They are made of Diatomaceous Earth(Silicon Dioxide)which is mined from the earth, and are not toxic to humans or pets. They kill within 48 hours, after they(the Bugs)come into contact with the powder, then after that if you wish, you can back up the treatment with chemical sprays (I did not have to). Both products can be found in any hardware stores or garden centers, and are cheap in price($8.00 for a 200 gram container). Boracic acid is also effective, and nontoxic.
As their name implies, you will find them in or around your bed, in the folds of sheets and between the joints of your bed frame. Vacuum the area, their droppings leave dark stains, wash these spots with soap and water, wash all sheets, pillow cases etc... Apply the power to the joints of bed frame and between the mattress`s if you you have a double mattress.
They will also hide in baseboards, dressers and under rugs, anything hung on a wall, in any crack or crevasse.
Also apply around the legs of the bed, where they touch the floor. Don`t let sheets touch the floor or let the bed touch the walls.
I went to war with them 5 years ago, and won ! I would like to share this with your readers. If you are infested, you should vacuum the area they inhabit, then wash the area with water and soap, chemical sprays are good but they cause the Bugs to scatter, which can cause you problems in the future. Chemical sprays only kill on contact(And are more dangerous to humans and pets, than the Dam Bugs), if you can see them, use the vacuum.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI used 2 products, Chemfree Insectigon, Crawling Insect Killer and Green Earth Ant/Roach Killer. They are made of Diatomaceous Earth(Silicon Dioxide)which is mined from the earth, and are not toxic to humans or pets. They kill within 48 hours, after they(the Bugs)come into contact with the powder, then after that if you wish, you can back up the treatment with chemical sprays (I did not have to). Both products can be found in any hardware stores or garden centers, and are cheap in price($8.00 for a 200 gram container). Boracic acid is also effective, and nontoxic.
As their name implies, you will find them in or around your bed, in the folds of sheets and between the joints of your bed frame. Vacuum the area, their droppings leave dark stains, wash these spots with soap and water, wash all sheets, pillow cases etc... Apply the power to the joints of bed frame and between the mattress`s if you you have a double mattress.
They will also hide in baseboards, dressers and under rugs, anything hung on a wall, in any crack or crevasse.
Also apply around the legs of the bed, where they touch the floor. Don`t let sheets touch the floor or let the bed touch the walls.