The Environmental Protection Agency held their first ever bed bug conference in April in reaction to the United State’s largest outbreak of creepy crawlies since World War II.

Bedbugs are insects from the Cimicidae family that live by hematophagy (feeding on the blood of humans and other warm-blooded hosts). The name comes from the insect’s favorite habitat: mattresses, sofas and other furniture. They are not strictly nocturnal, but have an aversion to sunlight so are mostly active at night. The common bedbug (cimex lectularius) is the species best adapted to human environments, found in temperate climates throughout the world feeding on human blood. Other species found mostly in tropical regions also infest bats and poultry.

Adult bedbugs are reddish-brown, flattened, oval and wingless, with microscopic hairs that give them a banded appearance. They grow to 4-5 mm in length and do not move quickly, so they are visible to the naked eye of an attentive observer. To give you an idea of their size, they are similar in size to a lentil or an apple seed. Newly hatched nymphs are translucent, lighter in color and become browner as they molt and reach maturity.

Bedbugs generally stay concealed and sleep during the day, and prefer to feed at night, but given the chance, they can feed any time. Fortunately the insects do not transmit any disease, but their bites do swell and itch, much like mosquito bites. Because they feed exclusively on blood they can not be exterminated through baited traps like roaches or ants.

Traditional bedbug extermination is expensive, between $400 and $900 on average, and the effectiveness is questionable, partly due to the bedbug’s ability to hide in tiny crevices and escape death. Generally complete extermination means disposal of infested furniture. This means that the poor who can’t afford to throw their furniture away are hit hardest by outbreaks. Some people even take to sleeping in their bath tubs because they are so terrified of these creepy crawly blood suckers.

Many of the insecticides that have been used in the past to eradicate bedbugs are now banned by the EPA due to their dangerous effects on human health and the environment. These banned chemicals are infrequent here in the US but the bedbugs are developing resistance to them as they are still used in other countries.

The EPA is currently searching for safe methods to eradicate these nasty pests, but have not had success thus far. The best way to avoid contracting bed bugs is to avoid picking up “free” furniture that is so plentiful at the beginning and end of academic years, as well as on trash day sitting by the road. Carefully scrutinize “refurbished” mattresses before purchasing, as these may contain bedbugs, ask what methods the company takes to rid the frame of bed bugs (or just go ahead and buy a new mattress from a reputable dealer). Also keep in mind that bedbugs can live for months without feeding, so an apparently clean vacant apartment may be infested. Talking to the neighbors may give you an idea if a building is infested (if the neighbors have it, so will you, as bedbugs can pass through voids in walls as well as holes where pipes and wires pass).

Emerging natural solutions use enzymes to break down the exoskeleton so the insect dries out and dies. Some formulas contain oils that actually kill the insect after the exoskeleton is dissolved. This news is encouraging, as there are no “safe” chemical filled compounds approved by the EPA – and even if there were, what a bureaucratic agency considers safe may be drastically different than what’s safe for you and your family. Whatever way you decide to treat bedbugs, remain vigilant and remember that prevention is the easiest cure.

Sources:

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/bedbugs/

http://www.naturalnews.com/027261_outbreak_bedbugs_EPA.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedbug