I don't know if it is just me or if there are others out there as well, but I really worry about bed bugs! I don't really worry in my house so much, but in hotels and things like that. We own a timeshare so I used to not worry, but I talked to an exterminator once and he said the 5 star fancy resorts are usually the ones that he is in most and are usually known for having bed bugs. That comment freaked me out. What do I even look for when searching for bed bugs? It just grosses me out that there could be bugs biting me in my sleep without me even knowing about it! *shivers*
I know how you feel, its a frightening thought, that bed bugs are once again a huge problem. I know you don't want to hear this but like dust mites we have to also worry about these in our own home. Yes I know you didn't want to hear that, none of us do. I have heard of a product that is currently on the market that I am looking into called Fabriclear that is suppose to do away with bed bugs and dust mites. But don't take my word on this, as I said I have only heard of the product, and am still looking into it. I want to know what others are saying about it first and how effectively it actually works before every buying it myself.
From what I have been reading about bedbugs, they have pretty much become epidemic all over the United States. it used to be that they were mainly found in the southern states, but since they are an indoor-living bug, they actually would be able to survive in any climate , as long as they are inside a persons house and can keep warm. I am pretty sure that extreme cold will kill them, so if a house has been empty all winter, and not heated; then it should not have any living bugs in there.
Even the exterminators have a hard time getting rid of bedbugs, and most of the bug sprays on the market will not kill a bedbug.
One article that I read said to take a plastic pop bottle, cut off the top and put a mixture of water, sugar and yeast in the bottom. (As the yeast ferments, it makes carbon dioxide, which attracts the bedbugs. ) Then, you put the top back on, with the bottle neck inside, and wrap a paper towel around the outside so that the bedbug can crawl up the outside and climb into the bottle, where it is trapped.
If you get some bedbugs inside the bottle, then you will at least know that you have some in the house.
Fun fact about bed bugs: the females genitalia are located inside their bodies with no openings so when the male mates he stabs her first to make an opening. Pretty disturbing. I'm thankful we don't get bedbugs where I live. Dust mites and fleas are worse enough.
One thing that is supposed to work well with eradicating about any bug, including bedbugs, is called Diatomaceous Earth. It is not actually dirt, as the name sounds like, but is a greyish-white floury powder. It is mind from areas of the earth where diatoms (phytoplankton) used to live, and their skeletons have calcified. DE is mainly silica, and is not harmful to people or animals. However, silica (what glass is made out of) has microscopic sharp edges that will slice up a bug or a parasite, and kill them.
DE will get rid of fleas, bedbugs, spiders, ants, and most other bugs, while doing no harm to humans or animals. You can also put it in the pets food, and it will kill worms and other internal parasites. DE is inexpensive, and I buy mine on Amazon. Wolf Creek Farms has a great website that totally explains the benefits of DE, and they are a reliable source to buy it from.
I worry about hotels too, because even if they are clean other people can bring them in. It gives me the creeps! I try not to think about it when I stay in hotels or other people's house because I would probably never travel. They are disgusting critters and I hear they are very hard to get rid of! Yuck!
The only time we have ever come in contact with bed bugs was at a hotel in Orlando Florida. We stayed for the weekend and I kept noticing little bites on my youngest son!!! I freaked out to say the least. Pulled back the covers and I saw a few!!! It was so nasty, we immediately left and was refunded all of our money.
From now on, I make sure I pull the beds down upon entering the room every time we stay at a hotel. No matter how expensive it may be!!!
