Bed Bugs! Acckkkkk

[LuvOrlando]

My SIL lives in DC and when I saw her this weekend did she have a story to tell. SHe is super allergic to the bites and was getting bumps and rashes all over and every night she'd wake up with new ones but her BF didn't have a mark. Weeks go by and she kept seeing Dr after Dr who kept giving her the run around and useless advice like "Get Benedryl" and to make things worse, her BF kept treating her like she was being neurotic. Finally she insisted on a Biopsy which showed insect bites. She took the results to the landlord and they brought in special dogs, well the dog reacted to their bed and the place was treated. It cost $3,000 and once treated the critters started coming out to die from all over the apartment, from book cases, and picture frames, on the floor really everywhere AND the guy said this was a mild infestation. Part of the treatment is you have to sleep in the bed as bait once the place is treated so they critters come out and get poisoned. Poor thing hasn't slept in weeks,she was so upset she lost a week of vacation time. She thinks she brought them home from a recent trip to Tampa, probably when the luggage was mixed in the plane because she had no bites while at the hotel, only when she got home.

I am heartbroken to cancel my trip to NYC but my hotel is on the Bed Bug Registry and there isn't a trip worth being on that is worth that, she said to treat a private house costs $6,000, I'm calling my homeowners right now to check if there are endorsements or if its covered. OK, just got off the phone and homeowners does not deal with bugs of any kind. I hope the hotel industry gets this under control soon because I'm not leaving this house until it's done. My DH has to travel for work but I'm getting a bunch duffel bags we can just donate to Good Will after he comes home, she said he has to keep all his clothes in ziplock bags to prevent infestation... just peachy.

 

[Toad_Passenger]

My SIL lives in DC and when I saw her this weekend did she have a story to tell. SHe is super allergic to the bites and was getting bumps and rashes all over and every night she'd wake up with new ones but her BF didn't have a mark. Weeks go by and she kept seeing Dr after Dr who kept giving her the run around and useless advice like "Get Benedryl" and to make things worse, her BF kept treating her like she was being neurotic. Finally she insisted on a Biopsy which showed insect bites. She took the results to the landlord and they brought in special dogs, well the dog reacted to their bed and the place was treated. It cost $3,000 and once treated the critters started coming out to die from all over the apartment, from book cases, and picture frames, on the floor really everywhere AND the guy said this was a mild infestation. Part of the treatment is you have to sleep in the bed as bait once the place is treated so they critters come out and get poisoned. Poor thing hasn't slept in weeks,she was so upset she lost a week of vacation time. She thinks she brought them home from a recent trip to Tampa, probably when the luggage was mixed in the plane because she had no bites while at the hotel, only when she got home.

I am heartbroken to cancel my trip to NYC but my hotel is on the Bed Bug Registry and there isn't a trip worth being on that is worth that, she said to treat a private house costs $6,000, I'm calling my homeowners right now to check if there are endorsements or if its covered. OK, just got off the phone and homeowners does not deal with bugs of any kind. I hope the hotel industry gets this under control soon because I'm not leaving this house until it's done. My DH has to travel for work but I'm getting a bunch duffel bags we can just donate to Good Will after he comes home, she said he has to keep all his clothes in ziplock bags to prevent infestation... just peachy.

Be very wary about using the Bed Bug Registry. They do not require any sort of confirmation from their users. I'm quite certain that a lot of industry people are planting false positives on there to dissuade people from visiting their competitors.

I would still go on your trip. Checking your hotel room takes only 5-10 minutes before taking your luggage in. If you are worried about hitchhikers on the plane, then use luggage that is disposable, and pack all of your clothes into giant Ziploc bags (can be found at Target). When you get home, take the Ziploc bags out of the luggage, throw out luggage, and immediately put the clothes from the bags into your dryer, on high heat for at least 20-30 minutes. Remove them, wash them in Hot Water, and then right back into the dryer, on high heat for an extra 20 minutes after they are dry.

Any bed bugs that would travel home with you will be adult sized and quite visible. The "high heat" drying will also kill all stages of life.

Bed bugs can be a pain, but they are easy to spot when you have them. As I've said on another thread about bed bugs, information is your best weapon, not panic and isolation.

 

[RadioNate]

I'm going to agree with the PP. Info not panic.

My ds was bitten 38 times in one night in a Georgia hotel. Pest control experts estimate that 10% of all hotel rooms are infested at one time or another. Just because a hotel is on the registry doesn't mean a room has a current infestation.

Is she in an apartment? They could have come from neighbors.

Knowledge helped me prevent an infestation at home after our encounter. Because we were traveling by car I had a few days before I could clean. I "baked" the car. While not foolproof I figured it couldn't hurt. I bagged everything. Everything washable went immediately from the bags to hot water wash. Anything not washable that could stand the dryer was tumbled on the highest heat for 90 min. The rest was bagged for several weeks while being treated with diatomaceous earth.

My car was treated with diatomaceous earth, professionally detailed, I steamed every nook & cranny, and re-dusted with diatomaceous earth.

If she is in an apartment/condo adjacent units should be treated or they will just mgr back & forth.

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

I'm going to agree with the PP. Info not panic.

My ds was bitten 38 times in one night in a Georgia hotel. Pest control experts estimate that 10% of all hotel rooms are infested at one time or another. Just because a hotel is on the registry doesn't mean a room has a current infestation.

Is she in an apartment? They could have come from neighbors.

Knowledge helped me prevent an infestation at home after our encounter. Because we were traveling by car I had a few days before I could clean. I "baked" the car. While not foolproof I figured it couldn't hurt. I bagged everything. Everything washable went immediately from the bags to hot water wash. Anything not washable that could stand the dryer was tumbled on the highest heat for 90 min. The rest was bagged for several weeks while being treated with diatomaceous earth.

My car was treated with diatomaceous earth, professionally detailed, I steamed every nook & cranny, and re-dusted with diatomaceous earth.

If she is in an apartment/condo adjacent units should be treated or they will just mgr back & forth.

great advice - thank you! I am going to remember the diatomaceous earth!!!

 

[Toad_Passenger]

great advice - thank you! I am going to remember the diatomaceous earth!!!

Make sure that you get "food grade" and wear a respirator mask when applying it. Also you don't want to put it in places where it will get "kicked up" because it can cause respiratory problems if inhaled directly. Safety first!

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

Make sure that you get "food grade" and wear a respirator mask when applying it. Also you don't want to put it in places where it will get "kicked up" because it can cause respiratory problems if inhaled directly. Safety first!

yes, that definitely needs to be said! We used it once for fleas....having since used Borax for fleas, I would only use DE for something like bed bugs - and then only very carefully! DE does sound like a good preventative from what I am reading - in drawers and cracks, etc.

 

[LuvOrlando]

SO much for it not being a big deal. Friends of mine in Ny just posted FB links to this mess about them being in the schools now.

/www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/11/05/2010-11-05_pests_got_no_class_li_alarming_numbers_of_bedbugs_in_schools_li_dept_of_ed_says_

As parent of 2 Asthmatic kids who is aware of Dust Mite trouble I can't help but wonder how allergenic Bed Bug waste might be in the same way Dust Mites are trouble. I'm dead serious about this, I just had my kids tested for allergies with the RAST test/ aka ImmunoCAP and there is zero mention of bedbugs on there. I know because I picked up the lab info from Medical Records the other day for something else and it's just not on there, Dust Mites are on there but bed Bugs are not. Not good

PS- I don't think any Pulmonologist would ok having a powder of any kind floating around an Asthmatic or in a place where it could easily be kicked up or swept into the air.. They made me pull up my carpet to limit dust, plain old regular house dust, I can't imagine Diatomaceous earth or Boric Acid would get a nod.

 

[Toad_Passenger]

SO much for it not being a big deal. Friends of mine in Ny just posted FB links to this mess about them being in the schools now.

/www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/11/05/2010-11-05_pests_got_no_class_li_alarming_numbers_of_bedbugs_in_schools_li_dept_of_ed_says_

As parent of 2 Asthmatic kids who is aware of Dust Mite trouble I can't help but wonder how allergenic Bed Bug waste might be in the same way Dust Mites are trouble. I'm dead serious about this, I just had my kids tested for allergies with the RAST test/ aka ImmunoCAP and there is zero mention of bedbugs on there. I know because I picked up the lab info from Medical Records the other day for something else and it's just not on there, Dust Mites are on there but bed Bugs are not. Not good

PS- I don't think any Pulmonologist would ok having a powder of any kind floating around an Asthmatic or in a place where it could easily be kicked up or swept into the air.. They made me pull up my carpet to limit dust, plain old regular house dust, I can't imagine Diatomaceous earth or Boric Acid would get a nod.

It would be interesting to hear if you find anything out about this. The reason the CDC, or other health organizations haven't been taking up their torches and pitchforks over bedbugs is because they are not considered a "health hazard."

I would see if you can call a local University or museum to see if they have an entomologist on staff who could possibly answer your question.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Being bit by them may not be a hazard since they don't seem to be a prominent vector of disease BUT they are bugs, and bugs have exoskeletons, and exoskeletons result in molting and living things produce waste. All this is going on near our beds which means we're breathing it in, no way is it safe some someone with lung issues.

I don't even want to consider how many people can be bit by one bug in a week in a busy hotel I'm sure some people are ok with the risks but i am definitely NOT one of those people. The experts can say whatever they want to say ME & MINE are staying home.

 

[disney1990]

Go over to the Resorts Board. People have been talking about Bed Bugs over there and how to check your hotel room for them. I wouldn't cancel my trip, I it doesn't hurt to use a little precaution.

 

[C.Ann]

Be very wary about using the Bed Bug Registry. They do not require any sort of confirmation from their users. I'm quite certain that a lot of industry people are planting false positives on there to dissuade people from visiting their competitors.

I would still go on your trip. Checking your hotel room takes only 5-10 minutes before taking your luggage in. If you are worried about hitchhikers on the plane, then use luggage that is disposable, and pack all of your clothes into giant Ziploc bags (can be found at Target). When you get home, take the Ziploc bags out of the luggage, throw out luggage, and immediately put the clothes from the bags into your dryer, on high heat for at least 20-30 minutes. Remove them, wash them in Hot Water, and then right back into the dryer, on high heat for an extra 20 minutes after they are dry.

Any bed bugs that would travel home with you will be adult sized and quite visible. The "high heat" drying will also kill all stages of life.

Bed bugs can be a pain, but they are easy to spot when you have them. As I've said on another thread about bed bugs, information is your best weapon, not panic and isolation.

I'm going to agree with the PP. Info not panic.

My ds was bitten 38 times in one night in a Georgia hotel. Pest control experts estimate that 10% of all hotel rooms are infested at one time or another. Just because a hotel is on the registry doesn't mean a room has a current infestation.

Is she in an apartment? They could have come from neighbors.

Knowledge helped me prevent an infestation at home after our encounter. Because we were traveling by car I had a few days before I could clean. I "baked" the car. While not foolproof I figured it couldn't hurt. I bagged everything. Everything washable went immediately from the bags to hot water wash. Anything not washable that could stand the dryer was tumbled on the highest heat for 90 min. The rest was bagged for several weeks while being treated with diatomaceous earth.

My car was treated with diatomaceous earth, professionally detailed, I steamed every nook & cranny, and re-dusted with diatomaceous earth.

If she is in an apartment/condo adjacent units should be treated or they will just mgr back & forth.

Make sure that you get "food grade" and wear a respirator mask when applying it. Also you don't want to put it in places where it will get "kicked up" because it can cause respiratory problems if inhaled directly. Safety first!

All of this - just to go on a trip for an overnight, weekend, or week?

Makes me tired just reading it..

 

[alliecats]

Just wanted to say she still could have caught them at the hotel (not the plane) because it can take a week for the first bites to show up on your skin.

And, remind her the treatment may kill the bugs but not necessarily the larvae. So, agreeing with PPs that some food-grade diatomaceous earth in strategic spots is a good idea in between the pest people coming out.