New Tactics Take A Bite Out of Bedbugs - WSJ.com
Bedbugs are slightly smaller than an apple seed and hide in the folds
and seams of mattresses and other furniture, emerging at night to feed
on a warm-blooded host. Part of what makes bedbugs so tricky to eradicate
is that the insects aren't confined to the bed. They live in drapes, behind
wall hangings, in the cracks of wall plaster -- and even in light fixtures and
electronics. Further complicating matters, a female can deposit the tiny
eggs around a room. The bugs are transported from one location to another
in luggage or clothing; pest experts say the bugs likely accompany travelers
home from hotels or enter a house on secondhand furniture.
Entomologists say it is unclear why the pests have made a comeback, but
theories include a more restrained use of other pesticides that in the past
might have helped to nab bedbugs, and an upswing in international travel.
Bedbug bites can produce itching welts, but the bugs aren't known to carry
disease.
Still, they can be quite a nuisance and take a powerful
psychological toll. Some people don't sleep well for months, worrying
that every itch is a bug on them, and many feel ashamed to tell their
relatives or neighbors about the problem.
