The return of the bedbug

Here’s a scary statistic, courtesy of PestWorld.org, the Web site of the National Pest Management Association: When asked “Have you, or someone you know, ever encountered bedbugs?” 68 percent of almost 19,500 poll respondents answered “yes.”

If you’re like me, you probably think the lowly bedbug is a thing of the past. You know, flophouses and crowded tenements teeming with these quarter-inch six-legged pests. But Cimex lectularius is definitely still around. The NPMA says its member pest-control companies nationwide report receiving one to two bedbug-related calls each week, up from one to two per year.

That huge jump surprised us enough that we’re working on a story on how to control bedbugs in the home. Look for our expert advice in the coming weeks on ConsumerReports.org.

In the meantime, if you’re planning a summer trip and will be staying in a hotel, store your suitcases in a large plastic trash bag at the hotel, then vacuum them out when you return home. These simple steps could help to keep any freeloading bedbugs from invading your home.—Steven H. Saltzman

Comments

[Robert Senser]

A request: a report on home pest control contracts. Many puzzling issues are involved in making a major decision.

[annie]

Nice post, thanks for your post quite interesting to know about the bed bugs and the link is informative too.

[mary]

I would like to know how the whole bedbug thing got started
again and why we can't seem to be rid of these things.