Bed Bugs - Protection and Prevention

“Sleep tight, and don’t let the bed bugs bite!” The rhyme we heard as children, is unfortunately becoming a major issue. As the news stories about these nasty little creatures proliferate, we’re all unfortunately becoming more aware of the bedbug invasion. Bedbugs are tiny, appleseed–sized parasites which hide in the crevices of your bedding, furniture, in clothing and other household items, and tend to come out at night to bite. They cause itchy, mosquito bite–like welts, and are not easy to eradicate. They’re showing up across the nation, in hotels, retail stores, movie theaters, schools, and our homes. Contrary to popular belief, they don’t favor the less wealthy. They’ve appeared in nicer neighborhoods, some high–end hotels, boutique shops and even restaurants, and they don’t discriminate between a pristine or a filthy environment. Pest control companies are overwhelmed in some areas, and as the “capital of bedbugs,” NYC even announced a battle plan to combat them and educate the public.

Pest control experts have stated that right now it’s almost impossible to eradicate bed bugs, and the best offense is a defense. Prevention of bed bugs by protecting your bedding is an easier and less expensive solution than getting rid of bed bugs after an infestation.

Adult bedbugs are reddish-brown, flattened, oval, and wingless. Adults grow to 4-5 mm in length and 1.5-3 mm wide. Newly hatched nymphs are translucent, lighter in color and become browner as they reach maturity. Bedbugs can survive a wide range of temperatures and atmospheric conditions and bedbug cases have been on the rise across the world since the mid-1990s. The cause of this resurgence is still uncertain, but it is thought to be related to increased international travel, increasing pesticide resistance (and no longer using the highly toxic chemical DDT), and even a newer theory relating the infestations to poultry facilities.

Remember: You can protect yourself by doing several of the following things. Be vigilant when traveling – check under the mattress, by the headboard and so on, for any signs of the bugs. Thoroughly examine crevices in walls, mattresses and furniture for dark specks (the bugs’ excrement), empty exoskeletons, red smears (blood from engorged insects) and if you find these, report it to the management and switch rooms if at all possible. Also place your luggage on tables or dressers instead of the floor. Do a similar inspection of any secondhand items before bringing them into your home.

Many people may want to discard all luggage and clothing after discovering an infestation, but this is unnecessary. The key is to contain all items suspected of carrying bed bugs in plastic bags until the items can be laundered (set the washer and dryer for the hottest setting that the fabric can withstand), washed by hand, heated, or frozen.

As for your bedding – protecting your boxsprings, mattress and pillows is a great way to keep out these unwanted intruders. The average cost of replacing your mattress, box springs and bedding, could run into the thousands. Cuddledown can help you shield your bed from these nasty little bugs (and their equally repulsive friends, the microscopic dust mites) with a variety of bedding protectors, including bed bug proof mattress protectors, bed bug proof box spring protectors, bed bug proof pillow protectors, and dust mite & allergen barrier cotton featherbed protector.

Who would have guessed the silly rhyme our mothers taught us was actually true – but with proper prevention, you can protect yourself from letting the bed bugs bite!