If you grew up in post-World War II America, you probably never encountered bedbugs. In fact, if you’ve heard the saying, “Sleep tight and don’t let the bedbugs bite,” you might have laughed it off as an old wives tale. But it’s not anymore!
Terminix exterminator Carlton Agena says bedbugs are becoming a big problem in Hawaii as well as the rest of the nation. “It’s becoming an epidemic,” he warns.
Bed bugs are small insects (about the size of an apple seed) that live in the crevices of mattresses, box springs and furniture. The bug is about 1/8” before eating, and ¼” after. They don’t jump or fly, but they do walk fairly quickly, and have been known to crawl on the ceiling then fall down on the bed below.
“They feed at night on blood, and the proboscis is so small you never feel the prick. It takes five to ten minutes to get the bloodmeal. They don’t go through clothing. They attack any exposed skin,” describes Agena.
You’ll certainly feel it later. They can leave behind red, itchy welts similar to a mosquito bite, “with a little puka in the center of the lump. It’ll last a couple days depending on how you react to it,” says Agena. “The bites occur in clusters so you’ll see them like, one, two, three in a row. If you check your mattress you’ll see blood spot stains, which is their excretion.”
American exterminators eliminated the pest in this country after World War II, using DDT. The bug remained prevalent in other parts of the world. Meanwhile, in the ‘60s, DDT fell out of favor after scientists linked the pesticide to cancer. And, the increase in global travel meant that people were bringing the pests back from other parts of the world, which lent to a gradual resurgence of the bedbug here in the US.
Maybe you think bedbugs are a sign of a filthy living environment, but Agena says that’s not true. "I've seen it at apartment buildings, 4 star hotels in Waikiki. I've seen it on all islands. Luxury homes. Youth hostels."
How do you get it? Agena says, ““They are the #1 hitchhikers of all pests. You never know you have them because they can live in the cuff of a pants, or a lapel of a coat or blouse. They migrate by crawling into luggage and clothing that pass through high-traffic areas such as hotels, airplanes and cruise ships.”
He offers tips on how to avoid the nasty bloodsuckers when you’re traveling! “I don't leave my suitcase on the ground. I do not unpack my bag and put it in the drawer of the hotel room. I usually put some kind of petroleum along the legs of the suitcase stand or even the bed. Sounds paranoid, but better safe than sorry!”
- Check headboards, mattresses and box springs for bedbugs and the dark blood spots they leave behind. Pull the sheets off when you check the mattress.
- Hang all clothing. Leave nothing lying on the bed or furniture.
- Avoid unpacking clothing and storing them in the hotel's furniture drawers.
- Don't allow your baggage to sit on the floor. Store it on a luggage rack as far from the bed as possible.
- If you notice evidence of bedbugs, request another room or change hotels.
After you come home from a trip, or if you’re hosting some travelers in your house, Agena advises:
- Leave luggage in the garage or basement until you are able to thoroughly inspect it for bedbugs.
- Vacuum suitcases when returning from trips.
- Wash everything you can in hot water, including sneakers.
- If you can’t wash it, put it in the dryer for 10 minutes. 100 degree heat will kill the bugs.
- Bag the suitcase in plastic, tie it, then bake it in the sun for a few hours.
If you do have bedbugs in your house, "You need to get a pest professional. You don't want to take care of this problem yourself," warns Agena. “Bedbugs can not be controlled by over-the-counter treatments and will only get worse if you wait to call an exterminator.” Meanwhile, get the infected bedding off the bed, put it n a plastic bag, and get it out of the house.
So: rich or poor, be careful when you travel. Agena puts it best by saying, “They’re equal opportunity pests.”
CELEBRITY SUITCASE
Joan Chen, Actress
“I’m not very particular. I’m a tough traveler. I guess I need my Blackberry to stay connected to family and friends. Travel rituals? I have no rituals at, like, the hotel room. Sometimes the hotel leaves a gift in my room, and I think, ‘Oh, that’s nice.’ But I’m very casual, very tough.”
Joan Chen is a Chinese-American actress, film director, screenwriter and film producer, best known for her roles in The Last Emperor, Twin Peaks, Red Rose, White Rose, Saving Face, and for directing the feature film Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl.
