Bed bugs are back in the news taking multiple bites out of the Big Apple and scores of hotels across the country. Before inspecting your family's mattresses, take this quiz to see how much you know about the pesky lil creatures.
So I see this beagle, Ladybug, sniffing around. Pretty cute, right? Well, his task . . . not so cute. This pooch is inspecting an apartment with bedbugs here in San Francisco. Cases of these infestations are on the rise across the country – did you just start feeling itchy for no reason? – and many breeds can sniff them right out.
My quick web search uncovered several companies with pooches for hire (like K-9 Bed Bug Detection Services) to nose around your house to make sure the buggies didn't hitch a ride with you from a recent stay at a hotel or airport. That's one pup I hope to never have to invite into my home!
Gross. You'd think this was dreamed up in Victorian England ("catch the bed bugs with these tongs!"), but it looks more like the '60s. I loved Milton Bradley, especially their Operation game, but this is just gross. Also, I kept thinking the kids were going to eat the jumping bugs because their instruments looked like chopsticks. Bizarro — is there a lice version?
Bedbugs are just plain gross. They haven't been a big issue since WWII until now.
It's being reported that bedbugs are making a comeback across Manhattan. Why are they back? Some theories claim that the recent rise in world travel is bringing the bedbug back. Bedbugs aren't discriminatory in where the stay, so don't think the nice hotels are free of them.
Gross.
To check a hotel before staying there, go to the bed bug registry, which is an online site devoted to keeping track of known places infested with bed bugs (this includes apartments and hotels).
Fit's Tip: When staying at hotels anywhere, always use the suitcase stand provided in the room. Those little buggers can (and will) travel into your luggage especially if it is sitting on the floor or on the extra bed you're not using. Before snuggling in, check the bed for signs (they like to hide in little crevices) and before leaving, check your luggage. If you notice bites, contact the hotel's customer service and consider seeing a dermatologist.
