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Don't let the bed bugs biteBy Tracey Payton Horticulture Extension Educator Growing up, I never knew what this meant, or if they were even real. It seemed a friendly nighttime myth. However, today that is not the case. It used to be, bed bugs were attributed to extremely unclean dwellings, but that is not necessarily the case anymore. With tourism, and sometimes close living proximities, bed bugs have resurged back into mainstream. It's important to note the signs and what you can do. Bed bugs are reddish brown, flattened, small insects, with an oval abdomen. They feed on human blood, but the bite is said to be painless. Bed bug bites can leave lesions or hive-like wounds, sometimes up to 9 days after feeding. The most common areas of the body are on the back, arms, and shoulders. Because they are active at night, to take blood-meals, they can be hard to detect. During the day, they then retreat back to mattresses, baseboards, bed frames, or other bedroom furniture. In some locales, bed bugs have exhibited resistance to certain insecticides. Therefore, some treatment methods are ineffective or have to be repeated or alternated multiple times once an infestation occurs. What can you do? When staying in a hotel, do a thorough check of the mattress and areas around it for blood spotting. Also, look for blood stains on bed linens before bringing in bags or checking in. If you note these things, find another hotel or room farther away. Precautionary measures include not leaving clothes or bags on the floor near the bed and pull the luggage stands away from walls. Also, a thorough check of luggage before checking out is a good idea, to make sure you don't bring any unwanted guests home. If you suspect you have a bed bug infestation, do not panic. Bring a sample in to your local extension office, or consult your local pest control company. If you suspect you have been bitten by bed bugs, try to get a sample of the insect and consult your health care provider. Access our Fact Sheets online at: osufacts.okstate.edu and enter the keyword in the search box. For more information call the Cleveland County OSU Extension Office at 405-321-4774 or come by our office at 601 E. Robinson St. in Norman. 9/8/08 Date: 8/29/08
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