Bed bugs invade Prince Rupert

General Forums Prince Rupert Forum
1

Recently, I’ve been hearing that the bed bug epidemic has hit Prince Rupert in a big way.
A friend of a friend just discovered she’s got them and is devastated. I’ve done a little internet research and these little critters are nasty. It’s very expensive and time-consuming to get rid of them and then they often just come back again.

Having stayed overnight in a motel just last week on the way home from Vancouver, I’m paranoid one of these nasty critters may have hitched a ride on one of our suitcases. Turns out it can take up to a month for them to appear and all it takes is one egg to start an infestation that can end up numbering in the thousands.

Anyway, besides thoroughly cleaning the house from top to bottom, vacuuming the mattresses, and washing all bedclothes, I’m thinking of ordering a few preventative measures such as mattress encasements and “interceptors”.

Lots of good information and anti-bed bug products are available at:

bedbugsupply.com/

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[quote=“amieK”]Recently, I’ve been hearing that the bed bug epidemic has hit Prince Rupert in a big way.
A friend of a friend just discovered she’s got them and is devastated. I’ve done a little internet research and these little critters are nasty. It’s very expensive and time-consuming to get rid of them and then they often just come back again.

Having stayed overnight in a motel just last week on the way home from Vancouver, I’m paranoid one of these nasty critters may have hitched a ride on one of our suitcases. Turns out it can take up to a month for them to appear and all it takes is one egg to start an infestation that can end up numbering in the thousands.

Anyway, besides thoroughly cleaning the house from top to bottom, vacuuming the mattresses, and washing all bedclothes, I’m thinking of ordering a few preventative measures such as mattress encasements and “interceptors”.

Lots of good information and anti-bed bug products are available at:

bedbugsupply.com/[/quote]

You are right, it is becoming a huge problem and one that can be almost impossible to alleviate. One of the biggest problems is used clothing, unfortunately, consignment stores,thrift and second hand stores unknowingly carry them and unless a customer is vigilant enough to check every area of clothing, especially the seams etc., the little suckers just move on with you. Do NOT buy used bedding or mattresses, even suitcases and purses, and if you buy clothing at a used clothing store, take it home and throw it in the dryer on high heat for 30 minutes but it will be difficult. They are 100 times worse than fleas to rid you and your house of. I think these stores should post reminders in their stores for customers to check the clothing carefully!!

3

So does that mean such places as The Thrift Store and places like Anti Poverty store. So how can one be safe or feel safe ? I would of thought that people would or should be advised with either notice on window or in the stores. Thanks for heads up.

4

Has Northern Health issued any kind of advisory on this?

While it’s been a concern in the larger cities especially New York, haven’t really heard much of this in town, imagine that there are no shortage of critters that could be contracted from used items, but before we drive them out of business or scare off would be customers it might be good to have confirmation.

Perhaps it might be a good idea to wait for some kind of official notification before we bang on the alarm buttons?

Just a thought.

5

[quote=“Smurfette”]Has Northern Health issued any kind of advisory on this?

While it’s been a concern in the larger cities especially New York, haven’t really heard much of this in town, imagine that there are no shortage of critters that could be contracted from used items, but before we drive them out of business or scare off would be customers it might be good to have confirmation.

Perhaps it might be a good idea to wait for some kind of official notification before we bang on the alarm buttons?

Just a thought.[/quote]

It is a matter of common sense to take precautions when you are aware there is a problem. It is common knowledge that a couple of hotels in Rupert have a bed bug problem and pretty obvious that if someone donates clothing or bedding that they could contract these critters. Better safe than sorry as some folks are allergic to the bites of these tiny bugs, same as those from fleas !

6

Another thing to be mindful of is people who have bedbugs want to get rid of their furniture and what better way to get rid of it then to GIVE it away.So if someone is giving furniture away that appears to be new or hardly used you may want to question ,why ?

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bedbugregistry.com/

8

Scabies scares me more than bed bugs. Scabies can be found anywhere. On a loaf of bread you pick up at the grocery store. A railing on the steps you’re walking down. And they can survive on things for a while.
The itching, is apparently enough to make you go insane. And they’re EXTREMELY contagious. Eeek. Makes me not want to touch ANYTHING.

9

Fortunately scabies is easier to get rid of than bed bugs.

10

Sometimes. If you clean properly. Sometimes they’ll come back.

11

Unless they’re bedbugs from Jupiter they’d never survive in the methane environment of my bedsheets. Dutch Oven tonight, sweetie?
Muah hah hah!

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[quote=“herbie_popnecker”]Unless they’re bedbugs from Jupiter they’d never survive in the methane environment of my bedsheets. Dutch Oven tonight, sweetie?
Muah hah hah![/quote]

Omg, have not laughed so hard in a long time, I love your humor !!!

13

“Sorry to mention this, but it is useful to know that bedbug saliva contains a numbing chemical which makes it difficult to detect when they are biting. They also administer an anti-coagulant when they strike, permitting the blood to flow more freely.”

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/76069/bedbug.png

And some good bedtime reading: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedbug

14

UGH !! I feel all itchy now…Thanks MiG ! Off to the shower, AGAIN !!!

15

I have that effect on women, I’m told. They feel icky and need to shower! haha! Thank you thank you, I’ll be here all week.

I’ve never seen a bedbug in real life – how big are they? How much bigger are they than a dog’s fleas?

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[quote=“MiG”]I have that effect on women, I’m told. They feel icky and need to shower! haha! Thank you thank you, I’ll be here all week.

I’ve never seen a bedbug in real life – how big are they? How much bigger are they than a dog’s fleas?[/quote]

I highly doubt that one MiG ! LOl The only place I have encountered bedbugs was when we lived in France and were vacationing in the south. We stayed in a B&B farmhouse and when we threw back the duvet, there were these critters ! They are a little larger than a flea and the bite, I have heard, is a small red bump and itchy as hell and one bug can bite you more than once. They are so hard to get rid of but intense heat is your best bet and they spread like wildfire. There is one hotel in Rupert that has had them and since they transport so easily, I would be very wary when visiting garage sales, second hand clothing stores and all those usual suspects ! If you must indulge in these activities, be sure to check seams, collars, everywhere that they could hide and when you get your items home, throw them immediately in the dryer on high heat for 1/2 hour. I am all itchy again, dammit !

17

So this is what I did without power today. Listened to this:

(an interview with Bug Girl about bed bugs on the Skeptic’s Guide)

and then read some of her links:

membracid.wordpress.com/2008/09/ … -bed-bugs/
ipmctoc.umn.edu/Travellers_p … edbugs.pdf
membracid.wordpress.com/2009/02/ … esistance/
membracid.wordpress.com/2010/09/ … d-condoms/

Been itchy all day for some reason.

18

Hello all,

While living in Vancouver for sometime I ended up with a job where it was based on BED BUGS.
If you end up with them be very careful ok cuz once they start well it’s truely hard to get rid of em unless your on top of them right away, we were using trained beagles to find out if they were still around after so many treatments and some of the things we were doing, If you know someone that has them well I’m not trying to be mean but stay away from there home unless you have got the gear and are prepared for all of it.
If you do end up with em or look for em to see if you have any at all here are some places you can look.
Bed (around the edges is where they lay ther eggs and the eggs are like small dust particals), Pictures in frames, Baseboards, Heaters (they love em cuz of the heat, they live for heat), T.V.'s, DVD Players, Anything electronic even computers/laptops, Outlets & once they get in there they will infest in your walls and everything, Bedding, Couches are another place they love to infest badly, Book Cases, Carpets, Boxes, etc…

High tempatures of heat help if you find they are living on your clothes, Wash & Dry in HIGH Heat or even make your bathroom steamy enough for your clothes and then W & D em…DO NOT USE RAID IT DOES NOT DO A THING TO THEM!, I experimented a little bit with em by sticking em in the freezer and when I took em out they were back to life all they did was hibernate and they do the same thing when they don’t get anymore blood or people to feed on. We found that they did not like cats and did not really bother with them at all. I also watched them eat cockroaches and other insects to survive.

CARE was the company we were working side by side with, They have the special chemicals which help get rid of them.

Avoid Second hand items (Garage Sales, Thrift Stores, Etc…Unless your gaurenteed that nothing you get is infested
You can go stay at hotels, Go shopping anywhere, or anything and get em, Especially transportation systems (Cabs, Buses & Skytrains)

After working to get rid of them I learned to always watch everything I did, From shopping and Ivesting in Plastic Bed Sheets, Always Making sure I stripped down before or right after I got home and cleaned my items immediately!

1 Bed Bug lays 3000 eggs and now just imagine when those 3000 lay there eggs, So do your best and be on top of everything.

When I remember more I will post it, This job went on for about a year and it was pretty bad when everyone got to know your name and what your fave items were and what not, That’s how much time I spent with all those poor people that ended up red flagged where they could not move anywhere else until after the treatment has done everything.

19

Mig , I think . Never mind…lol

20

I’m still itchy after listening to that interview.