bed bug registry?

[WadePatton]

San Francisco has about 450 reports, concentrated in the Tenderloin district.

sorry but that one made me giggle.

What of these bugs? Seems to be an urban thingmo. I'm going to readmore. Just reflecting here what i saw there (at the reflector) because not everybody was packing the deepwoods off-indoors version.

Sacramento has some downtown places on the registry. It will take more reading for me to unnerstand exactly what that means in terms of current threat-if any AT ALL.

[Jonathan]

I got this from a pal who travels 300 hundred days per year.

1. Put your suitcase in the bath tub

2. Upon entering you room pull the sheets on the bed all the way down to look for either dead bugs or excrement.

[WadePatton]

thanks J. i'm not concerned, but will "glance" at them sheets.

++++++

so i read some more.

this registry is one dude what got bit once "taking revenge on the bed bug." no expiration date, no retractions, no telling how long he's been compiling.

i can't find any town without a report, except those without hotels/motels. overblown i'd say. forget i said anything.

and

sleep tight!

[joosttx]

sorry but that one made me giggle.

What of these bugs? Seems to be an urban thingmo. I'm going to readmore. Just reflecting here what i saw there (at the reflector) because not everybody was packing the deepwoods off-indoors version.

Sacramento has some downtown places on the registry. It will take more reading for me to unnerstand exactly what that means in terms of current threat-if any AT ALL.

Wade,

They are a huge threat and have emerged as a problem again because of several reasons but I would argue the main reason is effective insecticides are not being used to rid them as a result of legislation or environmental / health concerns.

This is the real deal Bedbugs are bastards, very hard to control once they infest your home becuase of their stealth behavior. And basically you got to throw away your bed, sofa, clothes if you get infested with them (you can basically cook your clothes to get rid of them but regardless its very costly). Apartment landlords can be held liable, if hotels have them they can be shutdown, etc, etc....... So, they are a threat and they are spreading like a flu, ok maybe a slow flu.

Below is a video of a bedbug monitor..... Not saying I helped develop it....




Put your suitcase in the bath tub of a hotel. If you are concerned about getting infested and then infesting your home.

[j44ke]

Wade,

They are a huge threat and have emerged as a problem again because of several reasons but I would argue the main reason is effective insecticides are not being used to rid them as a result of legislation or environmental / health concerns.

DDT mainly. William S. Burroughs was a DDT guy in NYC until he killed his wife while trying to shoot something OFF her head not her head off. Probably killed a lot of bed bugs before that. As I remember it was a powder that got sprinkled or sprayed everywhere.

Bed bugs are a major NYC nightmare. We just bought an apartment, and there was a bed bug clause in which the whole deal was off if we found them. It isn't about being dirty or whatever. Just about how tough the bugs are. Both the Ritz and the Plaza have had infestations. Treatment is that they seal up the apartment and heat it to something just shy of spontaneous combustion. That's basically the only way to get rid of them this side of nukes. Monsanto has been using bed bug cases as an argument for letting them sell DDT again. I remember how destructive that chemical was (and still is) though. People see bald eagles regularly on the east coast now. In the early seventies. they were on their way out. And that was just one species. So as with anything, there's a trade off, but I am not sure the only ends of the spectrum on that trade are bugs or DDT.

[bellman]

Thats right, it's a big deal. Short of putting stuff in the tub, put stuff up on tables, hang in the closet. Anywhere but on the floor or furniture.

My wife and son were down thataways on a yoyo trip last year or so and got into a mess of them. She flipped out very calmly and bagged everything up, changed hotels, etc-etc.

everything stayed in the carport upon arriving home until it was properly fumigated. They'll live in the zippers of your bags, seams of clothing, anwhere they can snuggle in.

I'd bet money that most of the hotels/motels that have wings "closed for remodeling" are actually attempting to erradicate an infestation. Sure see it a lot these days........

[omnigrid]

good read: Bedbugs: not dead yet | Feature | Chicago Reader

[joosttx]

Bastards are tough. They hide in the walls, go with without meals for weeks, f-like rabbits and sense and avoid pesticides and humans.

[blasdelf]

this registry is one dude what got bit once "taking revenge on the bed bug."

Maciej ain't just some guy — he's a brilliant writer, developer, and businessman

[robin3mj]

As stated above, put all your belongings onto hard surfaces, not the spAre bed, etc.
Take the bedspread and crappy insulating blanket off the bed right away and put them in a corner. Just use the sheets (which are washed more often and in a high temp commercial washer/dryer- these arinspected periodically as well to ensure they operate at super high temps) and turn up the thermostat if you're cold.

I'm in the senior housing biz and these bugs can be a royal pain in the neck. They actually have dogs to sniff them out.

[rydesteel]

There's a guy I know from the coffee shop that is a dog trainer. He's trained cadaver dogs, drug dogs and such but he's so busy training and running bed bug dogs he's given the rest of it up. He's got a couple contracts with a large Apt complex owner and a hotel chain that keep him running all the time.

[WadePatton]

oh yeah?

for the record. the bedbug, crab, and lice are all variants of the same bug specialized to live in those places where we find 'em. but they're all too small to get a hook into, so suck as fish bait.

kerosene socks.

the thing that seems irresponsible about the "registry" is that i don't see any dates or any notes as to remedial actions. the way it appears to me is that the "best eastern hotel of st. mike's" could be reported in january of 2010, then catch fire and burn to the ground whilst undergoing fumigation, be completely rebuilt and back into business at the same location with the same name. and guess what. it's still on the "registry".

so i say eff the registry, just be smart/cautious with your travels, and bring back DDT.

[joosttx]

the bedbug, crab, and lice are all variants of the same bug specialized to live in those places where we find 'em.

Actually that is far from true evolutionarly speaking. Bedbugs are more related to aphids and stinkbugs than lice. On a side note, Chewing lice order is Malaphaga. When I was in grad school I sat in on a dissertation presentation of a student who was doing his work on these lice. The guy was from China and his accent was thick. So, everytime he said "malaphaga" it sounded like he said "mutha f..'er". It was funnier than someone farting in church.

and bring back DDT.

This link is probably going to open a can but I do think it is good to look at things from different prespectives. They are some very compling arguments to bring DDT back especially for marlaria control in Africa. The link article is a argument that DDT is not as bad as publicly preceived.

http://www.jpands.org/vol9no3/edwards.pdf

[sonny]

is it bad that i know of one of these cases in the tl?

[maunahaole]

Joosttx - is it a party bummer when someone accidentally spills the pitfall?

[joosttx]

Joosttx - is it a party bummer when someone accidentally spills the pitfall?

Actually just the opposite. It's never a party foul when you release mass amounts of pheromones....

[MJS]

After 15 years as an airline pilot I'd say the summer of 2010 was the worst I've ever seen the bed bug situation. NYC was the worst. Stay far away from the Hotel Pennsylvania. I have scars (2) on the inside of my shin from bites at that craphole of a hotel. That said the best and worst hotels can get a bed bug problem. Some tips:

- take the bedspread off the bed
- check the seams of the mattress for blood and drag marks
- do not put your bag(s) on the bed or sofa/chair. Use the luggage stand, desk or chest
- not sure about this but a flight attendant told me a few trips ago that spraying your legs with Tinactin/athletes foot spray or the sides of the mattress helps as the bugs do not like something in the spray. TIFWIW

- not bed bug related but when you enter the room take the plastic bag in the ice bucket and put it over your hand. Then with the bagged hand pick up the TV remote. Pull the bag over the remote. The bag is usually clear so you will have a remote condom. The TV remotes are full of germs. So are the phone and alarm clock but who even used those anymore - use your cell for an alarm.

- don't use the glasses in the room unless you wash them

- when you get home do not bring your luggage into your bedroom or living area of your house. I take mine right to the basement and toss everything into the washer when I get home from a trip. I also hang my uniforms and leave my flight bag and rollerbag in my basement.

[MJS]

I'd also suggest not using the coffee maker in the room. Over the years I've been told about some "interesting" things people have put into them and done to/with the room coffee makers.

[MJS]

Some other msc hotel etiquette:

Hotel Van - If your using the hotel van to get to to/from the airport or other destinations - DO NOT sit in the fist seat by the door if there are people behind you still to get on the van. Next time I have to climb over a hotel guest at 5am to get to the back of the van I'm choke them with the seat belt.

Hotel Elevators - DO NOT stand directly in front of the elevator door when it opens. Let the people off the elevator first then get on - it's not rocket science.

The Belgian Waffle maker - if your a complete retard and do not know how to use one then ask or read (if you can) the directions that are usually posted above the waffle maker. HINT - the non stick spray is your friend.

[j44ke]

This link is probably going to open a can but I do think it is good to look at things from different prespectives. They are some very compling arguments to bring DDT back especially for marlaria control in Africa. The link article is a argument that DDT is not as bad as publicly preceived.

http://www.jpands.org/vol9no3/edwards.pdf

I know scientists working on malaria in Kenya, and they all say that DDT would be a benefit in some very definite respects. But Monsanto is not a good citizen when it comes to "very definite respects." And the claim that top shelf science journals have squelched the truth about various pesticides is an old claim, which admittedly may not make it untrue, but it makes one skeptical. This article is in a respected journal however. Thanks for posting it.