Bed bugs have come to New York City, to stay. They have of course been around for a long time, but lately, they have been getting a lot worse.
Bed bugs are small, yellowish insects, which are about 4-5mm long. They are notoriously difficult to get rid of. Pest control experts, landlords and renters are stressed beyond recognition as they battle these little bloodsuckers. One question that is hard to answer is, why are they so hard to get rid of?
According to the US National Pest Management Association, there has been a 71 per cent increase in bedbug infestations since 2001. In 2004, there were a reported 537 complaints regarding bedbugs in New York. During 2009, there were about 11,000 complaints and over 4,ooo verified infestations.
Recent descriptions from New York City, hellish scenarios: from dried blood and bedbug faeces on the mattress, to the constant vacuuming and washing of clothes, bagging of household items, vacuuming magazines and books, throwing furniture away, sleeping on air mattresses and immediately washing the clothes the very next day. And so on. Yeah, a nasty situation in NY alright!
People are calling this “a plague, an epidemic”. It doesn’t matter how big or clean your apartment is, bedbugs will still make themselves at home.
Bedbugs are becoming a political issue. Michael Bloomberg, New York’s Mayor, has approved the creation of a bedbug “advisory board” to “evaluate, study, identify and develop appropriate strategies” against the blood-sucking menace.
We are still waiting for an action plan for the citizens of New York City. Let’s fight this menace and get the bed bugs out of the city. What’s next?