KYW's Michelle Durham spoke to
John Russell, general manager of Action Termite and Pest Control
about how you get bedbugs and what it takes to get rid of
them.
About Bed Bugs -
Bed Bugs belong to the order Heteroptera, along with lace bugs, plant
bugs, squash bugs, etc. The word bug was first applied to the familiar
bed bug in the 17th Century England. It may have been derived from the
old English "bogy" or "hobgoblin," signifying a "terror in the dark."
It may also be from the Arabic derivation, "buk," that may have been
picked up by travelers and brought back to England.
Bed bugs
have been associated with man since the beginning of
civilization. Bed bugs and their relatives form a rather small
group (70+) of bloodsucking ectoparasites. Hosts, in addition
to humans and domesticated animals, include bats and birds. Bed
Bugs are strongly flattened bugs, often reddish brown, with
forewings reduced to mere pads. The hind wings are absent.
It is believed the
bed bug originally was associated with bats living in tree holes and in
caves of the Middle East. It was in caves that these parasites became
associated with man. As man moved from cave to village the bed bug
followed and became permanent associates.
This democratic
creature draws no line between the impoverished or the wealthy, but its
presence is more evident in poorer quarters owing to conditions more
favorable for its survival. Nevertheless, these bugs can invade event
the most immaculate homes.
The bed bug is
distributed readily in laundry and on clothes and baggage of individuals
who have visited infested premises. This pest is disseminated primarily
from one hose or apartment or another by stowing away in furniture and
bedding that has been moved, or by attaching itself to articles placed
in an infested moving van. Second-hand furniture, old books and lumber
salvage from demolished houses offer other means of ingress.
