Bed Bug News Archive

A new research conducted by Zachary DeVries and his team at North Carolina State University compared the levels of a chemical called histamine in homes. The study found that histamine levels were much higher in homes that have had a bed bug infestation than those that were bedbug-free. Histamine levels were measured by the researchers and were found to be twenty times as high in bed bug infested homes. The levels of this chemical persisted for up to three months even after using pesticides or heat treatment. Histamine is a chemical made in the human body and is released when there is any perceived threat from “foreign” particles such as allergens. Histamine then causes various responses including sneezing, coughing, itching or cold to get rid of the allergens. High levels of histamine can be a serious trouble for people already sensitive to pollen, dust or bed bugs.

Edmonton is facing a serious bedbug infestation problem with the city literally “crawling with an influx of bedbugs”. Bedbug menace keeps professional bedbug exterminators in Toronto and other cities in Canada on their toes with most hardly able to keep up with the volume of calls. In Edmonton, a spate of bedbug-related calls is witnessed at least every six months, according to professional bedbug exterminators. According to reports from Alberta Health Services during 2017, bedbugs were the cause of 254 housing inspections in the city. Significant bedbug complaints were received from houses in Edmonton that were near libraries and universities. A massive bedbug outbreak recently led to the closure of the library at the University of Alberta.

Toronto is the top bedbug city in Canada according to a latest survey followed by Winnipeg, Vancouver and Ottawa. Hotels, hospitals, cafeterias, trains and ships across U.S., Europe and Australia are facing the growing bed bug menace. A single bedbug lays up to ten eggs per day and this is one of the reasons why they can be difficult to control. In one night, bed bugs can travel over 100 feet and live just eight feet away from where people sleep. Being highly resilient, bed bugs also develop resistance to chemical pesticides over time. Nanotechnology has been a relatively new approach for bed bug control. Past research had focused on producing microfibers that were fifty times thinner than a single strand of human hair. These microfibers could entangle bed bugs and prevent them from moving.

Pest control companies are getting increasing number of calls in New York as bed bugs continue to scare people in many locations. Schools across central New York reported sighting bed bugs in their premises while visitors to the AMC Empire 25 at Times Square complained of bed bug bites. Although the theater denied having bed bug problems, it has faced similar issues in the past in 2010 when the theater was closed for some time for professional bed bug extermination. In the first week of October, two patrons posted on Facebook pictures of red bumps that they claimed were the result of bed bug bites at AMC 25. Bed bugs are a serious issue in New York City. While they are more commonly sighted in hotels and in trains or buses, theaters are not immune to their threats.

Despite being closed for over two weeks in September after bed bugs were discovered on DVDs and furniture, the Halifax public library’s bug menace is far from over. Professional bed bug exterminators were called in to spray the library building in September. Last week another inspection was scheduled after two bed bugs were spotted on people.  According to the staff, bed bugs are entering the library building through people who visit the library and on returned items. In August, Halifax featured in the top ten bed bug cities with a seventh spot. Most urban areas including Toronto, Winnipeg, Vancouver and Ottawa face bed bug problems given the transit population. Dwellings and transport that are used by seniors and students and seniors are more likely to face bed bug problems.

Pesticides, particularly neonicotinoid, have been in focus with environmentalists linking their use to the extinction of some bee species. Recent studies published in Nature shows neonics authored by Nigel Raine from the University of Guelph, Ontario looked into the various lifecycle stages of bumblebees. In one of the studies, bumblebees were fed sugar syrup infused with “field realistic “concentrations of thiamethoxam for two weeks. The researchers found the frequency of starting new colony post-hibernation was reduced by 26% in these bumblebees. But the study also showed that bees treated with thiamethoxam laid more eggs than untreated bees at day 12. Eco-toxicologists point out that such evidence alone is not enough to conclude the extinction of bees.

Professional bedbug exterminators in Toronto may soon have a new, powerful bedbug spray to deal with the growing bed bug menace. Researchers at Penn State University are working on a new biopesticide that can effectively combat the menace of bedbugs. The researchers discovered that a natural fungus that is harmless to humans can be deadly for the bed bugs. Most professional bed bug exterminators in Toronto also name getting rid of bed bugs as the most difficult challenge. Majority of calls professional pest controllers receive are to do with bed bugs. A National Pest Management Association survey showed 99.6% of professional bed bug exterminators reported treating bed bugs in 2016 as compared to just 25% fifteen years back.