Bed bugs: A bigger problem than you think

The news reports were horrifying. Major retailers like Nike, Abercrombie & Fitch and Victoria’s Secret had to close their flagship stores in Manhattan last summer due to bed bugs infestations. While a lot of the hype has died down, bed bugs are still a growing problem in the U.S., according to Cornell bug experts.

Earlier this summer, Cornell entomologist Judy Gangloff-Kaufmann briefed legislators in Washington D.C. on the latest research into this troublesome insect, which is spreading discomfort at alarming rates.

The resurgence of bedbugs in the last decade occurred after the pests virtually disappeared in the United States from 1960 to about 2000. This is likely due to home-use bans on such insecticides as lindane, chlordane, diazinon and dursban and an increase in global travel in the last decade, Gangloff-Kaufmann said.

Gangloff-Kaufmann works with Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Integrated Pest Management Program. They’ve put together guidelines for preventing and eliminating bed bug infestations.  The publication is aimed at addressing the problem in group living facilities, but its advice can apply to problems in individual homes as well.

Among the tips are:

• Wash donated clothing before wearing.
• Do not take furniture or items from the street,
• There are currently no insect repellents that are labeled for bed bugs.  If you inspect an infestation, contact your local Cooperative Extension office for a referral to a professional exterminator.

The best way to address the bed bug problem is to share the facts about how to cope with them, Gangloff-Kaufmann says. So spread the word about the evidence on bed bugs.