We are happy that Renee of New York vs Bed Bugs alerted us to the news that Baltimore is now implementing a bed bug control strategy, which includes

• bed bug inspections,
• training for Baltimore City Health Department Healthy Homes Division staff in detection and control of bed bugs,
• development of English- and Spanish-language educational materials, as well as several Spanish-language outreach campaigns, and (as Renee writes)

training Baltimore City public housing maintenance and management staff and, apparently, impressing upon them “the need to immediately respond to bed bug complaints.”

For more, see Baltimore’s Bed Bug Response Plan.

Baltimore City Health Department has a bed bug page, which lets readers know what to do in case they suspect bed bugs.  Unfortunately, at this time it only mentions what “homeowners” should do.

It is crucial, in my mind, that local fact sheets direct renters as to what they should do when they suspect bed bugs.

Also, the fact sheet advises:

Avoid “insecticide bombs” and “foggers” in your home. These products can spread hazardous chemicals throughout your home.

It is correct that people with bed bugs should avoid “bombs” and “foggers” when treating bed bugs.  But the reasons are not just related to the spread of chemicals.  In some cases, they are a fire hazard.

But as important is the fact that entomologists tell us bombs and foggers can disperse bed bugs and drive them deeper into our homes.  They’re specifically a bad idea with bed bugs for this reason.

Still, we are very glad Baltimore has a bed bug page and that they’re taking coordinated action to reduce the spread of bed bugs, and help citizens learn how to identify and get rid of the problem.

The bed bug page also provides links at the top to download PDFs of the press release, Baltimore’s bed bug plan, the EPA bed bug fact sheet in English and Spanish.

Update (4/27): and now the Baltimore Sun catches up with New York vs. Bed Bugs, reporting about the new Baltimore bed bug plan and website.Similar Posts:

• Bed bugs in the media: David Cain on British radio, Dr. Susan Jones in the Plain Dealer
• Towels under the door: when cities abandon tenants with bed bugs
• Bed bug education event on Mississippi’s Gulf Coast Tuesday focused on prevention and IPM
• Room for Debate on bed bugs: a must-read!
• Interview with Sam Bryks on Integrated Pest Management; also, we learn about the origins of Bug n’ Scrub

I am very pleased to let you know that Bedbugger brbugfighter is now beginning to translate the FAQs into Brazilian Portuguese.

You will find the new Portuguese FAQ index here.

The FAQs linked from there are still in English, but until the various FAQs are translated, the index will help Portuguese speakers to find the relevant FAQs.

Many, many thanks to brbugfighter, and to “Traduc”, our Spanish translator, for sharing their talents and helping the Bedbugger FAQs reach so many more readers.Similar Posts:

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How to say “bed bug” in 30 languages?

I copied them all here, but Wordpress couldn’t manage all the characters, so I made a screenshot. From Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary, © 2000-2006 K Dictionaries Ltd. (I added Yiddish).

also: Yiddish: vantzen

And glitch tells us the correct modern Dutch term is “bedwants.”

Far from linguistic entertainment, this information may help you while traveling (know what word to use if you find something in your hotel room bed).

May also be useful for making multilingual “danger” signs to post on discarded refuse. A skull-and-crossbones also goes a long way A drawing of a bed bug along with the word “Warning! Bed bugs!” in English and perhaps another language or two that are common in your neighborhood may go a long way.  (Thanks to Winston for warning me off the skull-and-crossbones idea.  Point taken!)

Update 5/2009:

Added screenshot above since characters did not all display properly.

Please download this PDF of a multi-lingual warning sign from Italian entomologist and Bedbugger reader EffeCi (Thanks, Franco!)

<p class=”alert”>If you do not see it above (or if the above includes an error), please comment below to tell us how to write “bed bug(s)” in your language.  (If you cannot post the characters, you can send me a link to jpeg image or email me one.  Many Thanks!</p>Similar Posts:

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Update on this post from last week. A very brilliant Bedbugger has generously volunteered to translate the “Think you have bed bugs? Some do’s and don’ts” FAQ into Spanish. We started with this one, because it is the most frequently read, and it does introduce a number of ideas expanded on in other FAQs. I will keep the identity of this person secret for the time being, until s/he comes forward or until it’s published on the site, but I was immensely grateful that someone could do this. It will be going live soon.

If others are fluent enough to do so, and want to join in with this project and translate one or more FAQs into Spanish (or another language!) we really could have a wonderful resource. As you probably know, certain FAQs are often among the most read pages every day.

I expect we may leave comments open on the Spanish FAQ at least to start, and questions may come up.  If we get many questions, this may not be something we’re able to support, but in time, as more Bedbuggers appear who can read and write Spanish, we may be able to help a much wider range of people.  Even if the Spanish FAQs are read-only, they will surely help many people.

If any PCOs are reading this, we’d really like to post one set of instructions for tenants that your company uses, and provide a translation (if you don’t have one) in Spanish. We would be very clear about the need for tenants to ask their PCOs what protocol to follow before treatment, and we’d emphasize that each company has their own methods. That said, last week we heard from a landlord with many Spanish tenants whose PCO did not have Spanish instructions for preparing for treatment, and we could not help, since we did not have a sample in English to be translated. Any PCO willing to share such instructions could be credited if they wish (with a link even) or we could keep it anonymous, if the information is provided without a letterhead, since we know everyone is not necessaily looking for publicity. (If any PCOs are willing to have us post and English protocol and a readymade translation, even better.)

Our aim here is to help everyone know more about how to deal with infestations–it helps them at their moment of crisis, and it ultimately helps keep the problem from spreading further. Let’s make this information more widely available.Similar Posts:

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