http://bedbugger.com/forum/ Bed bug support forums en Sun, 22 Nov 2009 02:10:40 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/faqs-about-bed-bugs-for-bedbugger-forum-users#post-40530 Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:46:09 +0000 Nobugsonme 40530@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Forum "newbites" (Bedbugger newbies) often have trouble navigating the <a href="http://bedbugger.com/faqs/">FAQs</a>. And yet so many of the questions people have can be partly answered by FAQs. (And then the person can come to the forums for more infomation or specific help.) I have tried to pull out the most relevant ones below. I encourage you to read them and to point others to them (here). </p> <p><strong>Please note:</strong> I try to update them as I can, but the FAQs may be dated. It simply isn't possible to go over them all regularly, so please let me know when something needs to be updated to reflect the most current information. If you wish to suggest changes to an actual FAQ, please leave a comment on the specific FAQ in question. This will help me make the changes more quickly.</p> <p>Please comment below if a FAQ is missing that you feel should be here. </p> <p>If you have new questions or problems, or want to tell us your story, please do NOT post them in this thread. Instead, go to <a href="http://bedbugger.com/forum/" rel="nofollow">http://bedbugger.com/forum/</a> and click "Add New" to start a new thread.</p> <p>Thanks!</p> <p><strong>Think you have bed bugs? You must read these <em>Bed Bugs 101</em> FAQs:</strong></p> <p><li><a href="http://bedbugger.com/2007/01/20/faq-think-you-have-bed-bugs-some-dos-and-donts/"> Dos and Don'ts if you think you have bed bugs</a></li><li><a href="http://bedbugger.com/2006/10/22/faq-what-are-bed-bugs-do-i-have-them-what-else-could-be-causing-this/"> Do I have bed bugs? What else could be causing this?</a></li><br /> <strong>Identifying a bed bug problem</strong><li><a href="http://bedbugger.com/photos-of-bed-bugs-and-signs-of-bed-bugs/"> What do bed bugs and their signs (feces, eggs, cast skins) look like?</a></li><li><a href="http://bedbugger.com/2009/05/05/what-do-cast-skins-look-like/">What do cast skins look like (comparison photos with other insect cast skins)</a></li><li><a href="http://bedbugger.com/bed-bug-bites-photos/"> What do bed bug bites look like? (includes many photos)</a></li><br /> See also: <a href="http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/bite-primer-information-on-bites-and-reactions">Bed Bug Bite Primer and Reactions</a><li><a href="http://bedbugger.com/2008/07/04/faq-is-this-a-bed-bug-photos-of-creatures-mistaken-for-bed-bugs/"> What insects are mistaken for bed bugs?</a></li><li><a href="http://bedbugger.com/2008/02/18/how-to-catch-a-bed-bug-how-to-detect-bed-bugs/"> How can I catch a sample bed bug?</a></li><br /> <strong>Getting proper bed bug treatment</strong><li><a href="http://bedbugger.com/2006/10/22/faq-tenants-landlords-owners-and-bedbugs/"> Who pays for bed bug treatment in a rental situation?</a></li><li><br /> <a href="http://bedbugger.com/2006/12/07/faq-advice-on-getting-treatment-to-eliminate-your-bed-bugs/"> Choosing a PCO, questions to ask them</a></li><li><a href="http://bedbugger.com/2007/03/27/faq-how-do-i-prepare-for-pest-control-treatment/"> Should I put everything in bags?</a></li><li><a href="http://bedbugger.com/2007/07/03/faq-do-i-have-to-tell-my-landlord-co-op-board-condo-association-residents-of-attached-house-next-door/"> Do I have to tell the neighbors? Do neighbors need treatment?</a></li></p> <p><strong>Methods of killing bed bugs</strong><li><a href="http://bedbugger.com/2007/01/08/faq-should-i-do-my-own-pest-control/"> Should I do my own pest control?</a></li><li><a href="http://bedbugger.com/faqs/pestcontrol/faq-killing-bed-bugs-with-steam/"> What about steam?</a></li><li><a href="http://bedbugger.com/2007/05/30/bombs-dont-work-on-bed-bugs-citation-anyone/"> Why don't I (or my landlord/PCO) just set off a bug bomb?</a></li><li><a href="http://bedbugger.com/2007/03/30/faqde/"> What is diatomaceous earth (DE)?</a></li><li><a href="http://bedbugger.com/2007/04/06/vikane-gas-fumigation/">What is vikane gas (sulfuryl flouride) fumigation?</a></li><li><a href="http://bedbugger.com/2007/07/11/lavenderoil/"> Aren't there any natural remedies for bed bugs? Will lavender oil, tea tree oil, eucalyptus oil, sweet rice, thyme, talcum powder, or boric acid kill bed bugs, repel them, or keep them from biting me?</a></li><li><a href="http://bedbugger.com/2007/03/19/faq-is-there-an-insect-that-will-eat-bed-bugs/ ">Is there an insect that will eat bed bugs?</a></li></p> <p><strong>Getting bed bugs out of your stuff</strong><li><a href="http://bedbugger.com/2009/03/29/what-is-a-packtite/">What is a Packtite?</a></li><li><a href="http://bedbugger.com/2006/11/08/updated-118-faq-how-do-i-deal-with-clothing-during-treatment-for-bed-bugs-and-for-a-while-later/"> What about clothing?</a></li><li><a href="http://bedbugger.com/2007/05/18/dryer/"> To get bed bugs out of your stuff using heat, try the dryer FAQ</a>.</li><li><a href="http://bedbugger.com/faqs/pestcontrol/faq-killing-bed-bugs-with-steam/">Steam may be useful for some items.</a></li><li><a href="http://bedbugger.com/2007/06/26/dry-cleaners-and-bed-bugs/"> What you need to know about dry cleaning.</a></li><li><a href="http://bedbugger.com/2007/08/04/faq-leaving-stuff-out-to-freeze-walk-in-freezers-etc-how-cold-and-how-long/"> What about cold? Can I just put things outside? In the freezer? (It's more complicated than you might think.)</a></li><br /> <strong>Keeping bed bugs out of your mattress or bed</strong><li><a href="http://bedbugger.com/encasements/"> Read about and find out how to purchase good mattress encasements. Some with a discount for readers!</a></li><li><a href="http://bedbugger.com/2006/11/02/faq-how-do-i-protect-my-bed-from-bed-bugs-part-i/"> What does it mean to "isolate" or "protect" a bed, and how do I do these things?</a></li><li><a href="http://bedbugger.com/2007/01/06/faq-how-do-i-protect-my-bed-from-bed-bugs-part-iii-avoiding-things-that-can-go-wrong/"> If I "isolate" the bed, what can go wrong?</a></li><br /> <strong>Where can I buy diatomaceous earth, a White Wing steamer, an Aerobed, or a respirator mask?</strong><li><a href="http://bedbugger.com/usefulstuff/"> For these and other items, try the Useful Stuff page.</a><a href="http://bedbugger.com/encasements/">(For encasements, click here.)</a></li></p> <p><strong>Skin snd bites</strong><li><a href="http://bedbugger.com/bed-bug-bites-photos/"> What do bed bug bites look like? (includes many photos)</a></li><li><a href="http://bedbugger.com/2007/05/12/faq-bed-bugs-are-crawling-on-me-all-the-time-i-am-being-bitten-all-day-long/"> Bed bugs are crawling on me all the time, everywhere I go. I'm being bitten all day long! What do I do?</a></li><br /> <a href="http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/bite-primer-information-on-bites-and-reactions">Bed Bug Bite Primer and Reactions</a></p> <p><strong>Travel and bed bugs</strong><li><a href="http://bedbugger.com/2006/11/02/faq-how-can-i-avoid-spreading-bedbugs-to-others-when-i-visit-their-homes/""> How can I travel or visit others (or go to work!) when I have bed bugs, and not spread them?</a></li><li><a href="http://bedbugger.com/2006/10/19/faq-how-can-i-avoid-bedbugs-while-traveling/"> How do I avoid picking up bed bugs when I travel?</a></li><li><a href="http://bedbugger.com/2007/08/05/faq-i-stayed-somewhere-that-had-bed-bugs-what-do-i-do-to-keep-from-taking-them-home/"> I picked up bed bugs somewhere. Now what do I do?</a></li></p> <p><strong>Legal issues</strong><li><a href="http://bedbugger.com/2006/10/22/faq-tenants-landlords-owners-and-bedbugs/"> Who pays for bed bug treatment in a rental situation?</a></li><li><a href="http://bedbugger.com/2007/03/17/faq-where-can-i-read-about-bed-bug-lawsuits-can-you-help-me-find-a-lawyer/">I want to sue somebody. Where can I read about bed bug lawsuits? Can you help me find a bed bug lawyer?</a></li> </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/fecal-matter-dry-ice-home-made-interceptors-and-aerobeds#post-62544 Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:56:41 +0000 samson 62544@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>A few questions, please respond even if you know the solution to just even one of my questions</p> <p>How sticky is the BB fecal matter? I see a few dark specks on my linens but they are very easily swept away. Not sticky at all. Should I rule out BB's because of this fact? Perhaps another insect, ash or specks of dirt?</p> <p>Has anyone used dray ice as a detector? This being the theory of BB's being attracted to carbon dioxide. Anyone know of any dry ice suppliers in NYC?</p> <p>I would like to buy the inteceptors for the legs of my bed but the bedframe legs are much, much larger<br /> than the ones advertised. Any homegrown solutions?</p> <p>I see many posters seeking temporary refuge before/between treatments on an areobed. What makes it so magic? Is it jus because it is removed from a bedbug harborage? </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/seriously#post-62391 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:25:40 +0000 catdog 62391@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>hi- new, and unsure what todo..longstory short, approx.6wks ago, found about 10 bb's on pillow - seen the streaks &#38; blood spots too, threw it all out in trash ~ and vacuumed all over the bed, in tufts and floors, cracks,etc... havnt slept in bed since, been sofa city....kept cking bedrm and doing vacumming constantly and used bb spray from store that i read some ingredients off many sites/cant recall name, medicated talcum, alchol spraying like and idiot.... no bb's in bdrm visable to my eye...BUT...seen one on couch 5nites ago... lovely.<br /> After searching and determined to find where their hideout is, I cannot locate a one. No signs anywhere? So confused.<br /> did the whole routine again...and have been cking like a madperson every other second... cant find one anywhere! No stains, streaks since the first sight...</p> <p>figured i best call the PCO, and have been rreading alot on here...just wanna be sure i get the right one!</p> <p>Please Advice would be so greatly appreciated!! </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/need-serious-help-found-in-my-suv-too#post-61766 Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:16:04 +0000 shaye 61766@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I need help! My mothera apt bldg became infested with these vampire bugs and wouldn't you know they ended up at my 3 bedroom house. I was having itchy spots all over my arm in August. I didn't think much of it really since mosquittoes love to get me, but once they were not going away I became wary. Inspected 1st bedroom, nothing. Inspected second bedroom and found 1 on a curtain, no droppings, nothing else. Then came my bedroom, found the colony in the crease of my pillow top mattress, about 10-15 of them big and little. I freaked out! Since we rent our house I called the landlord and she will not hire a professional, so I called around and only 1 company had any experience with them, wanting $2100 to treat our home. Needless to say we do not have since my husband just returned to work after 6 month layoff. I super vacuumed, decluttered, encased every bed in encasements, sprayed with this stuff from lowes bayer advanced labeled for bedbugs and put down DE. I continue to spray every week since I know it kills them seeing it first hand, but I have serious questions. Am I spraying too often? Should I remove my dog from his bed in our room? All was well, we went two weeks with no bites then I started to notice them only on me about the time my daughter said a bug just bit her in our suv! Upon searching, sure enough they are in the suv! Have I been carrying them back in the house? I'm paranoid every where I turn now, uncomfortable every where! This started at end of August, its November now and I'm going insane! We had already planned to move in january or february since we are always having some issue here, but now I'm afraid to go, our couch is brand new and I hate the thought of having to toss it. Beds will be replaced but how do I be sure not to take them with us? Steam clean? Leave our stuff in the moving truck in those frozen temps? But for how long? Am I being impatient? How long does it normally take? And how do I get them out of my truck with all its hiding spots? Winter? Please help me, I feel so alone in this fight, my husband shows no signs and has never seen them so he just thinks I'm crazy! </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/new-victim-advice-of-leaving-needed#post-61288 Sat, 31 Oct 2009 19:14:10 +0000 kalie2under2 61288@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hello Everyone! </p> <p>My story in brief: I<code>ve been bitten for thelast 2 weeks. I washed sheets, looked for bugs and couldn</code>t fnd any, then yesterday I found one. In our room, not my sons. Called the landlord and will be sprayed on Wednesday. I have two small children and I am going to my mothers. I am washing all the clothes and putting them in clean plastic bags. Do you think I will take them with me é Any tips on how to escape the right wayÉ </p> <p>I want to cry really I do. My neighbour just told me they have lots of them and didnèt even know. My daughter is only 7 weeks old and my son is one. I am thankfully the only one that got bit. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/can-you-see-just-one-and-thats-it#post-59832 Sat, 10 Oct 2009 16:16:21 +0000 crazy2day 59832@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I have been bitten up and down over the past 4 weeks or so. Yesterday, I found one bug on my bed in morning after I got out of the bed and put the lights on. I [/i]think<em> it's a bed bug...anyway, is there any way you can find just one or two bugs and that's the end of it?</p> <p>I have a suspicion that my neighbors downstairs had the bed bugs earlier this summer because back in June I recall that they threw away their mattresses and couch. I figured they were redecorating. </p> <p>I do have a question: should I encase my mattresses from now? I have not even contacted a Pest service yet; I first have to tell the superintendent of my apt. complex. My husband is saying stuff like, "Well we just saw </em>one [i] so we shouldn't jump the gun and we're really not certain it's truly a bed bug." Yet I've been bitten on my lower leg, my neckline and my forearm over the past 4-5 weeks. I chalked it up to mosquitoes. </p> <p>If these <u>are</u> bedbugs, then would I be foolish to have pest contractor service my apt. while the people downstairs probably get pest service done? </p> <p>I am sick to my stomach over this , I hate my bed now and want to just buy new furniture and go to a new apartment somewhere else and start frest. To make it worse my husband is chronically ill and would have a difficult time to be out of the apt the 4 hours it'll take for treatment. He is so ill, he cannot help me put the mattress protector cover on - I'll have to get my brother and sister in law to help me. </p> <p>Has anyone used the "heat treatment" unit as advertised on this board? Does it really work?<br /> Does a "steamer machine" really work to kill the bugs and eggs/larve? </p> <p>Has anyone successfully and permanently gotten rid of the bed bugs? Can it be possible?</p> <p>Thank you. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/my-tale-of-bedbug-woes#post-60887 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 19:11:44 +0000 bbboogie 60887@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>OK, finally getting around to telling my sordid tale. :-) In August, after returning from vacation, my husband was told there were bedbugs at his job. Not to worry though, it was taken care of. Ha! Mid August I started getting bites but not seeing any bugs or evidence I assumed they were mosquito bites. My husband didn't have bites and wasn't worried at all. (men!) I found this website and started reading the forum and really suspected bedbugs but still couldn't find any sign of them...skins, poop, etc. Lo and behold I woke up at 6 AM one morning to feeling itchy around my neck. I pick up my head and see a lovely, well fed bug, slowly cruising along the sheet. I grabbed the handy tape (thanks for the tip) and snagged it. I ran downstairs to the computer to look at the pictures on the website and YES! I was right! (unfortunately) We had bedbugs!!!!! I promptly burst into tears and my husband had to agree that yes, we had unwelcome visitors just as I had been insisting for the past 2 weeks. OK, we stripped the bed and carefully examined everything. We found a cluster of assorted sized bedbugs on the tip of the boxspring. (probably 10-15 in all) My husband went ballistic with a can of TAT which is a good contact killer although bb's are not mentioned on the can. Then he ran out and bought encasements plus 5 more cans of TAT which he proceeded to spray like the enemy was at our front door! I am a big chicken so I refused to sleep in that room for the next 2 weeks and it stunk like bug spray anyway so it probably wasn't too healthy. Twice we caught a bb in the spare bedroom but I think they were wandering because we haven't had any since and I've had no bites since I initially moved out of the main bedroom. (I moved back in 3 weeks ago) The room has been decluttered, caulked, painted and redone entirely in white. (you all know why I went from peach and chocolate to white, white, white. LOL) So far so good but I'm constantly checking the sheets and pillows for signs and also check myself for bites. I also refuse to sleep without a night night and this from a person that wanted blackout curtains! If our luck continues I will have to believe that the infestation was small and that we caught it at the very beginning. I'll keep you posted. I did want to say that this forum is a godsend. It's so encouraging to "talk" to others that have been through this. Thank you all! </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/bad-allergic-reaction-to-the-bitesfirst-infestation-2#post-57330 Thu, 03 Sep 2009 23:43:59 +0000 ghostbitten 57330@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Long story short, my mother had a mysterious rash in June. I went away up North for a week near the end of June (after her rash appeared), came home with so many bug bites I wasn't sure what was from up North and what I might've gotten at home when I came back in July. It wasn't until just last Saturday (August 29) that I noticed funny things I thought were hives//an allergic reaction. Much Googling after my doctor suggested they could be bb's, and here I am. I've read most of the forums here, a ton of "popular" or most-read bb-related blogs, and am joining the ranks I suppose.</p> <p>My apologies if this is long.. most is posted off of my blog as well, but here goes:</p> <p>I’ve a few questions… first off, about my situation, it’s not that heavy of an infestation. About a 4 on the 1-10 scale. It’s contained to my mother’s couch she sleeps on and a few ‘droppings’ on my box spring. So far nadda. Nothing dropping off of the ceiling or skittering across the floor, though the nymph I found the other day was on my desk and I caught it with tape for my landlord. Anyway: I’m living with my semi-cooperative about the whole ordeal mother who had a stroke last year due to alcoholism. She is highly prone to succumbing to stress and is narrow-minded. Until today, when I spent awhile educating her, she thought bed bugs were a personal problem. She isn’t cooperative in preparing for treatment so I’m doing my own room (I’ve the bedroom) and she can be fubar’d and get evicted for all I care. I’m frustrated. I also am on geared-to-incoming housing for my unit, and on disability. I live on a few hundred a month and my 200$ grocery money for the month? Going to laundry, dry cleaning, plastic garbage bags and Ziplocs. I’m getting rid of everything I own furniture wise except one dresser (if not infested), my desk (same), and my electronics as I need my computer for school//work.</p> <p>I won’t eat this month, not like my stomach’s holding anything down anyway (I get sick from stress, badly, I guess it’s part of bipolar disorder and the way this whole thing is affecting my germphobia//contamination-OCD). I’m preparing for the initial treatment as I’ve read on many blogs over the past four days, but my main question is the itching. I’m severely allergic ( photo one &#38; photo two for example of my bites and how they flare without itching ) and the itchiness is about an 11.5 on the 1-10 scale. I’m fighting against it but it’s worse than the itchiness of getting a new tattoo (and I got my first one a year ago, I still remember) and having something like head lice at the same freakin’ time. I’m currently using <a href=" <a href="http://www.medbroadcast.com/drug_info_details.asp?brand_name_id=1151" rel="nofollow">http://www.medbroadcast.com/drug_info_details.asp?brand_name_id=1151</a>">Anugesic-HC </a> (yes I know what it's actually for) for the itchiness and Reactine, an OTC allergy medication. Also, rubbing alcohol. I was wondering if something like GoldBond would work, or if there are any creams readily available OTC for under ten or twelve dollars that’ll last me a month? I live in Canada (Ontario) so anything that Shoppers or Dell Pharmacy would have is preferable. Ordering online isn’t an option as I don’t have a credit card.</p> <p>Urgh. On top of it, my landlord and PCO (for the wasps, he’s the one who inspected) laughed at me when I suggested they check the units above and below me. LL said no and implied it started with us, the bastard. If that was so, WHY ARE WE HAVING ISSUES JUST NOW, AFTER LIVING IN THIS UNIT 11 YEARS?! Good thing, I’ve public health on my side as I called them first. The man I spoke to assured me this isn’t my fault, esp. with the background history I gave him.</p> <p>Hello, my name is Mis and I’m yet another one bitten (harhar) by the bed bug fiasco. I’m leaning towards Zen about this: get rid of it all, start over with steel furniture and keep a clear, level head about it. Do we get free coffee to aid in our sleepless nights? :s</p> <p>(hope I tagged/categorized correctly :3 ) </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/hello-all#post-60318 Sun, 18 Oct 2009 11:54:43 +0000 ruthven78 60318@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Ive posted a few times but havent really introduced myself. My name is Craig. My wife and I picked up our bed bugs on a trip to Southern California from a hotel we stayed at near Disneyland. My wife works for the chain's corporate office and therefore I was reluctant to sue, even though someone at the hotel had told my wife they recieved a complaint a month ago about bedbugs in that very same room! We stayed at the hotel two nights and didnt receive any bites during our stay (or least none that showed). We first noticed the bites about 4 days after our return home. My wife was fairly reactive were myself and our 4 yr old son werent nearly as bad.....her bites would welt the size of a dime. We spent a week and half getting ready for Orkin....I hired them just out of name recognition. I think we ended up actually throwing out half of the clothes and linen, mostly due to poor fit or over abundance. I know I personally spent at least a cumulative of 40-50 hours perp work, my wife spent quite a few as well. We had moved in with my wife's grandpa after her granma passed away back last February. My wife's grandparents had accumulated a lot of junk over the years and therefore we threw out a lot of clutter. We live in a large 4 bedroom house with full basement , living room, and family room. It was so much work I literally worked 18 hours straight the day before Orkin showed up. Thankfully we have a hot tub I can go soak in. Orkin was here last Friday, we opened out windows and doors around noon Saturday....was about 50 degrees here. We got most the house put back together yesterday and today will just be the finishing up the loose odds and ends. Luckily we used clear plastic garbage bags to seal our clothes. </p> <p>The day after I learned about the bed bugs I had called the hotel's general manager and let him know. My wife was reluctant to raise a stink because she was afraid of getting fired. I was treated very politely and professionaly and was speaking to the hotel's insurance company a couple days later. They agreed to pay for our extermination and the cost of the hotel stay during treatment. I havent sent them all the invoices or receipts yet but I do plan on asking them to reimburse us for my wife;s lost wags, might even ask for compensation for the time it took for us to prepare for Orkin.</p> <p>It has been really difficult with an 88yr old. People tell him things to do or give him bad information such as to use foggers, that BBs will die after 10 days in a sealed bag. He also sprayed raid not only in his bedroom, but also all over his clothes! He said he did that because we were hogging the washer &#38; dryer even though we told him twice to bring us his clothes and we would process them. I had explained to him prior during the fogger debate why foggers and OTC sprays arent very effective and they will just chase the bugs into the walls. And today, only two days since treatment, he is vacuuming his room even though I told him that Orkin has used a dust &#38; residual sprays to treat the crevices and such. He also refuses to reseal his clothes, doesnt think the BBs can climb onto the clothes that are hanging in the closet, etc. He wont change clothes he had sat around all day in before going to someone else's house. He also went into the house, before we got back from the hotel, and only opened one window to air it out...I told him I was surprised we hadnt found him laying dead on the floor from the fumes. My in laws live next door, he stayed with them instead of opting for the free hotel room because he wanted to be near his house. He only stayed in the fumey house for about 45 minutes before going back over to the inlaws. While my inlaws ran an errand, he decided to turn their heat up to 80 degrees because he got a chill. I dont know about you but when Im a guest in someone's home I dont touch their thermostat, I may let them know its a little chilly to me or ask for a blanket, but never help myself like that. He wanted the PCO to guarantee their treatment for a year...I told him that was quite unrealistic considering the dust is active the longest at say 60 days. Dealing with him has at times been quite exasperating to say the least, if I had know then how it would have been we wouldnt have moved in. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/forum-messages-cut-off#post-60248 Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:50:33 +0000 sal930 60248@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Why are the messages cut off? I can't read half the messages people post.</p> <p>Thanks </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/found-single-adult-bed-bug-on-floor#post-60180 Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:52:21 +0000 alan 60180@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>hello, I'm really freaked out! I got home last night and I found an alive adult unfed bedbug on its back on my floor. I searched my apartment for any others and found nothing. I have lived in that apartment for thee months and have had no bites, my mattress is a futon which is brand new three months ago. I searched it and found no signs. </p> <p>I had just gotten home from a coffee shop and i had been sitting in a chair with cloth upholstery. I suspect the bug hitched a ride on me from the chair, god only knows how many people sit in the chair per day, some with bed bugs. I will go back to the coffee shop tonight to inspect the chair.</p> <p>I was wondering, has it ever been reported that bedbugs walk from one apartment to another? I trapped this one in a plastic bag to get a better look at it, it is moving very slow, seems close to dying. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/happy-to-find-you-guys-#post-60002 Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:27:48 +0000 bbboogie 60002@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hi all! I've been lurking since Sept 1st and finally registered so I can put in my 2 cents! I never, ever thought I'd get bedbugs and thank God I found this website where I could get some great information, but more importantly....a feeling of not being alone with this problem.<br /> I'll write more details on the weekend but wanted to say that while I get horrendous bites my husband gets nothing! Is that fair? For 2 weeks I kept telling him that we must have bedbugs but he didn't believe me until I woke up at 6 AM one morning and caught one as it was walking away from it's meal (me!). I showed him the pictures on this website and yep...he finally agreed with me. Back in early August he was told that there were bedbugs at his job but he insisted that he never brought home. Ha! I wish he hadn't! Anyway, I'll get into details &#38; how we are coping when I have more time to write but wanted to introduce myself and thank you for being here. :-) </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/bed-bug-newbie-my-story-advice-and-thoughts-wanted#post-51530 Sun, 21 Jun 2009 00:21:02 +0000 weeseweiss 51530@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Ok so last week I randomly found a bug clinging to a sweater I had taken from an under the bed storage box. I have had both grain beetles and carpet beetles at different times so I at first assumed it was one of those. Upon closer inspection I knew it was not. I investigated online and determined it as a bed bug. Only then did I realize that the " rash" on my arm three weeks ago was not a rash at all. Then of course I start to remember a few other times I have found a mysterious bite or two.<br /> I live in a 30 story condo building that had an exterminator come out every week so I saved the bug for confirmation. It was indeed confirmed to be a bedbug.<br /> The extermnator inspected around my house and bed and I spent days de-cluttering and turning the place inside out and nothing else was found except I did find what might have been a shell of one on a drape that hangs behind my bed. Though It could have also been the shell of a grain beetle which I had a problem with last year. I should explain that I live in a studion apartment where the kitchen and bed are in close proximity so the grain beetles made it to the living area when I had them.<br /> The exterminator did not seem to think I was infested. He said he felt it was pretty isolated but that my box spring had some holes in it and that I should get rid of it because that would be prime real estate to them. He put own glue traps and sprayed my bed frame and surrounding area and said we would give it a week to monitor and if we catch even one we should do the whole house treatment.<br /> I took it a step further and bought a whole new bed the same day and the Protect a Bed covers reccomended here which were installed on the new bed upon delivery. The old bed is now gone I just couldn't take the chance that the thing was infested.<br /> I am washing and cleaning and vaccuming and inspecting every crack and crevice. I am really anxious about this stuation since they are so insidious and hard to get rid of. I don't want to be naive and assume my problem is gone. Am I taking the right steps? Is there any thing additional you guys can suggest? Could I be badly infested and not find anything other than my lone friend? Was it a dumb move to buy a new bed when I still may have a problem or will the covers at least protect my new investment? Can you beat these things or is it almost impossible?<br /> So many questions so little time. I am just grateful to have a place to ask questions and feel like there are other people out there going trough the same thing.<br /> There is such a stigma attached to these things. It's embarassing and yet I don't know why. I am such a worry wart as it is-- this is making me a crazy person! Amy comments and advice are much appreciated.<br /> Freaking out in Chicago </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/regarding-dogs-and-bags#post-59394 Sat, 03 Oct 2009 02:25:43 +0000 geoclintwash 59394@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>hi, this is my first post. a couple of nights ago i came home, looked at my bed, and actually saw an adult bed bug crawling across my sheets, calm as you please. i trapped it in alcohol and taped it up to verify it was indeed a BB and sure enough it was. a pretty cursory examination of my bed turned up a concentration of bugs on my box spring on the far side near the wall -- the matress and sheets looked oddly pristine. i had received some mysterious bites before but only on my legs, not anywhere else on my body, and concluded due to other places i'd been hanging out and the shape and frequency of the bites that they were just from mosquitos. i got in touch with my Super next morning and he immediately called my building's PCO -- they went in with my permission while i was at work and made an inspection. now, a few days later, the same PCO is scheduled to come in and administer treatment -- i don't know exactly what he plans to do but he recommended i prepare by getting mattress encasements for post treatment, and also advised to my relief that he believes it to be "a minor infestation." i definitely plan to ask him to come back for a secondary examination and treatment a few weeks from now. </p> <p>one reason i'm posting my story is that i'm hoping a few facts will be helpful for others: one, that my bites had little to no resemblance to pictures of bites one might find online -- infrequent, mostly single bites, and concentrated on one area of my body. this is just a reinforcement of the facts on this site, that no two people manifest the same reaction or symptoms of bed bug bites. two, as a sort of hopeful story for those living in big old buildings in brooklyn -- my super was very responsive and the fact that the management company retains the services of a professional PCO is also very encouraging. if you get on it right away and practice candor and respect you may very well have an easier time of it. </p> <p>the second reason i'm posting is to ask some questions:</p> <p>1) what do people think about the "minor infestation" diagnosis in light of the fact that i actually SAW a bed bug crawling around? this seems pretty rare from all i've read and was at first suggestive to me that it was a pretty serious problem. of course i was relieved to have a pro contradict this, but i still have my doubts. </p> <p>2) my significant other has already ordered encasements for her own bed -- she has experienced no suspicious bites and has as yet been unable to find any evidence i carried any of the little devils over to her place, but she wants to be vigilant and is thinking of having an inspection either by human or by a trained dog. does anyone have any advice for her on this? if she has no circumstantial evidence of bugs does it make sense for her to throw down for a dog?</p> <p>thanks so much in advance. i have really appreciated having all the info on this site at my fingertips at the last few days, it's made me feel more grounded and in control. i'll also report back when i know more about my PCO's methods.</p> <p>GCW </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/bugs-at-work-and-at-home#post-59161 Mon, 28 Sep 2009 23:03:39 +0000 kos 59161@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hello,<br /> I moved over to New York at the end of June and I've been staying in a long term hostel with 5 other girls. All 6 of us came over from England for a 6 month internship and it had been going fine until a few weeks ago.<br /> About 2 weeks ago one of the designers at my work found a bed bug crawling along her desk. Work said it was being treated, they got people in that night and then the next they bought in a dog group etc. That weekend my Aunt asked if I'd like to move in with her as she had a room coming free in her appartment. I jumped at the chance, the hostel is very lonely and I'm a bit homesick.<br /> But then thursday I woke up in the morning and started reading this website and freaked myself out. I finally braved to look for bedbugs and didn't have to look very far, I found an adult right in the corner, didn't even have to lift by matress up. So I know I have bb's.<br /> Work sent me home straight away to deal with stuff. I gave all my clothes, bed clothes, quilt and pillow to the laundrette and the manager of the hotel/hostel said that although he couldn't call the exterminator in until tuesday (tomorrow) he'd 'spray' the room himself to start with.<br /> Now, it was very silly of me, I should have looked before. I've been getting bites all over since I arrived in june but I thought they were mostly mosquitos (which I think they were to begin with). But then I got bitten more and more at work. I'd go into work with 1 bite and leave with 10.<br /> It's hard to know where they came from and it's not good to point fingers (although the middle aged women at work are all giving me dirty looks... oh and directly mentioned me to the whole office when there was a Q and A with the exterminators - nice) but I'm sure I bought them home from work.<br /> Anyway, I digress and I'm making everyone bored.<br /> I desperately want to move into my Aunts appartment because I can't stand being in this hostel any more. But I can't move in until these bugs are gone. All my clothes are in an airtight bag. But what about my shoes, my books, my toiletries, my paperwork? I don't have access to a freezer and the vacuum cleaner at this place isn't one with a nosel it's a big floor one (if you know what I mean?). I'm worried about my food because my miniture refridgerator is at the end of my bed, and to be honest I just want to go home. I can borrow a hand held steamer from work to go over my suitcases but I'm not sure how hot they get.<br /> This evening I found a baby bed bug crawling along my bed. The exterminator is meant to be coming tomorrow but I dont know how well I trust this hostel anymore, I'm sure it's going to be a conman or something. How can I make sure they (a) come tomorrow (as I leave at 8:20am for work and don't get back until the same time pm) and (b) do a good job?<br /> My matresses are covered in plastic anyway so the bugs I've found have just been on my sheets, and the base of the bed is just a metal frame. I'm too weak to pull it out properly to look (and too scared).<br /> So basically, I have those few questions raised above, but the most important one is how do I know when I'm clean enough to go to my Aunts? How long do I have to leave it before I know they're gone for good?</p> <p>I'm practically alone in NY and I'm ready to jump on the first flight home but I know I can't because I'll just bring the bed bugs home to my parents and then they'll hate me too! haha.</p> <p>HELP! =( </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/horrible-nightmare#post-59575 Tue, 06 Oct 2009 22:58:39 +0000 golders 59575@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hi,<br /> My flatmate and I have just figured out that our entire flat is infested with bed bugs... it is now nearly 5am and I can't sleep... can't go near my bed at all.</p> <p>We moved in a month ago. Had no idea such things existed, didn't look at mattresses at all. Idiots.</p> <p>Just over a week after moving, I noticed bites. I assumed they were hives, as I had suffered from them briefly a few years ago, due to stress I think, for a short time. My flatmate had no bites/hives, which made me think 'Yep, hives... I'm obviously stressed by the move.' Had noticed a few bugs, one or two in bed, in lounge, etc, but assumed they were harmless bugs. Have spent the last 3 weeks suffering horrible ichy welts, all up and down my arms, hands, backs of calves, knees, feet, shoulders, back. Must have had a hundred of them. Went to medical surgery but as wasn't registered with NHS couldn't see anyone. In process of registering, but is taking 2 weeks to see a doctor. The 'hives' would lessen at times, so I was basically waiting for them to go, like they had (apparently) years earlier.</p> <p>Anyway... came home from work today and was chatting to flatmate who had noticed she had developed a few of these ichy places too over last week. Just a few on her feet mainly. So we are thinking.. must be something in the flat, not just me getting hives again. We had been racking our brains to figure it out. My room has always smelled v strongly of mothballs.. was wondering if I was allergic to mothballs, etc. So naive! Finally my flatmate googles 'red bug' or similar, a last resort... and we see the pic and recognise immediately. We have seen these bugs round the flat. We read up on them via wikipedia. I peel back the undersheet on my bed, just one corner. At least 6 full adults in plain sight. Loads of the black specks. Stupidly, when we moved I had just put my sheets over the plain undersheet thing already over the mattress here... was tired, couldn't be bothered removing it, it looked clean enough. Checked the flatmates bed... exactly the same thing. She's now sleeping on floor in less infested lounge, while I obsessively read about bugs online.</p> <p>I have a couple of questions:</p> <p>Does this sound a very heavy/bad case?<br /> I am worried the ladylady will blame us/not believe we didn't bring them here. I don't earn a lot and can't really afford all the pest control stuff. Especially when it is clearly an ongoing problem-- no wonder my room stinks of mothballs (carcinogenic too... perfect!)<br /> Are we within our rights to leave (our tenancy agreement is for min of 6 mnths)? It has a clause about the place needing to be habitable. I don't now if I will ever feel Ok here. I have been sleeping on bed of bloodsuckers for a month, oblivious.</p> <p>I feel like this is a nightmare.</p> <p>Thanks so much for this site and especially this forum. It has been great for info and has made me feel a bit less cursed. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/lawsuit-anyone#post-59228 Tue, 29 Sep 2009 19:05:55 +0000 scaredasheck 59228@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hi everyone.</p> <p>I need some serious advise! I just moved into an apartment with a bed bug problem. I've lived here one month. It took me a while to figure it out...not long!!</p> <p>The management here has sent pest control here...they've been here twice and are coming again this week for another treatment. It's been better but I'm still getting bit at night.</p> <p>I asked the community manager to let me out of the lease and reimburse ALL my moving expenses. They agreed to release me from the lease but pay my expenses.</p> <p>I FEAR that they will NOT be able to get rid of these bugs completely and am considering taking them to small claims court. Does anyone have any info on this? Stories or experiences?</p> <p>I've been reading up on bed bugs and I'm scared outa my ever loving mind!! </p> <p>Please help. Also...I've never been on this kind of forum before...hope I can navigate through it and find any and all responses. Thank you </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/new-blood-here-long-introduction#post-59260 Wed, 30 Sep 2009 08:32:31 +0000 NewBlood 59260@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hey everyone, new blood here (pun intended) with a story of how I may or may not have these things, and what I'm currently going through now. I want to say first off, that this website is wonderful - great to see a place that offers support, FAQs, and ideas on how to combat these little monsters.</p> <p>So August 30th I awake with bites all over my feet and ankles. I attribute it to walking around outside (grassy area) the day before in flip-flops (must have picked up some chiggers) as an area I had walked through for about 30 seconds or so was damp and shaded. I also had bites a bit further up on my left leg though - which was odd for me as usually chigger bites get me only near my feet. The bites area also lined up around my sock line though - so I'm pretty sure that's the problem. Just in case I wash all of my sheets, linens and clothes - I don't want these things walking around on me and eating my skin!</p> <p>A week later though... I wake to find more bites on my inner right thigh. That's odd... I don't remember them there before, but they itch like the others. I start to become a little more worried now. I wash ALL of the clothes I ownAGAIN, and all the sheets/linens on my bed again. I also begin researching on-line what else bitesyou and leaves welts.</p> <p>Chiggers. Fleas. Bed Bugs. Bed bugs? Those are real? After spending 4 hours reading about them I become worried. VERY worried. I live in an apartment complex -and of course I have friends and family visit from time to time. None of my friends have ever complained about getting bitten by anything and I don't talk to my neighbors very often... I'm also a hypocondriac so I panic about all sorts of things (but since I have almost died two years ago to a blood clot, and I have a host of medical problems wrong with me I tend to panic easily).</p> <p>I decide to keep track of how many bites I have, and see if I'm bitten again. The problem is that the bites don't always itch - the itch comes and goes randomly throughout the day. However, I do wake up with new bites on my arm - a single one. I go to the real estate office and let them know I may have bed bugs. They are surprised, and say that they'll have their pest control guy stop by to deal with them. During this time I have been sleeping with a flashlight to see if I 'get lucky' and spot one, but no dice. I have also looked throughout the bed, and box spring but don't find any either. I have set my frame (metal, no headboard) in plastic dixie cups with soapy water in them to try to catch the bugs if they're crawling up from somewhere else too - nothing has been caught. This would have been two weeks ago - September 17th.</p> <p>Sure enough - later that day the PCO stops by. He's a really nice guy and takes a look at the bed for the tell tale blood specs. He doesn't look all that long however, (no lifting up the seams as I had done) but he, like me, doesn't see any sign of them. I lift up the box spring and there's no obvious sign of them there either.Just to be sure he sprays the entire mattress and box spring down with cedar oil which supposedly kills them (I've not heard of this treatment before) and the bed room certainly does smell nice. The inspection though, lasted only about 4 minutes if that - as it was only a really brief look for the bugs. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/self-treat-or-not-to-self-treat#post-59011 Sat, 26 Sep 2009 14:02:22 +0000 bbbegone 59011@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I had a PCO which seems to know his stuff come in a treat my apartment about 2 weeks ago for what seems to be the beginnings of an BB infestation. The problem started about 1 and a half months ago. It could be that the bugs were already in my apartment when I moved 2 months ago or I could have brought them in coming back from my vacation. I was unable to find any sings of BB's besides the bites on my body. Suspecting BB's I was able to find 1-3 nymphs when I placed some sticky mice traps under the legs of my bed. I've showed them to the LL and he arranged from the PCO to come in. The treated with Onslaught and some regulator (not Gentrol something that strats with "en..."), Perma-Dust(Boric Acid) and some D-Force on my bed frame. 2 bedrooms were treated with good detail and the rest of the apartment not that well( some spraying around the baseboards). I am moving in about 2 weeks. I've started desinfecting my stuff with PackTite and will throw out some furniture. The landlord is not picking up the phone anymore and since its been 2 weeks since the last treatment I'm considering self-treating before I move to kill as many of them as possible. I have only been bitten once or twice over the 2 weeks after treatment compared to almost every day before. I'm afraid the Onslaught might have repelled the BB's, I'm seeing other insects being killed but no BB's or they are just small for me to see. I've bought the WhiteWing steamer(which I will not use on the Onslaught sprayed areas) to steam the furniture and some of my stuff. I've also bought some D-Force, Bedlam, PyGanic dust, and Phantom bottle and spray. I need some advice. Should I self treat with Phantom(carefully following the label) on top of Onslaught. How long does Onslaught last, I know its microencapsulated but is it still as effective after 2 weeks? Please help! Thank you.</p> <p>Sorry for the lenghty and bit chaotic explanation. Wanted to give as much details as possible to explain my patricular situation. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/do-i-have-bed-bugs-4#post-58434 Fri, 18 Sep 2009 08:11:26 +0000 denial 58434@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>over the past 7 weeks i have woken up every 2-3 weeks with 3-6 bites on my stomach. i am the only one in my house with any bites- my husband sleeps with me and our 4 year old often ends up in bed with us. do they bite this infrequently ?i have checked with flashlight for any evidence of bugs can't find anything. my mattress, box spring, and pillows are all in allergy encasements since we suffer from dust mite allergies. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/ibm-pest-control-san-francisco#post-58622 Mon, 21 Sep 2009 02:55:49 +0000 BugZapped 58622@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>ouch! They got us...its three months after a trip and here they are biting away. Me, I'm terribly allergic, asthma, skin reactions and all. Ditto the cat (at least the skin reactions, sneezing and cough). My partner? Just a bit of itching, almost nothing. We're at the beginning of the infestation as I've not seen that many and the biting seems to have occurred only the last three weeks with reactions becoming intolerable three days ago. I called an IPM company - Pestec the day I realized what was going on and lifted the mattress and found one fat one and a few smaller oneson the floor by the headboard. There are a few in the kitchen that look different, black and hang out during the daytime in public. I could have two different types of bug infestations going. Then in the living room off the kitchen there are more bugs that look like the bedroom ones. They're in between and below the sofa cushions and there's a blood stain on the couch from when one of us sleeps out there with the cat. </p> <p>I've trapped two - one from the kitchen and one from the sofa and double bagged each one separately in baggies and labeled where they came from. Creeps me out!</p> <p>Has anyone had any dealings with Pestec in SF? They've been in the media a lot and seem to have green practices (bedbug dog detection, heating, steam, avoiding pesticides unless necessary and then only using the least harmful when starting down that road). Any other recommendations for or experiences (good and bad) with IPM companies in San Francisco?</p> <p>By the way, I'm new here...and I'm BugZapped and exhausted and fed up already with these critters. I've been lurking for three days now here and reading everything I can to get up to speed. Thanks for a wonderful site and forum. Its been a big help and, even though I obviously don't want to be here, I'm glad to be part of what seems to be, for the most part, a decent, caring community.</p> <p>-BZ </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/my-experience-with-de#post-58091 Sun, 13 Sep 2009 15:23:48 +0000 cterese 58091@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I felt compelled to at least add one thing I still hadnt read about DE. I have a perimeter line around where i sleep and have noticed great results so far, but more importantly, I caught adult bedbugs twice, put them on the floor near the dust, and within seconds their quickly moving legs gathered dust, slowed down, and they came to an immediate stop and died. I was frustrated not to find similar stories because its just a reminder of how some important helpful information is escaping us. Good luck everyone, Craig </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/is-my-landlord-liable-brooklyn#post-58113 Sun, 13 Sep 2009 22:56:48 +0000 nomore123 58113@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hi,</p> <p>My boyfriend and I moved into our apartment last April. About one month after we found out through a mutual friend of the old tenants that they had bed bug right before they moved out. (approx. February.) Around the end of June, I started to get bit, checked and washed all of our bed linens and vacuumed everything, and found no signs. My friend had recently taken in a stray and I figured through us / her our cat had gotten fleas. After getting her a flea collar I stopped seeing bites. Two weeks ago, I came home from work and there were bags and a couch on our curb with a sign stating that the items were "infested with insects." At that point, I knew we were in trouble. At the beginning of this week I started to get bites again, and found a dead bed bug in a cup of water on the side of my bed. Our landlord immediately sent out a PCO that came the next day (our third treatment is tomorrow), but when she stopped by on Saturday refused to talk to us and only talked to the PCO in the hall. Through hearing her though, we found out that the building had been infested before, and the tenants whose bags I saw on the curb were just below us. We live in a six apartment complex. The PCO insisted that the entire building should be sprayed, but she refused. We saw our first live bed bug last night, and our PCO told us to get rid of our couch. I anonymously tried to call 311 to see if they could tell me my rights regarding the landlords liability, but as per usual were unsure. My question is, before we moved in was the broker and / or the landlord liable to tell us that the previous tenants had bed bugs only a month or so before? </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/im-getting-bites-still-havent-seen-a-bed-bug-i-have-seen-these-bugs-though#post-57965 Fri, 11 Sep 2009 23:51:00 +0000 acs80 57965@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>As the subject line reads: I've been getting bites, but still no signs of bed bugs (though I know that absolutely does not rule out the possibility of me having them). I have TONS of the little flying bugs shown in the picture below in my apartment, though, and strangely enough, I often find them in my bed. Does anyone have any idea what they could be? I know it looks big in the picture, but in reality, it's probably about 3 or 4 mm long. I'm secretly hoping that I can blame them for the bites on my legs, but I have a a feeling this is just a shot in the dark.</p> <p><a href="http://s930.photobucket.com/albums/ad150/acs80/?action=view&#38;current=flyingbug.jpg" rel="nofollow">http://s930.photobucket.com/albums/ad150/acs80/?action=view&#38;current=flyingbug.jpg</a></p> <p>Also, I found this in my bed, too. I'm embarrassed to say that I think it might be a raspberry or tomato seed...I'm not even sure if it's a bug! But now I'm really paranoid. I don't even think it has legs or a head. It's super hard; I couldn't even break it in half. Can someone confirm that this is indeed an inanimate object?</p> <p><a href="http://s930.photobucket.com/albums/ad150/acs80/?action=view&#38;current=Whatthehellisthis.jpg" rel="nofollow">http://s930.photobucket.com/albums/ad150/acs80/?action=view&#38;current=Whatthehellisthis.jpg</a></p> <p>Clearly I'm losing my mind. And by the way, I never realized how much crap was lying on my sheets before I became so anal-retentive about inspecting them inch by inch.</p> <p>Any ideas what that flying bug could be? Someone please tell me it's some kind of biting insect known for feasting on the calves of young women. Please HELP! </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/new-here-glad-to-have-found-you-but-not-glad-to-need-the-help#post-58067 Sun, 13 Sep 2009 10:15:16 +0000 Lise 58067@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I woke up this morning with three itchy bites on my left hip, and three on my right ankle that I found later. Both sets are in a line, about 1" from the first to the last. A co-worker had bedbugs in an apartment last year, so I knew immediately what this was about.</p> <p>I'm glad to have found this site, and I will be reading through as much of it as I can in the next few days! I'm sure I will have questions and I will certainly post again if there is a "success story" I can share.</p> <p>We have a detached house, so I'm not sure where they might have come from. We live in Toronto, and I've heard they are becoming increasingly common here, so I'm not terribly surprised, though. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/senior-living#post-57963 Fri, 11 Sep 2009 23:28:27 +0000 ilovemyseniors 57963@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I am a manager of a senior building in Michigan. I love my seniors and I do not want them to live with the problem of Bed Bugs, but they are taking over. High Rise apartments are the hardest to deal with when it comes to these pest. They move to the next apartment as soon as we get control of one. We have a POC, and they are very compassionate in their work, but they are being defeted by the problem. They say to use Alcohol, but it seems that the alcohol only makes them mad and they come back with a vengance. We have spent over $30,000 for extermination and we still have a big problem. </p> <p>I have a friend that had the same problem in her building and she told me to get Bayer Advantage. So I did. I only purchased a couple of gallons at $9.77 each and the stuff works. Me and my staff strapped up and went in for battle. I like to deal with problems that go on with my seniors first hand so that I can see what the true problem is. So I strapped up and what I seen I do not wish on anyone. Most of them did not even know they had them. These little things are slick and fast. Seniors tend to use alot of bedding and they are embaressed to say that they have anything. </p> <p>So me and the guys suited up and went in for battle and Bayer Advantage really works. The bed bugs began to run like roaches, but it had a horrible effect on my seniors and us. The seniors began to cough and sneeze instantly. This was a lesson learned. Make sure that you are prepared before you use this product. Use a mask, not the painters mask as we did the first time, but the heavy duty one, with the ventilators on them. </p> <p>Another thing about seniors is that often they have no one to help them and they do not have money to buy new furniture, so we have to do the best we can to work with them and for them. But, some things can not be saved. We found one resident that had the protective covers that were purchased for $110.00, but it was still full of fecal matter from the bugs. That only meant to me that my senior was still being attacked, even though they said they only seen one on the bed. From my experience if you only see one that means there is a whole family waiting to attack.</p> <p>Well the two gallons only lasted for three floors and we have ten. We ran out way to fast and that only put a small dent in the problem. Seniors like to visit each other and sit in common areas. This is were the bugs transport from place to place. The POC uses cedar oil, which seems to work well, but they only come every two weeks. THAT IS NOT ENOUGH. They come in the day time and as I have researched, these buggers come out at night. The POC is good at saying "No Activity Reported", but the very next day my seniors are coming down showing me bite marks. </p> <p>I need a solution and I need it fast. I go to sleep at night thinking about my residents and I can not take it. I am going to purchase 20 gallons of that Bayer Advance and spray my whole building. I have learned that these bugs are very smart, they will migrate to an apartment next down, downstairs or upstairs in order to get away and find a new host. </p> <p>If anyone has any suggestions, please help me to help my seniors. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/introduction-1#post-57992 Sat, 12 Sep 2009 06:10:23 +0000 Lotus Blossom 57992@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Forgive me if I do this wrong...never posted on a site before. Not very computer savvy.<br /> So ...I suspected... long story but anyway, yesterday I finally called Orkin because I bought a new bed and it is supposed to be delivered on Monday.<br /> He found no BB in my mattress seams but a few sheddings. Looked everywhere he could think found none. He said my guest room was ok so I slept in there (not having found this site yet). I found a dead adult in the guest room and was woken up scratching at 4:45 am. So...obviously I have them in both rooms and maybe the rest of the house. I have a few questions. </p> <p>1.) He is charging me $400 for the one room is that a fair price?</p> <p>2.) I'm guessing I should have him treat the guest room tomorrow as well. (getting ready to buy a new bed for that room too)</p> <p>3.) He seemed to think I only needed one treatment, can that be right?</p> <p>4.) should I hold off on the new bed delivery for a few weeks/months to be safe . (how long does it take to get rid of them anyway) or just go a head with the delivery and use the cover recommended on this site.</p> <p>5.) We were planning to get new carpet...should I go ahead and do that or wait on that too</p> <p>6.)If I'm gonna wash and dry and pack in plastic all our clothes (OY!!!!!!) what kind of plastic bags do people use that are not too expensive.</p> <p>Thank you so much.<br /> Thank God for this site.</p> <p>oh ..7.) Will I ever actually sleep again? lo...l </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/brand-new-to-forum-freaking-out-question-about-feces#post-57954 Fri, 11 Sep 2009 21:12:15 +0000 acs80 57954@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Real classy subject line: "question about feces." This is what I've been reduced to. </p> <p>This post may be a bit long, but this is my first time here, and I want to explain my situation. I've read many of the forums on this site thoroughly but want to give a little background to my story. Please, please, if you have any time to spare, take a moment to read through this...I'm getting pretty desperate. I think the easiest way to explain my bed bug concerns of the past few weeks is with a timeline:</p> <p>last week (Wednesday, Sept. 2): I wake up with what I think are a few spider bites -- one on my right thigh, and two (spaced about six inches apart) on my left thigh. I don't think anything of it, assuming that I was bitten by a spider or mosquito or something. </p> <p>Over this past weekend (Sept. 5th and 6th) I go away to a friend's beach house in Indiana with my boyfriend (I live in Chicago). No problems there. Return to Chicago Sunday night. My boyfriend and I do not sleep together Sunday night -- he stays at his place, I stay at mine. </p> <p>Monday morning (Sept. 7th): I wake up and see that I have about twenty bug bites, only on my calves -- about ten on the left, ten on the right. The bites are INSANELY ITCHY. I freak out, and immediately think bed bugs, since I've NEVER been bitten by a spider so many times, and I had heard talk of a "bed bug infestation" in Chicago. I talk to my boyfriend later that night and he tells me that HE has weird bites on his foot -- about five of them. This actually makes me relieved, since we hadn't slept in the same place the night before, and I wonder if this is all coincidence? I HOPE that maybe I was experiencing a delayed reaction to being bitten while I was gone in Indiana...? Just to be on the safe side, though, I put both my boxspring and mattress in those zipper aller-safe covers. No new bug bites on Tues-Thurs. morning, as far as I can tell. I even went so far as to circle all the old bites on my legs with a permanent marker, so I'd be able to see if I got any new ones. Yes, that is crazy.</p> <p>This morning (Friday, Sept. 11th): I wake up with what appear to be two more bites on my stomach. BUT. They aren't itchy (remember that the ones I found on the morning of Sept. 7th. were CRAZY itch). And these new ones almost seem to be gone by tonight, about twelve hours later, where the bites from Sept. 7th are still there (albeit much smaller than they were the first day). So the nature of these new bites seems to be different from those that I found on the 7th. But it's still weird to have these bites, all the same.</p> <p>So here I am now. Like so many others on this site, I've taken apart my bed. Looked at mattress and boxspring (both top and bottom), along the seams and the ticking. Looked in the crevices of my bedframe and headboard. I don't think I've found anything. Certainly nothing alive. I washed my sheets in hot water and dried them for about two hours on the highest temp. setting in the dryer. I usually have beige or green sheets on my bed, but I replaced them with white sheets so that I'd be able to see any of the tell-tale signs (blood stains, fecal smears). The only thing I *have* noticed are some small dark specks on my sheet, but they actually look more like little dark flakes. They are dry, and I would equate them to the flake-like consistency of goldfish food, if anyone knows what I'm talking about. I probably found four of these on my sheet since changing my bedding. They're super tiny -- about 1 mm long. Are bed bug feces normally dry like flakes, or do they appear as actual smears in the fabric? It's hard to tell from the pictures I've found online. It's also possible that this is just dirt I'm carrying into the bed on my feet or something (I have hardwood floors). Since I usually don't have white sheets on my bed, every little speck of dirt is obvious now...plus, I'm really scouring (sometimes with a magnifying glass, no joke) my sheets for signs of these critters, so any tiny speck, even lint, is cause for me to freak out.</p> <p>I have found a bed bug-sniffing dog online that's in the Chicago area. I gave that number a call and left a message. I also spoke to two exterminators today, both of whom didn't seem overly concerned, even though I was pretty much hysterical. The second one with whom I spoke told me to go buy a bunch of glue traps and put them all around my bed...I had read this many times before, and I actually have double-sided tape on the legs of my bed already, but I'm going to go out and buy a buttload of glue traps and just make a little glue moat around my bed. </p> <p>I live in a condo and I called the management company today to tell them about the problem. They didn't mention that anyone else in the building had complained. Nor did they seem overly concerned. Maybe they don't realize the severity of this problem, when it gets out of hand?</p> <p>I'm not sure what else to write, at this point. I'm literally scared. I've always been a bit of an anxious person, and this has really helped ratchet up my anxiety. I purchased my condo relatively recently and the knowledge that I actually OWN this problem, in a sense, is overwhelming and terrifying, to put it bluntly. </p> <p>I guess all I'm looking for is an answer to my question about what the bed bug feces looks like...if it is actual flakes, like I described, or smears. Other than that, I wrote you all an entire novel and if you have any words of support or hope, they would be *much* appreciate at this really miserable moment.</p> <p>Thank you!!! </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/new-and-chewed-in-seattle#post-57960 Fri, 11 Sep 2009 22:06:52 +0000 chewy 57960@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hello all -</p> <p>I've been reading this GREAT site for a couple of months because my apartment building has had a bed bug infestation for almost 2 years now. I really appreciate all the advice, information, and support offered here. It all helped me tremendously to deal with it when I got my first bites almost a month ago. :(<br /> While I am sleep-deprived, paranoid (and occasionally despondent), thanks to you all I had a clue what to do in terms of identification, inspection, laundry, bagging, steam cleaning, mattress encasement, dusting DE (and maintaining a modicum of sanity in the process) and so was able to go without being bitten for 12 whole days-and-nights straight.<br /> I've been empowered and given a bit of hope through this site. Thanks from the bottom of my heart.</p> <p>~"Chewy" </p> <p>P.S. This is my first post! </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/desperate-help-new-and-having-a-nervous-breakdown#post-57764 Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:57:43 +0000 nervousbreakdown09 57764@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hello. I have read and read this entire site over and over again. I need help and I need it fast. I am 32 years old and having a serious breakdown. Not just a mental one but a physical one as well. The reason for this is because I am a serious asthmatic who has bites all over my body. Just got back from the doctors where they injected over 17 of my bites with a cortisone steroid-including my stomach. I have been getting these unknown bites since August 17th.</p> <p>My husband and I went to Colorado on a road trip. I came home and noticed the bites right after. They were on my ankle in a line of five, and on the back of my knee in a row of like 6. None of them ever itched. Didn't think anything of them. I then started getting them regularly. I called an exterminator who surveyed the house and couldnt find a single thing. He did however find tiny blood dots on my white sheets so he said I probably had bed bugs. Shocked, I asked him how I could have gotten those. He explained I could have brought them in etc. He then used the Delta Dust everywhere, and I mean EVERYWHERE. We took over 30 bags out to the laundry to clean and dry. He put that dust on the bed, couches, cracks, eveywhere. He said since he couldn't find a single bug, we didn't have a big problem and that the dust should have taken care of the problem. I was relieved.</p> <p>Sadly, two days later, I started getting bites again. A week went by, and the bites continued. So he came out a secong time and this time he used the spray. Again, we moved out and took out 40 bags to the laundry. We wahed and dried everything in 180 degrees. We threw out all the luggage- we did things to the extreme. We also have no carpet in the entire house. All hardwood. He even sprayed the inside of our car.</p> <p>So here I sit. It's been 5 days since the 2nd spray. We brought all the clean bags in and did not open any of them. They are sitting unopened in the laundry bags still closed tightly. I slept here last night for the first time in a week and I have 4 bites on my stomach. I have no clue if they are brand new but they weren't here yeaterday. I read on here that at times it can take 9 days to show sometimes so it might be old bites??? Also, my husband isn't getting bitten at all.</p> <p>I need help. What do I do next? Do i need to get a 3rd spray? Should I use a completelty different company? How can a company be spraying for a bug if they aren't sure what it is? If is was bed bugs wouldn't I be able to see one somewhere? On the bed? Dead? After all these treatments? Why aren't these treatments working? We live in a condo and have talked to all neighbors on all sides below and on sides and no one is having problems.</p> <p>PLEASE HELP! This is costing a fortune and really affecting my health as a I am severe asthmatic. My doctor said that I can't take much more of this. I live in Los Angeles. Thank you for any insight you could give me. Also, we have 3 cats but all were taken out of the home, bathed and are on Advantage. None have fleas and none are itching etc. I am not itching. Thank you.</p> <p>Wanted to add- At no time has the professional been able to find a single bug in our house or I would be more specific and post pictures. I did go to the dermatologist this morning as I noted and the DR confirmed they are bug bites. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/freaking-out-looking-for-hope#post-57802 Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:57:10 +0000 paranoidinlv 57802@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Discovered the bugs yesterday and the PCO confirmed them today. We're being treated on Saturday. So far this forum has been incredibly helpful to calm my paranoia.....although the stress level in the house is pretty high right now!<br /> What I'm wondering is has ANYONE gotten rid of them and how long did you live out of bags/live as a paranoid crazy person (totally describing myself here!) before you resumed a new-normal life? This could NOT have happened at a worse time and the thought of having to endure this for a year or more just devastates me! </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/what-to-do-with-makeup#post-57660 Tue, 08 Sep 2009 09:47:23 +0000 Koo27 57660@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>My unit has been treated and before this was done my handbag which was near my bed contained items such as makeup, hand lotion, lipstick ect. The bag has since been treated now I need to know what an be done with those contents? </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/thank-god-for-this-forum-well-thank-you-all#post-57523 Sun, 06 Sep 2009 16:41:08 +0000 goin buggy 57523@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I am new at this but already distressed, despondent, depressed, anxious, scared and terrified. Not to mention a little itchy. Too much info on the internet, some is contradictory. But reading your forum and being able to search out my dilemas and see how others deal with issues like telling the boss, (as well as having a source of practical info at this site that seems reliable), this really helps me to take a deep breath and lower my panic a notch or two. Unfortunately, it seems for everything I am doing right, I guess I am doing something else wrong. I washed &#38; dried clothes &#38; towels &#38; sheets, etc and put lots of my stuff thru the dryer, however, although I am keeping it all out of the infested bedroom, it turns our I was supposed to bag everything. I haven't been able to sleep in my bed (and rarely enter my bedroom) since I found a moving BB larvae (which confimred my suspicions), and I lined the bedroom doorway with DE and vaseline so the bugs wont come looking for me, and now I find you advise me to remain in the bed, as I may be spreading them all over the house now (despite daily showers and clean clothes and constant self-examination.) I don't feel I can bring myself to get back in that bed. So some things on your site increase the despondency I already feel, but other things I read give me hope that I wont have to live with this plague for the rest of my life. It is the first place that I found any hope. and although this is not a community that I want to be eligible for, I am glad to find people who understand and support each other through this horrendous ordeal. Thank you thank you thank you. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/introductions-1#post-57593 Mon, 07 Sep 2009 13:44:59 +0000 EcoPest Guy 57593@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hi. I am Jeff Ledford, Owner of Eco-Pest in Hailey, Idaho. Been in the business since 1989. Looks like a busy forum. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/praying-we-had-just-fleas-but-need-advice-just-in-case#post-57511 Sun, 06 Sep 2009 12:41:10 +0000 buggedinky 57511@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Dear All,</p> <p>Thank you for this forum--it has helped me immensely already, but this is my first post. I apologize in advance for the length of this post... My husband and I have so much sympathy for those of you who are suffering with bedbugs...</p> <p>We live in KY on a farm--our nearest neighbor is 1/4 mile away. My husband and I sleep in a double bed which belonged to my grandmother in a home with wooden floors throughout. Teh bed has a wooden frame with a wooden headboard and a wooden footboard. We have a number of wooden dressers in the bedroom. The bedroom has a pine wall behind the headboard and a pine beam made running above the bed. We have a cat which used to sleep at the foot of the bed. We have a dog who sleeps downstairs in the living room next to a sofa. So, suffice it to say, we have many, many, many places where bedbugs could harbor.</p> <p>Because we live in the country, we are used to mosquito bites and the occasional chigger incident. Because we have pets, we have seen the occasional flea, but we try to keep fleas under control with Frontline. So, when we got a few bites, we thought nothing of it. </p> <p>When my husband gets bitten, the bites do not usually bother him. Because we live on a farm in Kentucky, chiggers are a nuisance that we constantly battle--of course we try to wash them off before getting into bed. I have severe allergic reactions to many types of bites, so we try to be vigilant.</p> <p>Here is our story...</p> <p>About two weeks ago, I got a few bites between my toes--they blistered and itched. More and more bites started appearing on me each night, so we looked at our calendar and realized that it had been nearly 2 months since we Frontlined our pets. So, we applied Frontline to them both. Things worsened dramatically for me. By about a week and a half ago, I had several hundred bites and they all formed blisters and itched like crazy. We have both battled fleas before and this did not seem like it was fleas to either of us because flea bites never blistered on me before. In addition, we had seen no fleas. We spent one night away from home to get some relief and then started looking and looking for what it might be. A week ago Saturday, we ran across this site, worried that it might be bedbugs, because we both occasionally travel and we have occasional houseguests, so we called the 800 Orkin number that day and told them we were fearful we had bedbugs.</p> <p>Orkin made an appointment for Monday at 10 am. The Orkin exterminatior did not show up, so at 11:30 am, I called them again. The office said that they would have him call me. He never called. So, we called a local Orkin office and asked for a different exterminator. We also called Terminex. Late Tuesday, the exterminator from Orkin showed up and inspected. He removed the mattress and boxsprings. He turned the bed frame over and inspected the headboard. He also turned over the nightstand. He found nothing. I mentioned the possibility of fleas and he looked at his pants, seeing nothing. He showed me a photo of a serious bedbug infestation that he battled. I talked to him about what we planned to do... namely use diatomaceous earth and encase the mattress and boxsprings. He suggested that we treat the electrical outlets with the DE as well as the woodwork. He left after about 1/2 hour of inspecting. He left me with one single gluetrap, telling me to put it near the headboard and call him if we found any bugs... He had never heard of Climb-up Interceptors, so we are not completely convinced he has sufficient experience with bedbugs.</p> <p>My husband continued to sleep in the bed as bate, but I moved into a tent outside to get some relief. In the meantime, we purchased Climb-up Interceptors, diatomaceous earth, a duster, a bedbug oven, mattress, box springs, and pillow encasements. My husband continued to get bitten (small red dots primarily in lines all over his body but mostly on his legs. Fortunately, his bites do not itch.) Mine are now healing...</p> <p>I dusted the spare room first and we carefully inspected and encased the spare mattress and boxsprings. We saw no signs of bedbugs. We baked the pillows in the bedbug over before encasing them. That bed has a metal frame, so we put mineral oil under all the feet.</p> <p>Then I inspected and dusted the rooms below and beside our bedroom, again seeing no signs of bedbugs. </p> <p>Then I inspected and dusted the sofas in the living room. We saw nothing, but we put Climb-up interceptors under the feet of all of the sofas.</p> <p>Yesterday, we began to tackled our bedroom. we inspected and encased both the mattress and the boxsprings. We did find two suspicious areas which looked like they might be dried blood trails on the sides of the mattress. There were 7 or so streaks in one area and 2 in another--the Orkin man had not seen them. The boxspring was difficult to inspect because there is a great deal of batting inside. We isolated the bed and put Climb-up Interceptors under the feet. We bought new white sheets and washed them and the white cotton blanket in hot water. We dried them both in a hot drier for 70 minutes. We baked the pillows in a bedbug over before encasing them. Then we slept together in the bed. Apparently, we got no new bites, at least none that have shown up at this point. There were no bugs in the Climb-up Interceptors and no evidence of bedbugs on the sheets or encasements. We do plan to keep sleeping in our bed trying to lure any bedbugs out to feed on us. We are now keeping the cat out of the bedrooms so that his claws do not damage the encasements.</p> <p>I am now methodically inspecting and emptying one dresser at a time, washing all the clothes in hot water and drying them in a hot dryer. The clean clothes are going into plastic tubs in a far away room.</p> <p>So, we are praying that one of two things is the case: 1) I had a severe reaction to a small flea infestation which has now been eliminated by the Frontline, but both pets continue to scratch, so we are suspicious that this is not so. 2) We had a minor bedbug infestation which has now been contained in our boxspring encasement.</p> <p>Given the seiousness of catching a bedbug infestation early and that this could be bedbugs that are not yet contained, we would very much welcome any advice from those on this forum. </p> <p>We have an appointment with an inspector from Terminex coming Wednesday. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/bb-prevention#post-57221 Wed, 02 Sep 2009 17:54:33 +0000 prella 57221@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>An apt. on another floor, got BB's, PCO's came and treated "that" apt. what can I do to PREVENT them from coming to mine. Ordered Mother Earth diatomaceous, safe for my cats. Will order the bed encasements. My mattress and box springs are very old and on the floor. Should I not buy a new mattress even if the are encased, and should I buy a metal frame to raise the bed?? </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/newbie-fighting-to-keep-bbs-at-work-from-infesting-my-home#post-57116 Tue, 01 Sep 2009 14:38:06 +0000 DeathToAllBBs 57116@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Ah, the nightmare of it. I work in a group home that's currently on it's third treatment and I think getting it's fourth this week. We suspect we had them back in the fall and probably got them from a newly delivered bedroom set, which really makes me sick about getting new furniture or mattresses. We aren't certain that's where it came from but it is an odd coincidence that the infestation just happened to start in that room. </p> <p>A few weeks ago I got bitten all down my arm after sitting on a couch. Same thing happened to my coworker whom I had called to ask to pass the message on to the managers. They were very fast in dealing with it. I love my managers and coworkers. They're really trying their best to deal with this but the house is old with lots of places for the BBs to hide. And right now, I'm getting the impression that the PCOs we're using aren't on the ball because from what I've heard they keep looking for evidence, where as I think that they should presume that if they've been in one room and then were found in another and then someone had bites after being in another room then they should be smart enough to know they've spread and might not be hanging out on mattresses any more but rather going into cracks where they lived since the first infestation. But what do I know? I'm not making hundreds of dollars every time I show up. I just don't think they're really on the ball with this or they would have right off the bat recommended follow up treatments for any BB infestation, and as far as I know they didn't come back after that one time until two of us were meals for these things which was several months later.</p> <p>Now I'm trying to avoid them taking over my home. I didn't really give it a thought back when the first infestation happened so I just came home and threw my clothes in the laundry basket in the hall or in the hamper. *What was I thinking?!?!?!? ARGGGGGHHHHH!!!!* Luckily there are no signs that they're in my house, but I don't think they moved to any of the rooms I've been in at work until a few weeks ago when I was bitten. And that day was when I came home and tossed my clothes in the hamper and laundry basket in the hall not realizing how well they travel.</p> <p>So I'm on the lookout and throwing clothes in the dryer right when I come home and letting my car bake in the sun to kill any that might have gotten in there. Also changing at work just before I leave now and throwing those in the dryer as well. </p> <p>I'd appreciate any advice or recommendations anyone could give on how to keep these things out of my home and car.</p> <p>Thanks and I'm glad there's this forum where we can get help and support. I sure hope scientists come up with a way to kill off these things soon. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/questions-about-ziplocks-in-dryer-and-treatment-and-treatment-preparation#post-56929 Sun, 30 Aug 2009 04:38:55 +0000 depressedandconfused 56929@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hi -- I'm new to this site and forum and am finding it very helpful. I feel really #@*#-ed up about our situation. I'm obsessed and can't focus on my regular day-to-day life at all. Also, just to give a little more info, we own our apartment, and, of course, I'm terrified to tell my neighbors.</p> <p>About 14 days ago, I started getting bites at night--3 on top of one foot, two on the side of my knee, 3 on my breasts, 3 on the top of the other foot, a few on my behind. It seemed like I was getting bitten every night for about 4 or 5 days. I have heard other people's horror stories and was immediately suspicious. Before I read all the controversy on this site, I hired a canine to come in (Champ from M and M). He indicated our bed, a chair near our bed, a basket hamper in the bedroom and a basket in our bedroom closet.</p> <p>I have found some "specimens" on the chair and on the bed, but they don't look anything like the bed bug pictures I am seeing. Instead of being somewhat diamond shaped, these are oval and ridged or segmented almost like an armadillo and they have teeny tiny legs all along the outside of the oval. I've saved a few and on Monday I will call the PCO to try to get an appointment for identification. I know that I have bugs. I know that I have bites, and I know that I need to exterminate. However, I'm still not sure that I can confirm that these are bed bugs. Any thoughts?</p> <p>I have talked to M and M about treatment, but I'm freaking out about the prep. We have so much stuff. Forgetting the cost of treatment, it will cost a small fortune to buy enough seal-able plastic containers to store our stuff. It could easily take me days to launder all of our clothes and fabric items and pack them away. It's a nightmare! I had bought my father two brand new polo-style shirts for his birthday, and I am afraid to give them to him even after laundering. That made me really cry.</p> <p>Now I have a million questions -- first, I don't have a packtite yet, but I do have a bunch of super large ziplocks leftover from a vacation. Can I put these in the dryer for 20 minutes on high heat? Will I start a fire/burn the whole house down doing this? Will they melt in the dryer? Can I spray alcohol in the bags to "sanitize" them? Or should I just wait for the packtite? Is it safe to put the clean clothes in a lawn/leaf garbage bag that's knotted at the top?</p> <p>As for my belongings, rather than spend a lot of time packtite-ing our hundreds and hundreds of books and our many other belongings. I'm wondering if I can just put a lot of stuff in traditional cardboard boxes and move them to one of those self storage places for two years. The idea is that the bed bugs won't have access to live humans to bite and will die. Then we can retrieve our stuff. I'm especially concerned because I have thousands of dollars worth of expensive baskets. The other option is a fumigation pod or truck, which costs about $1000 or more. Any advice is welcome. If we lived in a house, I would just Vikaine the place.</p> <p>To complicate matters further, we have a bird, and they have very sensitive respiratory systems. Birds have been known to die from things like Febreeze, Oust and non-stick cookware fumes. This is why I went to M and M -- they use Eco-Smart, which is supposed to be safe for birds. I am definitely going to let them treat and seal all the cracks in my apartment, inject pesticides into the walls and ceiling and treat all the baseboards in my house. I'm still not sure about doing the dusting though. That would require all my belongings to be cleaned/treated and packed in air tight containers. Unless you use a packtite, how do you clean/inspect toilet paper? tampons? rolls of ribbon and wrapping paper? a food processor? a package of stickers? What if things don't fit in a packtite? Then what do you do? Can I really get this all done before they come on Thursday? One is also supposed to dismantle all the furniture. How do you dismantle a dresser other than taking the drawers out? I have two solid cherry armoires that weigh a ton. I don't think I can even move them away from the wall by myself. I also need to call and ask if the dust is Eco-Smart too or something else that's more harmful.</p> <p>What a mess, I'm so depressed and confused that I have barely been functioning the last week and a half. Any advice/support/help is greatly appreciated. Sorry for the long post--there are just so many details. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/long-time-reader-first-time-poster#post-56836 Fri, 28 Aug 2009 23:43:11 +0000 EricInHB 56836@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Greetings all,</p> <p>I just wanted to introduce myself. I've found this site quite helpful over the months I have been fighting my bedbugs. I discovered them in my bedroom in April, and have been fighting ever since. I've been living out of a suitcase in my living room and dining room since I discovered them, since I found I absolutely could not sleep upstairs in the bedroom once I knew they were there. Fortunatly, I've never seen a bite or a bug since I moved downstairs, or I wouldn't be able to sleep in my apartment at all. I've been through four spray treatments and one heat treatment so far. I kept finding more of them upstairs after each spray treatment. I haven't seen a live one yet in the ten days since the heat treatment, so I'm really hoping the heat finally finished them off.</p> <p>I'm venturing back into my bedroom tonight for the first time since April. I'm going to sleep on a cot isolated with climbup cups hoping to lure out and trap any live ones that have eluded my inspections so far. I think I'll need a couple Advil PM to get to sleep.</p> <p>I'm hoping that I wake up in the morning and find no bugs in the cups. Wish me luck!</p> <p>Eric </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/if-red-cross-wont-take-my-blood-these-vampires-certainly-will#post-56701 Thu, 27 Aug 2009 00:44:29 +0000 SleeplessInVan 56701@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Well I am new to bedgugger! From Vancouver (shock) B.C. up in the Great North of Canada.</p> <p>I made a positive i.d. on Monday. My land lady dropped off the list of things I need to do between now and pest control showing up on next Monday. </p> <p>Mildly frustrated it apparently takes a week to get them in. </p> <p>I am however very glad that my land lady is taking it seriously. Even if she did try to blame me for them (I have lived in this building for 6 months now and this is the first problem I've had...). I check my mattress every 3 weeks or so because I know there is a problem in the city with bed bugs. I haven't travelled. 2 weeks ago I was fine (my best friend had scabies and I tore the place apart just in case when random bumps started showing up on her after she spent the night) and there was nothing. Not one spec of blood. Not one little bug. Nothing in my bed frame, drawers, sofa... nada. Come back after house sitting for two weeks (also checked there for bugs) and immediately get bitten and have an early evening visitor on my pillow. I didn't even bring a suit case back from house sitting (long story involving an angry diabetic cat... and a whole lot of urine... and the inability to get the smell out with ANYTHING).</p> <p>So we had a conversation about how paranoid I was about bed bugs. About how they can come in from other units and about how just because I was the first one to report them to her it did not mean I was the one who brought them in. The closest she got to an apology was to say that "She wasn't trying to say I did it on purpose" and that it was just it's a very "clean" building. Mildly amused now because she wont even come into my suite. I got my instructions slipped under my door. </p> <p>Nothing wakes you up at two am like blearily opening up my eyes and seeing a bed bug right in front of it (literally). </p> <p>Right now I'm praying that I don't have to get rid of my sofa / mattress and bed frame. I will deal if I have to (probably by getting an air mattress until I feel sure that it wont happen again / move out which will do havock with my Lupus / Arthritis (Why the red cross wont take my blood)). </p> <p>Minus the immediate freak out when I phoned my best friend. Over all I'm dealing. </p> <p>On a break at work I'm gonna call the PCO and find out if they want my books left out or not since that wasn't in the instructions. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/on-the-fence-do-i-have-them#post-56492 Mon, 24 Aug 2009 21:48:52 +0000 buggingoutnj 56492@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hi - What a fantastic resource this site is for the newly bugged-out. Despite having read all the FAQs and several forum threads, however, I am still undecided about whether I have bed bugs or not. Here's my story; any input would be greatly appreciated.</p> <p>Spent the entire summer away from home in California, in 2 private homes with no history of BB problems. No bites, no problems for me. Arrived home in Fort Lee, NJ early in the a.m. Thursday 8/12. Slept in bed in bedroom, with windows wide open since no A/C. On Saturday afternoon/evening 8/14, felt first itchy bite (on belly button!). Since then, have gotten perhaps 40 bites, mostly on belly/torso, groin. A few on arms (concentrated near inside crook of elbow) and legs (near knees). They are often in twos or loose clusters, but no neat lines or anything like that (I know the bite patterns are not in themselves diagnostic). My husband is not experiencing any reaction to bites (although I do realize this doesn't mean he's not getting bitten).</p> <p>My father stayed at our apt. on Tuesday and Wed. nights, 8/17-8/18. On Tuesday morning we installed A/C and thereafter the windows stayed pretty much closed, certainly during the night. The first night my dad slept in the bed in the bedroom, and my husband and I slept on the couch in the living room. The second night dad slept on the couch and we slept in the bedroom. It was on Tuesday I started really worrying that it may be BBs we have, and I spent most of the day Wed. searching our apt. for evidence.</p> <p>I have found zero BBs, castings, eggs, nymphs, bloodstains, or fecal spots anywhere on the mattress in the bedroom, the sheets, the pressboard bed platform, or the crannies where the pressboard joins together. I took the framed pictures off the wall in the bedroom, and in a few cases took the photos out of the frames to check in between paper layers...nothing there. No evidence on the couch in the living room either. There are some tiny dark specks on the cloth blind covering the window behind the head of the bed, but they are sparse and don't seem to be "sticky" at all. There are some sticky black spots on the back of one of the drawers of one of my Craig's List purchases (which is in the hall outside the bedroom). They do not seem to dissolve with water and must be pried off with a fingernail. A few of them smear a bit with rubbing and the resulting smear is gray (not rusty). The cabinet in question doesn't have any castings or other evidence, even in screw holes, etc. I did find a single cast skin of an insect in a crevice in the bottom of the nightstand by the bed. Unfortunately I don't have a photo (I gave it to the Board of Health in our town for help ID'ing it), but it looked somewhat like a carpet beetle casting as seen in photo on this site. It also could have been a small BB casting, but to me the shape of the abdomen was not wide or flat enough (although I suppose the shape of the husk could be an artifact of how it was wedged in its crack).</p> <p>In the several days since then, I have found several tiny (1mm), translucent/white insects in diverse locations in the apt. A single one in a wooden cabinet in the hallway outside the bedroom. A single one in a book I took off a bookshelf in the living room. Several (8-10) on the surface of a blanket (picnic blanket with tightly woven, plasticized underside) in a wicker chest in the bedroom which I use for linens. Although they are small enough that it's difficult to see structures with the naked eye (all I have at the moment), I feel they look much more like psocids, with a head at least 1/3 the size of the body, than they do BB nymphs. Also, the BB nymph photos show dark (presumably digestive) structures inside the abdomen, whereas the psocid abdomen is uniformly light colored. I would post photos except they are poor, and I am relatively convinced they look like psocids.</p> <p>(I should also mention that we definitely had/have a flour weevil infestation too; these beetles were crawling all over the apartment but have become much more scarce since I discovered the bag of birdseed they were feeding off and threw it out. I've read up on these weevils and I don't think there's any chance they are responsible for my itching.)</p> <p>I have woken up in the middle of the night several times on several different nights and, picking up the flashlight by the bed, have shined it all over the white sheets and our naked bodies in hopes (?) of seeing something. I have tried to concentrate these sweeps between 2 and 5 am. Have not seen a thing.</p> <p>The first few nights I spent in the apt., the windows were open, it was very hot, and I basically slept w/ no clothes and no bedcovers. The first bites I got were all on the belly and torso. Then once we installed the A/C and closed the windows, it has been cool enough to cover up with a sheet. I am not getting any new bites on the belly, and the latest ones have been on the neck. Last night I slept well, hardly woke up at all in the middle of the night, and have had no new bites appear today (and the older bites have hardly itched at all - a first, as every day prior to now I've had at least a few actively itching bites).</p> <p>I would be skeptical that BBs are the culprit for my itching, except for one potentially damning fact. My dad called me on Saturday (8/22) from his home in California to say that he started to show bites - several, on his arms and upper torso. This is 4 days after he slept on our bed and 3 days after he slept on our couch. (Luckily, I told him before he left to be sure to launder all items he brought with him to our apt. before bringing them home with him, which he did.)</p> <p>There are several ways we could have been exposed to BBs. First (and definitely worst judgment!), I got some furniture off Craig's List from NYC in about April this year (before I heard anything about the BB outbreak). Not upholstered items, but wooden bookshelves and a chest of drawers (which I now know could easily harbor the bugs). Second, we had a houseguest from the Caribbean over the summer (who slept on the couch). Plus, my husband traveled to the Caribbean (Dominican Republic) over the summer. (He did not stay in hotels at all.) Third, our next door neighbor in the apt. bldg. travels semi-frequently to Asia, and stays in hotels.</p> <p>Here's my question/problem: if our apt. has BBs, how likely is it not to find any hard evidence (bloodstains, fecal spots, live bugs, dead bugs, etc.) in the immediate bed area? Does the one casting I found in the nightstand (questionable carpet beetle or BB) and the sticky black spots on the back of the drawer of the wood cabinet in the hall near the bedroom count? I already reported my suspicions to the landlord but they have not been aggressive about getting the contracted exterminator for the building to come in to check (and I'm not even sure this exterminator "does" BBs or would be a reliable diagnostic source). The $300 + tax fee I was quoted for bringing a canine detection team in made me think twice. If we do have BBs, I'd rather save that money for abatement rather than diagnosis, if I can do the diagnosis myself. I have read on this site about glue traps, but a) they don't seem a foolproof way to catch BBs unless you already know their habits, which I don't, and b) we have a cat who seems to find her way into the bedroom inevitably, and I'm afraid of "trapping" her.</p> <p>Is there anywhere else, besides mattress, bed, curtains, picture frames, drawers, nightstand, etc. that I should be looking for these suckers? There are many large cracks between the baseboards and the floor, where it's pretty much impossible to look. Could they all be hiding there, eschewing the more standard hiding places in the bed for the privacy of the walls? Is it too soon for me to go out and buy encasements, bag my clothes, and turn my life upside down to get rid of BBs?</p> <p>I know it's kind of silly to ask people reading my story IF I have BBs or not. Clearly, the logical next step is to get a professional's assessment. However, being unemployed and pregnant, I would much rather save the $$ for treatment rather than diagnosis if I can find a way to be sure I actually have BBs.</p> <p>Thanks for reading.<br /> Bugging Out in NJ </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/dont-wanna-take-em-with-me#post-56663 Wed, 26 Aug 2009 20:47:21 +0000 JerseyGyal 56663@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>So I started out thinking I was getting attacked by mosquitos for the past 3-4 weeks... until my 3 year old sees a lil bug crawling across my bed. Now I'm stressed and not sleeping well at all. I live in an apartment complex and have been here 5 years with no problem. Now I've seen the one on the bed, another crawling on the wall in my son's room while my sister was visiting from VA, and a few more in varying stages on my own bedsheets. After waking to one crawling on my upper arm my husband threw out the bed and boxspring... We are moving to our first single family home as of 9/1 and I don't wanna take these things with me. He thinks buying a new bed and being in a new place will save us, but from reading briefly on your site, I think it may continue at my new address. What can I do between now and Tuesday... I mean really? </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/introductions#post-47012 Mon, 13 Apr 2009 11:29:51 +0000 Nobugsonme 47012@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I see a lot of new names the last few days-- welcome.</p> <p>People with bed bugs generally introduce themselves by telling us about their bed bug problem.</p> <p>But other folks don't generally take the time to say hello. Here's a thread, if you feel like introducing yourself.</p> <p>Thanks! </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/another-victim-here-to-seek-advice#post-56510 Tue, 25 Aug 2009 08:36:21 +0000 bossman 56510@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hey guys. I have spent the last 3 or so hours reading the FAQ section of this forum as well as quite a few other threads. After all the reading, I have a strong suspicion that bed bugs are present. Here is my situation in case anyone would like to offer advice or suggesions:</p> <p>I started getting some strange bites about 3 weeks ago. At first I thought they were spider bites, but I kept getting new ones and the delayed itching was something different than I had ever experienced with past critter bites. When the bites continued, I thought it might be scabies and saw a clinician who said the symptoms didn't match scabies because I had dry, scabbed over bites while scabies usually presents puss producing wounds while the mites are living in there. So, I got the cream they prescribed and started doing laundry, taking it slowly and wondering what else it could be.</p> <p>On a side note, let me mention that in addition to owning 4 boxers, we recently took in a pregnant stray cat and have had several of her kittens in my bedroom on various occasions. Thus, I wasn't sure if the "bites" were some kind of cat allergy, a new reaction to flea bites (doubtful because I can feel when I'm being bitten by fleas and usually catch them in the act), or something else.</p> <p>While searching the web to see if I could find pictures of bites like mine, I stumbled across some BB bites that looked similar, and after reading a little more, my symptoms seem to match. The bites usually occur during the night and itch the day after. They are often in a pair or close together and so far almost all of them have been on my legs which I suspect is due to sleeping most nights in briefs and a T shirt. Tonight I just started looking around for BBs and I think I found what looks like it could be them, but no live ones yet. My room's a bit of a disaster area at the moment, so it's going to take a while to bag all of my stuff and do a thorough inspection. </p> <p>From what I could gather it seems I should do the following:</p> <p>-Bag my stuff up<br /> -Carefully inspect EVERYTHING<br /> -Try to collect specimens for a PCO<br /> -Launder my belongings according to the protocol outlined in the FAQ section and bag them<br /> -Get a mattress cover and packtite<br /> -Have the PCO come over to evaluate the situation</p> <p>Basically, I want to be ready for the PCO when they come. I am a relatively poor, unemployed guy living with my sister and senile 84 year old grandfather and am worried about the costs of dealing with this problem. While I have some money to buy the mattress cover, eco green plastic bags, the packtite, I NEED to keep cost down to the absolute minimum. I know not to waste money on sprays, foggers, etc. Any suggestions on what I can do to keep costs down? For instance, are there ways to make the little traps for the feet of the bed or traps to find the live bugs in general? How do I go about cleaning my mattress and other parts of the room? I read that vacuuming is generally not recommended, however there is much dirt in my room (I work on cars in my driveway most days and drag a lot of dirt in). </p> <p>I'll stop here since the list of questions seems endless at the moment and will probably be shortened based on suggestions I receive here. Any help, suggestions, or input is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!</p> <p>Logan </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/clueless-newbie#post-56503 Tue, 25 Aug 2009 00:08:07 +0000 MuchoInsano 56503@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hey folks. I just found the site a couple of days ago and have been reading like I have been getting paid for it, but I may have not hit all of the relevant posts. I apologize in advance for perhaps dragging up things that may have been recently discussed.</p> <p>I about 10 days ago I had a relative stay at my house for a couple of days. I found out a couple of days ago that this person has a major bug problem at home (that they just found out about). I spent a large part of the last two days cleaning (vacuum, laundry, etc.) and reading. I looked around the house and found a whole mess of bug life, but none seemed to be bedbugs ( I saved them all on tape and paper). Although I have not find any bedbugs or bed bug signs in my room or the guest room, I did notice two marks (bites?) on my arm yesterday afternoon. They are about 3cm apart and along the lenght of the arm.</p> <p>I am not sure what could have done this. The only other possibility is being bitten outside. I did about two hours of yard work that afternoon and did not notice the bites until after my cleanup shower. Since then I have been very paranoid - always feeling things on me and constantly looking at by body and bed. I was paranoid at first, but it is much worse now. I got about 1 hour of sleep last night and about two this afternoon. Too much reading, must stop....</p> <p>Today I had a PCO inspection, but he found nothing. He reviewed my bug collection and agreed that none were bedbugs. His recommendation was to keep looking and perhaps sleep in the guest room to help draw anything that might be in there out. This did not made me feel any better.</p> <p>Last night I ordered mattress and box spring encasements (Allerzip) for both bedrooms. I ordered a dozen Interceptors, some Kleen Green, and Eco PCO DX. In additon to this, I have put double sided tape along the sides of the boxsprings, the top of the head board, around the legs and on the floor behind the bed in the master bedroom. I have checked several times and found nothing (perhaps three hours of sleep is not enough to draw them out, esp. when two were during the bright afternoon).</p> <p>Please forgive me for rambling, but I have a couple of questions: Am I going overboard? Am I doing enough? I do not think I can hold up this pace of non-sleep and spending money too long. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/hello-im-from-the-mid-west-and-ive-got-a-horror-story-to-tellalsoneed-advice#post-56214 Fri, 21 Aug 2009 07:55:59 +0000 laureas76 56214@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hi everyone. I'm very glad to have found this forum because I have been living in Hades for three monthes. I live in a seniors/disibilty apartment complex. I'm disabled... both phsyically and emotionally and this problem has me close to a nevous breakdown. Also my parents live in the same building in different apartments. And I have a 13 yr old cat whose also been affected health wise by the stress of the situation. Now this all started in June of 2009 with my mom and me having bites all over the place. Mom and I thought it was fleas at first because of the cat. But when the pest man that had been doing bug control inspected Mom's unit he came right out and told her it was bed bugs. Well we went through the whole routine, washing and drying our garments on high heat, vaccumming the floors, and when emptying the bagless we'd use this bb spray to make sure none of the buggers had a chance to survive in the vaccum when we put it back together. Then I was told that I... a) had to throw out my furniture. and b) No one from the matinence staff could help me. I ended up getting a seven day notice..this dispite the fact that I had asked the manager for a little more time in which to buy plastic and to find someone to help get the stuff out. He said 'fine, I understand.. you've got until next Friday...then I'll have to issue a 7-day. I got the notice the next day. I got the stuff out thankfully. They sprayed my place a week later and I had to move in with my Dad on the third floor because the spray was so nasty..even though they said it was all-natural. They didn't inspect my place again and I was more fortuante then Mom. They sprayed her place Four more times and still the bugger stayed and bit. Finally in the beginning of this month we were told that a new pest control had been hired because management had 'just' found out the old pest control had been diluting the spray. By this time almost everybody in the building either had bugs or was next to an apartment that had them. The new company was going to spray on the 5th of this month... but decided to do a seminar on the 4th (primary day) instead. This next part I can't vouch for because I couldn't be there, but my dad said they had a portable metal detector there and it nearly set off his pace maker.. Anyways, we were told that they would inspect every apartment on the following Wensday. After the inspection there was nothing for two whole weeks. You couldn't even find out if you had bugs or not. Then Monday of this week most everybody got the most confusing contradicting set of instruction that I ever say. The only clear things are... you have to get your pets out of the building by next Wensday. YOu have to be ready to spray next Wensday(which includes dismantling your bed.) They will inspect next wensday (which means that everyone has to stay home for it) Then if they deem your apartment ready they will spray. On FRIDAY! If you are not ready or do not do everything as instructed.( which by the way seems to read one way for infected apartments and another way for those without. and they don't tell you wheter you do have themm or not.) then they give you a 7 day notice . Also they are very vague about when its safe to come back.. At this point I don'tknow what to do. I'm so messed up that my psych doc put me on a trank for two weeks. I'm out of money because it got spent on rplacing things and taking my cat to the vet. If anyone on the forums has advice I'd sincrely apreciate it. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/help-new-to-bb-and-being-driven-crazy-overwhelmed-and-very-sad#post-55142 Thu, 06 Aug 2009 12:40:22 +0000 crazylittledaisy 55142@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hi there everyone,</p> <p>I just discovered this forum, about a month plus into my treatment, and I feel completely overwhelmed and paranoid. I am afraid that I didn't follow the right steps (the pest control guys didn't give me the kind of info there is in this forum)... Anyway, here's my (sob) story and I hope someone out there can help me out with some advice.</p> <p>At the end of June, I moved out of my boy's apt back into my tiny studio apt in Manhattan because we were getting along very terribly. (I had been subletting the apt to someone else). Heart broken and determined to move on by carving out a nice living space for myself, I unpacked everything within 3-4 days, pics up on the wall, the whole deal. It was just beginning to get hot and it has been very rainy, so I have been getting bitten as soon as I slept here but I thought they were from mosquitoes. After it continuing despite me sleeping with windows closed and spraying mosquito repellent everywhere, I suspected Bedbugs and then called my landlord. She said that she has had other complaints and quickly sent an inspector over.</p> <p>Inspector (from Metropest) found bedbugs and gave me a checklist of things to do. Pretty much it involved washing everything and vaccuming everything and then putting them into big bags and tying it up. I did so, but I didn't realize that I was supposed to dry them for as long as some in this forum recommend. There was no indication of this on the checklist they gave me, and no one i knew had experienced bb before...(lucky them!) I usually don't dry most of my clothes, so I kinda dried some of them really dry and some of them damp, and then air drying them at my friends apt. (I didn't bring any over to theirs it seems, thank god). </p> <p>Anyway, cutting the story short. I didn't stay at my place for 3 weeks in between the first (June 30th) and second treatment (July 21st), because I break out in hives around the areas ive been bitten and they scar, and I'm an actress/model... I specifically asked Metropest if I should stay in the apt between the first and second, and they said it was up to me, and I could still get bitten till my second treatment. I decided to stay out (now I find out that I shouldn't have...something about being a bait..) I came back a week after the second treatment...only to be bitten again! They told me I had to wait ANOTHER week and so I did and yes I did get bitten again a few days later. So they came yesterday to do a third treatment but they told me they didn't see any live bugs. (I also just got the super to caulk up holes and gaps in my baseboards, so maybe that would help)</p> <p>Now, I've got no idea what happens from here. Just wait???</p> <p>1) Since I am not sure that I did my laundry right, is it then enough if I took all the clean laundry I've done and then put them in the dryer for 45- an hour now to make sure that I actually got them?</p> <p>2) Dry cleaning. I've spent close to 300 on them already, and now I'm afraid that I didn't seal them properly. I put them far away from my bed...put bags over the bags they came in, and put tape around the hangers, and hung them. I've also taken out a dress or two and wore them (those are at the dry cleaners now) Do I have to do ALL of them again? What are the other options? Does the putting them in a car thing work? Maybe I can rent a zipcar for a few hours and drive around with them in it....</p> <p>3) Is there something I can put into the bags of books and shoes I vaccummed to kill them in case they are in there? I realize after reading this forum that my vaccumm might not have been strong enough to suck up the eggs. (It's a cheap vaccumm cleaner) What if I had accidentally packed a few in there, and they laid eggs and stuff? :(</p> <p>3) I am feeling little powerless, I've gotten no help throughout all this...pretty much doing everything on my own, dragging 25 pound laundry up and down a fourth floor walk up and I'm really small. Its about a week into August and I haven't paid my August rent...I am thinking of moving and sealing everything in storage for 2 years, taking and double checking the stuff I only really really need. My friend suggested that I don't pay my August rent but I don't know if that is legal, when my landlord is actually responding, it's just that the pest people haven't managed to get rid of it yet. I don't want to be aggressive but yet I feel as if I am not really getting to live live in my apartment, and at the same time, I am also thinking of moving...Any suggestions? Can I tell them that I rather not pay rent this month until the problem is sorted out...and then just move if I find a place..? Should I definitely move? (they did reimburse me about 30% of my rent last month, not quite enough to cover all the expenses). I did incur more expenses this month again, cos I unpacked a few things after the second treatment since Metropest told me that nothing should be left after the second treatment...Another apts in the building has problems though we don't know which, and what is being done.... </p> <p>Sorry for the ranting and run-on sentences..any comments are greatly appreciated!</p> <p>Thanks!!!! </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/new-from-ne-njkill-all-bbsgrrrr#post-55876 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 05:24:53 +0000 jerzy 55876@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>first, i can only see the first 4 lines in all posts here...is it a standard limit or an error with my pc??. hi, i'm from n/e nj and just killed a first bed bug on me yesterday..came from my sis' place via my mom so there seems to be 3 places in our family neding a good poc..any suggestions'll be much appreciated. thanx - jerzy in nj.. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/bedbugs-in-the-bathroom#post-55603 Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:22:35 +0000 nyc222 55603@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hi,<br /> I am new and trying to absorb as much information as possible. I moved into a new apartment about 3 months ago, and did not have any problems. In June, my landlord told me the people who sublet the apartment above mine for the summer complained about bedbugs and he brought in the super to lay down some powder and spray. I became aware of the problem but personally did not have any problems. 2 weeks ago, while painting, I found a dead bed bug attached to the baseboard, but searched my mattress, opened up my boxspring, and didn't find anything else in the house. Yesterday morning, I found a live bedbug attached to a paper towel next to my bathroom sink. I called my landlord and he sent an exterminator the same day to spray my apartment and other units in the building.</p> <p>I bagged up all of my clothes to wash, started caulking all cracks in the walls and baseboards, and started getting rid of all the clutter laying around. I couldn't find any other bedbugs anywhere (I searched for hours!) and I have not gotten bit. I am concerned though that if I saw one, there are many others out there, and that they may be traveling to me through the water pipes from other units.</p> <p>Any suggestions or comments? I have spent all day reading this forum and am scared out of my mind.</p> <p>Thanks! </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/you-know-why-im-here#post-55670 Thu, 13 Aug 2009 08:49:35 +0000 FlushingBugs 55670@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Can't say I wish I had joined you fine folks sooner since unlike other online communities, this one grows on the discoveries of bad news :), but nevertheless I'm glad the information shared here to be a lot of help especially for people flying solo with this "sucky" problem.</p> <p>Here's my story so far-</p> <p>Near the end of July I started getting very itchy bites, like many I thought they were mosquitoes since my idiot housemates like to leave doors and windows open, however the pattern looked different and welts/blisters started to pop up, coworkers were sure they're from spiders, but after a few days of googling the symptoms and image comparison pointed toward bedbugs, damn.</p> <p>I don't know how I failed to find this site the first time around, but I took a few steps on my own(though some are albeit in the wrong direction).<br /> -Checked my bedsheet and mattress up&#38;down but no bugs or eggs, saw a few black/brown specks though wasn't sure if they're fecal marks, threw both out anyway since there were big blotches of coffee stains.<br /> -Took everything outta my closet, winter clothes in tied up double garbage bags and left outside for two 90degree days, everything else washed, dried then ziploc'd.<br /> -Bought DE on my friend's recommendation and applied around my bed, but did not know the appropriate amount to use and ended up coughing for a few days before wiping it all off (oops)<br /> -Took my chair apart and cleaned with Murphy's and steam, did not find anything in screw holes or under the seat.<br /> -Opened wall plates and radiator covers, nada, but dusted some DE around the sockets anyway.<br /> -Inspected and moved other furniture around then sprayed with rubbing alcohol, did not find anything other than two dead carpet beetle larva.</p> <p>At that point I was telling myself I overreacted, I could've been bitten by something that I'm allergic to outside or at work yada yada.......until last Monday I discovered two bites on my feet/ankle, then the next morning when I turned the light on a small brown bug scurried across my bed, couldn't find tape to catch it so smacked it with my flashlight - a splatter of blood was left behind - my worst fear came true.</p> <p>Now here's my flurries of questions:</p> <p>1) How the heck could I have gotten them? I have not slept anywhere else the last 5 months, never picked up any used furniture or luggage, are there other suspects?<br /> -I live in one of the two units in the basement of a two-story single house, my neighbor's bedroom does not connect directly to mine, only thing alarmed me is that he traveled to DC a few times early in July trying to land a new job and only air dried his laundry, maybe he brought something in and didn't kill them? But when I helped him move 10 days ago I did not notice anything odd on his mattress or in the room, the new tenant just settled in didn't complain about bugs as well, maybe neither of them react to bites? I did not get to ask her in detail since I work late.<br /> -Up until last week I'd been going to a small, cramped and frankly not very clean laundromat only because it's considerably cheaper than other places, but the dryers there did not work well, sometimes clothes come out still damp even after 40 minutes on high; there are a lot of new immigrants in my neighborhood (not trying to bring up the early 20th century stereotype), could bugs/eggs on their laundry drop on mine? Regardless, I'm not going back there anymore.<br /> -I also bought a used camera last month on ebay, maybe there were bugs from the seller in the packaging? Shoot, that's almost like bio-terrorism.<br /> -I spoke to the landlord(whom lives on the 1st floor), nobody in the building were having problems - maybe the other tenants don't react to bites or just not telling?</p> <p>2) I don't have enough money this month to buy a Packtite, can I use my gas oven as an alternative? In an act of despair I baked my pillow at 160 for 2 hours, it didn't come out smelling like lasagna and the thickest part reached 135 degrees, do you guys think it's a bad idea to experiment with my other non heat-sensitive items until I get my next paycheck?</p> <p>3) After I bagged/tossed half of the things in my bedroom I'm getting less bites, but I also started sleeping with the lights on, maybe they're too afraid to come out? The newer bites don't swell or itch as badly, is my body becoming resistant to them or the recently hatched bastards' saliva isn't as toxic as adults'?</p> <p>4) I know online forums are no place to ask for legal advice, but I'm not familiar with NYC laws &#38; regulations - When I first moved in I signed a one year lease, when that expired my landlord said I don't have to sign a new one, I thought I wasn't going to stay another 2 months so I didn't bother(stupid), but somehow stuck around longer and I've been paying my rent in cash, does that still legally bind him as my landlord and he has to pay for my treatments?</p> <p>5) Another reason I have not called for a PCO is that my landlord's live-in girlfriend is 6 months pregnant, my room is not very well constructed has holes &#38; cracks here and there, would gas &#38; sprays and their residual effects be a problem for the fetus? Honestly as corny as it sounds I'd rather take a few bites on my butt than have anything come to harm the baby.</p> <p>6) Can anyone recommend a hand vacuum that can safely suck up DE dust and perhaps BBs hiding in tight spots? I should look for one with HEPA filter?</p> <p>Overall I'm still trying to keep a positive attitude to fight this...but after a long day working in a restaurant I come home to the pile of things I still have to clean/bag up I already feel exhausted just looking at them, this is certainly going to be a long and difficult battle. The whole situation puts me in a new perspective though, made me realize I'm no different than the chunks of meat and veggies I cook every day to serve customers, heh. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/new-here%e2%80%a6help#post-55516 Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:30:07 +0000 badbadbedbugs 55516@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I am covered in bites and have been getting bitten with increasing frequency for about 2 months now. Noone else in my family is getting bitten. But based on what my bites look like (classic clumps or lines of 3 bites, usually large welts)…we are pretty darn sure. This is just awful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<br /> I have two girls 4 yo and 16 months at home…we live a pretty organic lifestyle, green homecleaning products etc. and the thought of having to bring in all kinds of toxic treatments really really bothers me. A small part of me wants to just completely ignore the problem…though I think that is just the denial. Our house is fairly clean, but a bit cluttered--and the thought of having to wash ALL the clothes &#38; linens for the whole family, bag them, do all of the prep work recommended by the PCOs, clean all surfaces, remove faceplates etc. is SO OVERWHELMING!! Don<code>t even get me started on our hundreds of books…All this with two young kids underfoot…and I don</code>t feel like we can bring in out of town family to help because they would risk getting infected….And the PCO treatment is expensive!! We can find the money, but we will really feel it as we have been budgeting carefully &#38; saving for a number of upcoming expenses etc. We can’t really ignore it, can we? </p> <p>Also…should a PCO verify first that this is what we have before coming to treat? The places I talked to all took it at my word that it is bedbugs…and we have been looking &#38; looking and can’t find them…</p> <p>AAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/waiting-on-word-for-identification#post-55284 Sat, 08 Aug 2009 11:33:35 +0000 paranoidhypochondriac 55284@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hi, all...I tried not thinking about them. Ignorance is bliss, right?</p> <p>About a month ago, I started feeling itchy/skin-crawling all over, but those symptoms subsided with a visit of a friend and then a weekend spending all day in school in A/C. I figured it must've been the horrid Boston heat/humidity during that time or delusional parasitosis. The more I read, the more I itched. Tea tree oil body wash and medicated lotion help A LOT. I no longer itch.</p> <p>But lately I've been noticing what looks like tiny pimples on my legs and razor burn/cuts from shaving (which I'm prone to). Then I got paranoid. Stupidly, I had gotten a couch off craigslist 4th of July weekend. I removed the original covers and bleached the crap outta the surface. No problem until the stressful week before my friend visited. Then problem went away. </p> <p>But in the past week I've seen four different-looking bugs. I killed two without thinking. After reading here, one was segmented and long and looked more like the book louse (which makes sense as I have a penchant for old books). But the other deceased was small, bright red, roundish with lots of thin legs). I now have in two pill bottles a black spider thing caught in a dust bunny and a live red thing that's a doppelganger of the dead thing. So now the bottles are on their way to the Harvard School of Public Health Bug ID program (why no pics). I'm more than willing to pay the nominal fee for peace of mind as opposed to an exterminator's initial fee. My initial questions as I wait:</p> <p>1)If anyone has used this Harvard service, how long did it take? Was it helpful?</p> <p>2) I'm going away in 5 days to a rented house in Michigan for a wedding. I'm definitely watching that video on how to inspect a place and what reading up on what to do to protect myself from bringing any home. But while I'm away, what can I do to nab the theoretical little suckers?</p> <p>3) After constantly checking the mattress seams, the box spring and shining a flashlight on the underneath of my bed at night (previous roomie's cats tore away all the black covering) I've yet to see any of the hallmark signs. Will there be more signs after being a week gone? </p> <p>4) Let's say I DO have them. My landlord and the apt. have an iffy relationship. We're in a weird situation in which we have the apartment for the next year for sure, as she said she'd just amend the dates. Will it be cheaper to get her to call the exterminator/have property management deal with whatever infestation if I've signed my new lease? Would you recommend waiting until August 26, when my new roommate moves in and "discover" the issue while her parents are around and more paperwork is signed? We're in a 6-unit building connected by basement on either side to other buildings, so I want to make it adamant to her that this may not be my fault. Should I just go over her head and notify the property management company?</p> <p>Please some words fortitude as I navigate this potential problem. My roommates and I are grad students living paycheck-to-paycheck with nominal savings. The dread has gotten so bad, I spend as much time away from home as possible and often feel queasy. I'm hoping the bug id's come back as something more treatable. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/i-am-losing-my-mind-terminix-has-been-here-no-results#post-54767 Sat, 01 Aug 2009 02:04:13 +0000 cryingallthetime 54767@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hello Everyone,</p> <p>I first started noticing my bites in early May. I had no idea what they were and assumed I had uncovered a spider nest or something (or a spider's nest had uncovered me). The reaction/bites were huge! When I am bitten on my arms they swell like a muscle and itch uncontrollably. I knew I wasn't having an allergic reaction to anything because my son was being bitten as well. My husband has never shown any signs of being bitten. I started to research and found that bedbugs could be the culprit. I proceeded to do everything I could to identify them. I never saw any fecal stains or blood stains (blood stains I did eventually see)and in this continuing ordeal I have only seen 3 live bed bugs on a blanket my husband was sleeping with on the couch. I did however see a few cast skins on my mattress which has been discarded along with the couch and other furniture. Once we figured out what they were, we decided to have TERMINIX come and and do their freeze treatment. I have thrown so many things away, clothes, furniture, toys etc. We bagged everything, laundered/cleaned everything and prepared for the extermination. It took several weeks for us to get everything together. The PCO came and said that we had very minimal activity. He froze/treated the furniture and carpet edges in the bedrooms and living room and said we shouldn't have anymore problems. The day he came I had at least 60 Large swollen bumps on my arms, legs and feet. (I will have to post my pictures on here one day soon). Well I had about 3 nights bite free after the initial treatment and then the nightmare started all over again. I am terrified of any bugs and simply mortified to know that they crawl on me and my son at night and just feast. I started to get bumps again after the treatment and at this time I am hysterical because I am at my wits end. I feel like I've done everything I'm supposed to do and they are still here. Terminix only provides one follow up visit (something I should have investigated more) but the salesperson was so convincing about how unique their process was and she made me feel like they had the bed bug market cornered. Well they have come out the second time. Right afterwards I went out of town, bought new luggage which I didn't bring into my house I laundered and bagged everything and basically packed outside with the clothes in the bags and placed them inside the luggage. I wanted to be sure I didn't take anything with me when I spent the night with my aunt. I slept well on vacation (3 days) and I came home tonight. I haven't been home 20 minutes and I have 4 new bites on me (wasn't even sleep). OMG. I didn't see any bugs. I only started to itch while sitting here. I have started to cry again because terminix is basically out of my life now and BB's are here to stay apparently. These scars stay on me forever (I can still see all of them that were on me in May!)and itch like crazy. I am a teacher and choir director and I use my arms to do my job. I look and feel terrible. Its so embarrassing to try and explain what is going on to my students. I itch all the time and I am sad all the time. I don't even feel comfortable in my own home. This has just taken over my life. I don't know what else to do. My son is going to the 1st grade and will no doubt be talking about it at school, which may make people treat him differently. (I know I will have to talk to him but at the same time I am sure he is just anxious to talk about what is going on in his life. For example, when getting off the train today he sees a red spot on our pillow and proclaims " I think that's a bed bug on our pillow (new). It was just a red lint from the new red blanket I had just purchased. Why on earth would he mention that on the train?) I am just so worried. I feel like this is more than I can bear. Right now I am off work for the summer and have been able to devote a lot of time to cleaning/ extermination etc. I think I am going to lose my mind when I go back to work because my schedule is so very busy with the day to day requirements of my job and family needs. I don't know if the PCO just thought it wasn't a big deal because he didn't see any while he was here. I haven't seen any in about a month but I have seen blood stains on my pillow and the bites are relentless!! My son isn't having as many bites but mine have not ceased one bit. I am so lost and discouraged. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/long-night#post-54217 Sat, 25 Jul 2009 19:27:28 +0000 sunshine1583 54217@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Does anyone know of a reliable PCO in Northern Kentucky? Does anyone have any advice on how to store the zippie bags filled with clothes? Any advice on how to deal with a frugile landlord, or a condo association? </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/new-poster-first-week-with-the-bugs#post-54893 Sun, 02 Aug 2009 23:03:12 +0000 RB 54893@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I only discovered my bed bugs a week ago and luckily I found this place that early morning. I am blogging my experience here: <a href="http://bugjourney.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">http://bugjourney.blogspot.com/</a> and I have a few questions. </p> <p>Can eggs be laid on pet's fur, or on me for that matter?</p> <p>How do I treat the plastic bins that I am sealing things up in? Won't eggs be laid on the outside? </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/are-these-bed-bugs-1#post-53847 Tue, 21 Jul 2009 07:47:02 +0000 Akuma 53847@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hi Everyone,<br /> I think I am experiencing a bed bug problem.I recently got back from a trip to Florida with some friends 6/25. Over the last week or so I have been waking up with random bites.I thought nothing of it till the number of bites went up alot. A co-worker told me to check for bedbugs which I did but found no traces of them. Just to be on the safe side I purchased bed bug specific covers for my mattress and box spring at Target. My bites started disappearing to some extent but I still have the occasional new one. In a fit of paranoia I purchased a hot shot bed bug spray at home depot and have been spraying the corners of my bed. This brings us to today and yesterday where I have come across the little guys </p> <p><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/akuma25/IMG00011-20090721-0818.jpg" rel="nofollow">http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/akuma25/IMG00011-20090721-0818.jpg</a></p> <p><a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/akuma25/IMG00006-20090720-2256.jpg" rel="nofollow">http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/akuma25/IMG00006-20090720-2256.jpg</a></p> <p>Am I in trouble lol and should I be calling Killer Queen? I have a guy coming from Magic Exterminating for a consultation but it's no till Thursday.</p> <p>Any help would be great </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/haan-hs-20-steamer#post-54894 Sun, 02 Aug 2009 23:16:32 +0000 buckybugs 54894@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I had the unfortunate experience of finding bbs two weeks prior to a scheduled move. This seems both a blessing and a curse - at least I know I'm getting out of there, but I don't have alot of time to make sure I'm not bringing them with.</p> <p>I've laundered all of my clothes at the local laundromat (moved them after bagging them all) with hot water and high temp dryer for an hour, so based on what I've read here I should be okay in that regard - I'm staying with a friend in the mean time, and the clothes have come with here. I bought a new laundry hamper and duffle bag to store the stuff in -- neither entered my apartment previously. </p> <p>I'm throwing alot of my stuff away, and since I'm relatively young and just over a year out of college, there isn't alot of stuff that I have worth holding onto. I already tossed the mattress and box-spring. </p> <p>My question is this: as I mentioned, I don't have a ton of belongings left in my room that I need to sanitize prior to the move, and I'm not sure what strategy the PCO will take with the room (find out tomorrow). However, I bought brand new bedroom furniture 6 weeks ago -- furniture that I'll be making payments on for a year. It's wooden, but with a finish that doesn't leave alot of open grain exposed. Luckily, there aren't a ton of crevices in the bed frame, and the drawers are easily removed from the dresser. </p> <p>I'm thinking that the PCO can do his/her thing, but I'd like to sanitize it again prior to putting it on the moving truck. It seems like a steamer might be the best way to attack this. Has anyone used the HS-20 handheld steamer? It claims to have a steam temp of 212 -- which should do the trick. I realize that it's a wet steamer and therefore has the risks of mold, but I can't afford an expensive dry model. Additionally, I've got plenty of time to let it air out if I can just make sure the damn things are gone before I move it.</p> <p>As far as the infestation: I believe I caught it early. I moved into the place as a summer sublet for 3 months, and didn't have them when I moved in. I noticed bites for the first time about two weeks ago and assumed it was mosquitoes, and discovered the actual infestation late last week. I'm not sure if the bugs were there when I moved in, or if they were brought in during the course of my time there (I live with three college students whom have frequent guests, and there's another apartment in the old house, so there are a number of potential sources).</p> <p>Any thoughts or insights on how I can ensure I leave the bastards behind as inexpensively as possible (ie, buying a packtight or an expensive steamer aren't really options) would be appreciated. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/an-introductionand-my-story#post-52973 Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:20:16 +0000 Monica120 52973@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Though I have heard the nursery rhyme PLENTY of times, I never knew bed bugs were real until about 6 months ago.<br /> I live in a pretty nice 2 bed, 2 bath apartment with my roommate and a deranged cat. About 4 months into our lease, my roommate noticed that she was waking up with small bite marks EVERYWHERE. Legs, arms, back, thighs, neck, fingers, TOES! We both would have thought it was mosquitoes except we live in NE Ohio and this was wintertime. Way too cold for mosquitoes. She concluded that it was probably spiders and bought a can of Raid to spray around her room.</p> <p>About a week later, roomie is still spraying the Raid like it's Chanel No. 5 and still waking up with bites. I walk into my room one day and notice a tiny, reddish-brown bug on my cream-colored towel that was hanging on my closet door. I take a closer look. "Hmmm...how the hell did a tick get in my room?" I take the towel to the open balcony doors and attempt to shake the "tick" a couple of stories down to the ground below. 3 good shakes, the "tick" is still there. "Huh...persistent little bastard." I flick it off with my finger, scream like a girl (which I am lol) and run to wash my hands.</p> <p>A few days after that, we get a notice on our door from our leasing office saying that we are scheduled for a routine pest prevention check the next day. Sweet! Maybe my roomie will finally get some relief from The Spider from Hell.<br /> Came home from work the next day and we have a letter on our counter stating that we have bed bugs and we'd need further treatment. At this point, roomie and I were still in the dark so we followed the items on the checklist (washing and bagging clothes, taking apart our beds, taking pictures and switchplates off the walls, etc.) and figured we'd be rid of this problem by the next week. Oh, how wrong and naive we were.</p> <p>Almost 6 months later and we are STILL dealing with this problem. I'll try to break it down:</p> <p>*We found out that we were infested due to a heavy (so heavy that one of the PCOs let it slip to us that he'd never seen an infestation that bad) infestation of the apartment directly below ours.<br /> *We have run our gas bill, in total, up to the thousands of dollars due to the constant washing and drying from each of the 6 (six!!!!) treatments we have had.<br /> *We have spent over $200 on top of the line mattress encasements that Terminix later told us were not the right kind.<br /> *We found out later that they were fine...after it was too late to take them back to the store.<br /> *We have told by our leasing office that we have to take some of the blame in this happening to us.<br /> *We hired a lawyer and threatened to take our story to every local news station we could think of as well as leaving negative ratings on all apartment review websites.<br /> *The finally decided to take us seriously. They fired the old property manager.<br /> *We had more treatments that DIDN'T work. We were basically guinea pigs. "Well, let's see if THIS will work!" This included drilling very nice (/sarcasm) holes into our walls and spraying who the hell knows what into the walls. Yeah...that didn't work.<br /> *I spend more nights at my boyfriend's house than at the apartment that I pay rent in. My roomie ends up spending some nights sleeping on her toilet, head propped up on her sink.<br /> *New property manager is completely clueless until she talks to our lawyer. She finally realizes that Terminix SUCKS and looks into other forms of treatment.</p> <p>And that brings us to present day. We still have bed bugs. We don't see them often. Hardly ever. But my roomie is still being bitten. About every 3 weeks or so. I have only been bitten in two instances. Both times I had about 5 bites. I have learned that when I sleep in what I call my "army gear" (long sweatpants, thick socks, pull over hoodie with long sleeves, everything TUCKED in -- windows open and fan blasting) I don't get bitten. I am praying that they don't wise up and bite my hands or face.</p> <p>We were given the option of working with Terminix for one last time...according to them. They would have us put all our crap in a UHaul, fog it or gas it (they never really did say which they would do), keep it for 48 hours and then give it back. At this point, we are done and fed the hell up with Terminix so we are instead having a heat treatment done to our apartment and belongings next week. Then we are immediately moving into a new apartment.</p> <p>We are praying and hoping this works. We don't feel like our infestation is that bad as we can go for weeks without being bitten and we hardly ever see them. Really, that's the only thing giving us hope right now. We do know that the apartment that caused our infestation is now vacant. I feel so sorry for the people living in the place those guys move to. I know they were foreign and didn't speak much English...they probably had no clue what was going on and thought that moving would save them from this. Poor souls. There is also another apartment being heat treated the same day as ours. I saw that tenant a few days ago. He looked pissed. I don't blame him.</p> <p>I can honestly say that having this problem is one of the worst things that has ever happened to me in my life. Ever. And I've had some rough times.</p> <p>I will let you all know if this heat treatment works. Fingers crossed!</p> <p>P.S. Has anyone had this done before? I have a plasma TV...will this hurt my baby?</p> <p>Thanks for listening! </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/going-crazy-4#post-54215 Sat, 25 Jul 2009 19:02:46 +0000 sunshine1583 54215@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I've suspected BB for months now, but could never find any evidence. After three doctor's visits that diagnoised me with scabies, allergies, and sensitivity to my environment I spotted a BB. I found it on my library book while reading. After I saw it, I threw the book in the freezer and waited for my boyfriend to come home. He thought I was crazy and overreacting, but he indulged me as we began to rip apart the bed. We found nothing on the bedding, or the mattress. When he lifted up the box spring and yanked off the plastic corner, there they were. By this time I was in hysterics. We went to the couch and found some on the couch slipcover, but not the couch itself. We pulled an all nighter, bagging the bed and boxsprings, throwing everything we could away. I called the landlord who is not helping very much. The PCO that he will pay for does not guarantee any extermination of BB. I am loosing alot of sleep, and am not functioning very well at all. What do I do. I have not been bitten in three days, is this a good sign? Do BB's like cats, I have one and she is scratching, but she always scratches b/c she has long hair. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/i-am-a-new-bed-bug-sufferer#post-54331 Mon, 27 Jul 2009 00:11:23 +0000 helpmeee 54331@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I cannot sleep. My 17 year old son discovered bed bugs in his bedroom about a week ago. I had woken up with a very itchy welt on the 6th of this month and my son pulled out from my thigh what he thought was a small tick. I had been in the woods on the 4th on my way to the fireworks so figured it was a tick. Now I am certain it was not. It was extremely itchy for 2 weeks and now I have a scar. Anyhow, my husband lifted my son's mattress and box spring and all I heard from the bed room was Oh My God!!!! His bed is absolutely infested. I have taken out my scunci steamer and carpet steamer and well ya know. I am washing every single item of clothing that I have deemed as a keeper , just finished taping around my mattress for the upteenth time, Oh and drove up over a curb along the sidewalk and back down without even realizing what was happening until I was returning to the road because I HAVE NOT SLEPT IN A WEEK!!!!! </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/moving-august-1st-need-help#post-54120 Fri, 24 Jul 2009 16:37:27 +0000 chris773 54120@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hi I have been living in a house that is sectioned off into three parts. I live in the basement and 2 weeks ago the lady on the top floor told me that she found bed bugs all over her apartment and both of her mattresses. She has lived there for two years and suspects that she got them while living in a shelter. She told the land lord and a little over a week ago and he had only her apartment sprayed. I personally have not seen any bed bugs but over the years i've gotten bit by what i believe where spiders (there are some really big spiders in my apartment that ive seen regularly). Anyways I plan on moving no matter what my plan is to leave all furniture behind except a dresser that is wood and a coffee table (both have not been near the bed). Ive washed all my clothes at a laundry mat away from the property and i plan on taking all my jackets, dress shirts to the cleaners (Is there any special instructions i should give them?). Some of the other personal items i plan on bringing my computer, printer, and t.v How should i treat these items?). what i'm most worried about is a collection of sneakers I have that are all in there original boxes that are paper. thanks for listening any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/advice-on-hangers-company-and-coping#post-53908 Tue, 21 Jul 2009 21:11:44 +0000 PHbrooklyn 53908@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>As a preliminary matter, this is a unique and wonderful community and I am grateful that it exists. </p> <p>To my story,<br /> I saw one, unfed, adult bedbug on top of my sheets during the late morning after I had left the bed and killed it. It did not flee, and was in daylight. I did not know to save it, as I did not know yet what bedbugs looked like. When I discovered a picture, though this site, I panicked. I am positive that the bug I killed was a bedbug (by the black splotches on the thorax).<br /> Taking the steps outlined in the FAQ's and from several other sources, I did the following:<br /> (1) laundry and quarantine (plastic bags/protect a bed);<br /> (2) in depth inspection of entire apartment with construction halogin lamp inc. taking apart bed;<br /> (3) Cleaned with murphys/vaccumed;<br /> (4) sprayed pyrethrin/pip.butox. contact kill in all cracks and crevices;<br /> (5) obtained (after 2 weeks) and diatomecious earthed all cracks, creviecs, sockets as well as broken down bedframe/leather couch (with nosh mask);<br /> (5) caulked;<br /> (6) isolated bed with double sided tape and Vaseline. </p> <p>I have not found one additional bedbug at any stage, dead or alive, or anything that looks like a nesting site. </p> <p>I am still not at ease. I have no obvious bites, but my mind races and I get little sleep. My work suffers. </p> <p>I have the following questions for this community:<br /> 1) can I hang my worn dry cleaned clothing back in my closet on hangers? My suits won't be covered in plastic after one wear.<br /> 2) Should I let my significant other back into my apartment for the night? She other believes I am overreacting. It has been a month since the initial sighting. I treated with contact kill the day of, and every three days until putting down Diatomecious Earth seven days ago. I couldn't bear inflicting this on her.<br /> 3) Should I move when my lease is up? I will have the same furniture. And will not likely leave Brooklyn.<br /> 4) has anyone had luck with vapor cleaners? I live a clean and organized life generally, and if a vapor cleaner would help me fight the bedbug plague, I might be able to justify the 600$ outlay.<br /> 5) even though I have no evidence, should I tell my (small) landlord, just as a heads up? I planned on sounding the alarm if I found any additional signs, I have not yet.<br /> 6) finally, should I take additional steps to isolate my bed? </p> <p>Thank you all. Again, this community, and ones like it, are a miracle and a sincere comfort. </p> <p>Regards,<br /> PHBrooklyn </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/am-i-being-irrational#post-53690 Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:48:39 +0000 slowpoke 53690@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hi to all. I've already made a few posts in the detection/identification section (with a negative ID), but I'm still in full bb paranoia mode, so I thought I would post here and get it out of my system.</p> <p>Some background on me: I have dry skin and eczema that acts up in heat, so I'm kind of an itchy person in general. I also apparently have blood and skin that is attractive to bugs of all types. Usually from June to September, I get eaten alive by all manner of bugs. If there are mosquitoes, anyone else with me is safe, because they will just feed on me. In one house where we lived, I was even getting stung by centipedes on a nightly basis -- well, I never saw it happen but after realizing they sting, I went on a centipede killing spree and then the weird bites stopped. I've had numerous mystery bites and itches over the years, which has induced panic about scabies, lice, etc. but it's never turned out to be anything like that, and once summer is over all the itching stops. I also tend towards hypochondria.</p> <p>My family and I were just on vacation for three weeks in the U.S. (we live overseas). On the trip, we stayed at two hotels in Austria, an apartment in D.C., two hotels in South Carolina on the way back and forth to my mother's house in Florida, and one more hotel in Virigina. I'm fairly bb-conscious, and checked each place for tell-tale signs before giving the "all clear." I didn't disassemble any headboards or flip any mattresses, but I did check the pillows, sheets and underneath, and around the beds. I never found anything that concerned me.</p> <p>Well, in D.C. something got me in my belt line, perfectly in the center where a belt buckle would be. I'd had bites like that before, so I didn't make a big deal out of it. It concerned me a bit when I noticed my wife and son were scratching occasionally, but no one had any bites, and further checking still didn't uncover anything sinister. I chalked it up to the change in climate, as well as changes in water and even detergent. Down in Florida, of course we were all getting bit by things on a daily basis. (My mother lives in a very rural area of northern Florida, the kind of place where there is even a reasonable chance of a rattlesnake bite.)</p> <p>In the last hotel in the U.S., I almost freaked out when I found blood on one of the pillows after we'd used it, but my wife reminded me that our son still picks his nose and often has little nosebleeds at night. The blood spots did look more like those from a nosebleed rather than from a crushed bug or anything like that. I also found some blood on the sheet, but my son was also covered in cuts and scrapes from body-surfing on a pebbly beach. More blood on the pillow (after use) at our hotel in Austria was enough to freak me out again.</p> <p>Realizing that we hadn't been as careful as we should have been with our suitcases and clothes in the hotels, on our return home I instituted control measures. Well, first we left our son with his grandparents, with a suitcase that had not been in any of the hotels. Nonetheless, we told the grandparents to put our son in the bath and immediately wash all of his clothes, and to put the suitcase in a bag and seal it. When my wife and I got home, we did the same thing, only more stringent. I bagged everything straight out of the suitcases at the car. I inspected the suitcases -- found a bit of grit and sand, but nothing particularly indicative of a bb -- then bagged the and put them in the garage. The clothes we were wearing were immediately taken off and put in the wash, and we had a shower. Were doing laundry for two days. Other items were also bagged and subject to visual inspection. Some items are still bagged.</p> <p>Now, I actually live in another location for work, so I even repeated the "quarantine" process when I arrived here earlier this week. But all week, I'm getting itchier and itchier. My second day back here I woke up with two bites on my head, just above my ear. That sent me into full panic mode, and since then I have been cleaning the hell out of the apartment, constantly searching for bugs, and frankly not sleeping. </p> <p>On Wednesday, I found two quickly crawling tiny bugs on the wall next to where I sleep. At first I was convinced they were young bed bugs, but I couldn't see them clearly until I took a macro photo. The Bedbugger experts here confirmed they were not bed bugs, but probably some type of psocid. I have since read that there are some psocids that have beaks and bite, but it hasn't stopped me worrying about bed bugs. Every little speck and spot that I see now looks like bed bug to me.</p> <p>I also visited a dermatologist, who diagnosed that I am having a post-reaction to some insect bites, but ruled out scabies. Of course, she couldn't say what had bitten me.</p> <p>Last night, as I continued to clean my apartment -- and if there is one good thing coming out of this, it's that I am finally throwing out a bunch of crap -- I picked up a piece of paper, and there was a tiny bug on it. It was not as tiny as the pscoids I'd found (and continue to find), and it was darker, but it was too tiny to be sure what it was. Of course, I was convince that it was a bed bug. I tried to put the paper down so I could capture it, but before I could do that it either jumped away -- in which case it probably was not a bed bug -- or my hand twitched and he fell away -- in which case as far as I'm concerned it was a bed bug and I let it escape.</p> <p>All day today, I continue to clean, itch, and search for bugs. And search the internet for tips on hunting bugs, which just leads to more bed bug horror stories. Moreover, by chance, today my landlord took out my old sofa bed and put in a new one (I didn't bring up bed bugs, but I made sure he was going to dispose of the old bed), but I'm even afraid to lie down and sleep in it, because it's new and I don't want it to get infested.</p> <p>Well, that's my story. I've been bitten by something, but haven't seen a single positive sign of a bed bug, and instituted bagging/cleaning procedures twice. So, there is no definitive evidence that we were exposed to bed bugs at all, yet I am convinced that they're right here with me. I know I'm probably being irrational, but I sure could use some reassurance... </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/young-broke-and-infested-any-advise#post-53576 Fri, 17 Jul 2009 01:38:27 +0000 BrokeandHopeless 53576@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>I moved into my first apartment last year, and have been infested with bedbugs for at least 4 - 5 months. At first I didn't realize what they were, but soon enough I knew. After that, I ignored them and hoped they'd go away... uh, yeah. My building is in the Bed Bug Registry and other people have noted how impossible it is to get our management to do anything about them or even claim responsibility... posts are discussing breaking their leases, etc.</p> <p>I haven't informed our landlord yet, because a) my rent is last 1/3 of the time, and b) I'm embarrassed. I don't even know where to begin. I really cannot afford an exterminator, I just want this problem to go away. I'm tired of being bitten every night, but my lease isn't up for four more months, and even then, who's to say I won't inadvertently take them with me, or they won't show up in my new place? It seems like they're getting very common here in Chicago. I currently live in a fairly large complex, and rent a studio.</p> <p>What would you advise me to do in this case? I hate this, but I don't even see a way out. I did buy a mattress protector... but after a week, a corner busted out of it, and all the starved little buggies descended on me and my roommate that night with a vengeance. ): </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/bed-bugs-in-sunny-costa-rica#post-53096 Sat, 11 Jul 2009 13:01:14 +0000 RichardBlank 53096@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>After reading a few threads,I wanted to introduce myself to this community and look forward to sharing ideas with other forum members.</p> <p>Lysol does not work and I am not a fan of heavy chemicals.</p> <p>Beg bugs are a problem, what I really avoid are the large spiders...</p> <p>Best regards,</p> <p>Richard</p> <p><a href="http://www.costaricascallcenter.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.costaricascallcenter.com</a> </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/another-newbie#post-52950 Thu, 09 Jul 2009 10:38:50 +0000 Tamales 52950@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hi All,</p> <p>Been battling the damn bugs for about 6 weeks now. The only evidence I've seen are the bites and some blood stains on the encasement I bought after I first discovered the bites. A PCO came to my condo ( I own) and sprayed 10 days ago and still getting bit. Like many of you, I'm living out of plastic bags, vacuuming like a mad woman, washing sheets every single day, dusted DE everywhere, caulked, etc.. My question is, can the BB crawl under your clothes and bite you? I've seen on this site that they usually only bite exposed skin, but I've been covered from head to toe every night and still getting bit on my arms and legs. What gives??</p> <p>This whole process has been exhausting, frustrating and depressing. It's nice to have this site for support. Thanks all. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/new-infestation-what-to-do-first#post-52722 Tue, 07 Jul 2009 05:21:48 +0000 downright 52722@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hi - I first started noticing groups of raised bites about week ago. Last night, I caught one of the offenders in a ziploc bag, and I do believe it's a bedbug. </p> <p>So what do I do now? How do I get a confirmed identification? How do I avoid spreading bedbugs to my office, friends, et cetera? How do I find a reliable, qualified exterminator? </p> <p>What are my landlord's obligations (and what is the best way to bring this up)? Am I at risk of eviction (I have lived in my current apt for almost 11 years)? </p> <p>I looked at the bedbug registry and my current address is not listed. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/so-it-starts#post-52686 Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:59:50 +0000 ritanna3 52686@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hello everyone - </p> <p>I just joined the website after figuring out a couple weeks ago that I have bed bugs. I had been getting bites for about a month, and reacting really badly to them with large welts with very intense itching. About two weeks ago at 4 o'clock in the afternoon I stood up from my couch and saw one crawling there (after biting my leg, of course, which I did not feel at the time). I killed it and saved it and looked online, and sure enough, sounds exactly like a bed bug. I called my landlord to let him know that I was pretty sure I had bed bugs, and he informed me that there were a number of people in our building that had them (gee thanks for the warning!). Luckily, he is a proactive landlord and he scheduled a PCO to come treat my apartment and also is bringing a dog in later in the week to search everyone's apartments.</p> <p>So, the PCO just left today after treatment. Luckily, he said it looks like I caught it early, because he could not see any evidence of the bed bugs anywhere (i.e., no droppings, etc.). I showed him the two adults that I killed taped to an index card, so he was at least sure that I had them. So he sprayed everything down and I just need to wait for my mattress and box spring to dry before I put on the Protect-a-Bed encasements I bought. Right now, I bagged up all clothes from my dresser, but still left everything in the closet since I have not seen them in my bedroom. So my plan is to not go through washing and drying all my clothes unless they don't seem to go away after my second round of treatment in two weeks.</p> <p>I'll keep an update on how things are going, as it seems like my apartment has a low infestation compared to many others that have posted their stories, so it may be useful for others to see if it works out faster it you seem to catch it really early.</p> <p>One question I have for you all out there...since it appears that there is an infestation spreading throughout the apartment units in my building, is there anything that I can do to prevent the bugs from other units from traveling into my unit? The PCO recommended I caulk all along my baseboards when treatment is over. Any other suggestions? Like spraying in along my door or anything? Thanks! </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/hi-im-a-newbie#post-31374 Tue, 16 Sep 2008 14:20:56 +0000 bugbattler 31374@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hey there! I've been lurking since I figured out what was happening (late August). I believe we've had the bugs since May, but I didn't know the signs or even really think that having bedbugs was possible.</p> <p>Now that I know better I have reason to believe that my entire 12 unit apartment building is infested &#38; maybe even the whole stinkin' neighborhood (everybody loves a free dumpster couch) - fun!</p> <p>This site has been indespensable &#38; I have been crying and laughing silently along with you guys for a few weeks. I thank you :) </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/learning-about-my-bites#post-52439 Thu, 02 Jul 2009 08:08:24 +0000 Bernie 52439@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>After reading some of the information on this site I now know I have Bed Bugs. This would be the second year and it has been during the beginning of summer only. Except this summer which has been a cool one I received several with the most recent being last night, a roll of 5 bites with one off to the side. About a week ago, both of my thumb knuckles had a bite on it with a small head on it and they swelled up for a couple days to where I could hardly bend them. I also have one on my leg and it is over a month old. It does not itch anymore but it still has a scab which won't go away. Last summer this happened I had a total of 3 bites on my legs close to my ankles and it took all summer before they finally healed up and went away. Is this normal? </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/bed-bugs-not-sure-what-to-do#post-51906 Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:24:10 +0000 jedta 51906@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hey everyone! I'm freaking out! My 3 sons have been gettin bit left and right! I've had my one son to the doctor so many times that they threated to call child protective servies about the bites! We'll today i took things into my own hands and called our local code enforcement today. And radomly all of sudden we have the bug guy here to check. They jumped to the conclusion of bed bugs witch me or my fiance are not getting bit but our 3 sons are. They say they only found them in the youngest boys room. Didnt bother to check our rooms becuase we werent getting bit. I'm trying to figure out what to do with the hole clothing sitation its going to cost me hundreds of dollars to wash and dry and buy ziplock bags. I dont no if its ok to wash there clothes in my normal laundry soap or buy something else! What do i do about shoes? I'm currently pregnant is it even safe for me to be in my house well they spray or stuff like that. I'm extremly upset by this sitation. There trying to say they came from us but theres no way that was possible 90% of the stuff when i moved here is brand new from matrress to new bedding. Any suggestions advice anything im going in circles trying to figure out what to do! </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/new-from-ny#post-51458 Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:45:10 +0000 Triomphatrice des punaises 51458@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hi:</p> <p>We discovered we had bbs - it will be 3 weeks ago Monday. For approx. 2-3 weeks we thought we had a mosquito.</p> <p>Thus far we have 1. dusted with diotamaceous earth; 2. bought a low pressure steam cleaner; 3. been reviewed and treated by 2 PCOs (my landlord's and my own - with full disclosure to both with respect to what approach they were using); 4. bagged, covered, discarded etc. what was reasonable to do.</p> <p>Both PCOs said this was a mild infestation - the only sign were about 4-5 feces spots in each of the 4 corners of my wood (soon to be discarded) bed. Eventually, when we were dusting with DE, we dismantled the bed and have thus far discovered 3 instars 1st, 2nd, 3rd stage.</p> <p>We figured, sort of like we agree with Paul Krugman about the economy, you cannot over-respond, but you certainly can under-respond. So that's what we did. This site and NY v Bedbugger has been invaluable. I basically just followed the advice that was given. For the past 4 days I have not had any bits. I am not so naieve as to think they are gone, but with every treatment the problem has diminished (particularly the steaming). From a maximum of about 20 bites to 2-3 to 0.</p> <p>Luckily I specialized in ancient history which is mostly military history. It's clear this is siege warfare and my husband and I are in for the long haul. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/first-experience-bedbugs-in-hotel#post-51003 Sun, 14 Jun 2009 10:26:56 +0000 timetraveller61 51003@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>So I needed a couple of days away for peace and quiet and to catch up on sleep ... instead I got my first bb experience in a Meridien hotel! First night I saw a small bug on the crisp white sheets and another on the wall near the headboard. Scooped them up in a tissue and though it occurred to me that maybe they were bb's I was exhausted and must have fallen asleep. Nothing unusual occured the following day. Then on night two I was laying on the sheets reading and I noticed another small bug crawling up my shoulder. I flicked it off only to find three others (also very small) on the sheets. I scooped them up in a tissue and started packing up my belongings to move to another room. I saw a bigger one on the folds of the pillowcase. Booted out of there quickly! Only then did I become aware of itchy spots (like mosquito bites) on my fingers. Since then the bites seem to have multiplied, some more on my arms, a few on my torso and at least one on my face. The room they moved me to did not seem to have any bugs but then I didn't really sleep :-(.</p> <p>Except for the clothes on my back, I packed everything into plastic bags and brought it home, now am off to the laundromat. Since it was just a short weekend trip, I didn't have much with me but am concerned that I not infect my apartment. Should I worry about my laptop, paperwork and soft-sided knapsack and tote? These were sitting on the desk, carpet and/or upholstered chair in the infected room.</p> <p>Any advice appreciated. I'd like not to become another bb horror story. </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/bed-bug-trauma#post-50993 Sun, 14 Jun 2009 00:27:58 +0000 bbhater 50993@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>Hi everyone, this is my bed bug story...</p> <p>It all started one week ago when I discovered some bites in my arms. After some days I found new bites so on Friday I decided to inspect my bed. I found some blood spots on the sheets and pillow, and when I was inspecting the comforter I found it, a bed bug like 5mm long.</p> <p>At that time I didn't know what it was, so I lifted it with a tissue and crushed it and then the blood came out of it. Then I was freaked out and after googling it I discovered the world of bed bugs! Oh what a terrible day!</p> <p>That bug was crushed and impossible to recognize, but I needed confirmation. So I took the linens and duvet off the bed and put them directly into the washing machine and then started inspecting my mattress and bed frame. </p> <p>At the beginning I didn't find anything since I was looking for a bug the size of the first one I had seen. But then I noticed some very small rounded things in an area of the lower face of the mattress and then I discovered it, the nest!!</p> <p>It was right there, in a crack of one of the wooden tables supporting the mattress. So I took my scotch tape and started my cleaning labor. I inspected and hopefully removed the eggs and nymphs of all the affected wooden tables, and the lower face of the mattress.</p> <p>And I searched all the mattress and caught 3 or 4 tiny bed bugs. After 5 hours I was exhausted, it was 3am but I didn't want to go back to bed. Anyway, I decided I had done every possible thing at that point so I went to bed. During the night I woke every hour thinking I was getting bitten. But I made it through the night without any apparent bites.</p> <p>I told my land lord today, and he called the PCO who is coming on Monday. But from what the landlord told me, I get the idea that he doesn't want to pay for the treatment and my lease doesn't state anything about pests (I live in Pittsburgh by the way).</p> <p>But what I hate the most about this situation is the paranoid state that I'm in right now. Especially after reading a lot of posts here I can't look at my bed, clothes and entirely carpeted apartment in the same way. Apparently everyone that has found a bed bug has had negative experiences with them, that are not only costly but also mentally exhausting!</p> <p>And I decided to write in this forum because I don't have anyone else that I can share this experience with since I don't want to tell my friends about it because I'm afraid they might think I am a dirty person (which by the way is what I felt the landlord implied when he told me "I've been here for 10 years and we've never had this before").</p> <p>One of the few questions I have right now is this, should I be concerned about picking up eggs from the carpet with my feet and transferring them to other areas of my apartment? </p> http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/i-just-want-to-throw-everything-out#post-50515 Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:57:36 +0000 Fearful_and_Buggy 50515@http://bedbugger.com/forum/ <p>For the past two weeks, my girlfriend and I have had some itchy spots on us. At first, we thought it was mosquitoes or an allergic reaction to something in the bed. After changing the linens didn't really help, I suspected bed bugs. When sleeping somewhere else (pre-suspected infestation) let us sleep itch-free, it all but confirmed it.</p> <p>Tonight, I put down a white towel on the bed. Sure enough, a bright red bug was on it when I came back to bed. There was also one on the wall, now a smeared red streak. Lifting up the mattress, I saw many (dead) bugs on the dust ruffle. I bagged it up and taped it shut so I can show it to the PCO. I didn't try for a positive ID because I was too scared.</p> <p>Right now, I have a load of laundry in the drier, working on hour two, but I don't know how to put it in bags (just trash and duct tape ATM...it's 6AM) without contaminating it from the shirt I'm wearing...I can't very well wander around my apartment building naked. I feel like it's fruitless, but I am going to try regardless to get us some theoretically bug-free clothing.</p> <p>I look around my apartment. It has some area rugs, curtains, a futon covered with a blanket, hundreds of books, clothing...and I don't know how I am going to keep it all free of bugs. So much of this stuff is important to my GF and I, but I have no idea if it's infested. We have no idea how we picked it up (suspicion is taking our stuff to the laundromat across the street or someone moving in recently) and we can't guarantee that it'll go away. I don't want to throw out my desk chair, take apart and throw out all my furniture. I feel lost and scared. I can't sleep and I don't see a way out of this.</p> <p>I can only hope my landlord will take swift action tomorrow and get a PCO in to do an ID. Part of me hopes it's something else, especially since the bites are very itchy and usually single, but the realist in me has no hope.</p> <p>So I'll buy a few hundred plastic bags and throw out my life. </p>