Bedbugs join bookworms at library

Enlarge Image

(ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES)

Downtown's Millennium Library endured a minor bedbug scare in 2009 after two of the insects were found on the second floor. No infestation was found, but city officials remain vigilant about a pest that's become a continent-wide problem.

After a lone bedbug was found on the library's reading terrace in the fall, the city's insect control branch placed sticky strips throughout the building to gauge whether the structure needed to be treated for the parasites, library services manager Rick Walker said Monday.

A second bedbug turned up behind a photocopier on the second floor in December, but no other bloodsuckers were found. The insect control branch concluded the library was not infested and surmised the pair of bedbugs were wayward visitors, Walker said.

"These were very isolated incidents. Certainly we've been proactive in trying to deal with this," he said. "We're a large public library. Over a million and half people come through the front doors annually. With a lot of people and a lot of traffic, we're bound to deal with these things."

The short-lived scare is indicative of how seriously managers of public buildings take the threat bedbugs pose. All but eradicated several decades ago, bedbugs have been found in apartments, hotels and public places in almost every city in North America in recent years.

The increased prevalence of international travel, a drop in the use of certain pesticides and poor public education have all contributed to the spread of the insects, city entomologist Taz Stuart said.

Compounding the proliferation is denial, as people who find bedbugs in their homes or apartments are often unwilling to tell anyone about the problem or do anything about it, Stuart said. Some tenants may fear eviction if they report the problem.

"I've gone to speak at apartment buildings where seniors are obviously covered in bites, yet they say they don't have a problem with bedbugs," said the entomologist, adding he's concerned the public doesn't know enough about the insects.

Bedbugs feed on human blood but do not spread diseases. At some stages in their life cycle, they can be extremely difficult to see, as they can be as thin as a sheet of paper and translucent before they ingest blood.

To make matters worse, it's almost impossible to feel a bedbug as it's biting you.

But bedbug droppings or their engorged bodies may be found below mattresses or in headboards. Adults can be quite easy to spot, if you're determined enough to look in nooks and crannies, said Lincoln Poulin, general manager of Poulin's Pest Control Services.

The key to stopping the proliferation of bedbugs is making more people aware of what they look like and encouraging them to be vigilant, Poulin said.

"Everyone knows what a mouse looks like. Ask anyone what a bedbug looks like, and people think you're talking about a nursery rhyme," he said. "You can not let bedbugs over-alarm you, but you have to be aware of what to look for and inspect your belongings regularly."

Poulin urges people returning home from trips to empty their luggage outdoors or into tubs and wash their clothes in hot water right away. The heat from dryers alone will kill all stages of the bedbug life cycle, including the eggs, he added.

Exterminators such as Poulin's use both heat and pesticides to treat bedbug infestations. The City of Winnipeg is authorized to apply the pesticide bendiocarb if any bedbugs are found in publicly owned buildings.

So far, bedbugs have been found in Winnipeg apartments, care homes, university dorms and single-family residences. Reports of infestations appear to be increasing.

In 2009, Poulin's treated 525 Winnipeg locations for bedbugs, up from 325 the previous year, Poulin said.

bartley.kives@freepress.mb.ca

What can I do?

Uncommon in North America in the latter part of the 20th century, bedbugs have become increasingly conspicuous over the past decade as a result of increased international travel and decreased pesticide use. Public officials and exterminators say the best way to stop the proliferation is for people to learn more about them.

What are bedbugs? Cimex lectularius is an insect that feeds on human blood. You can't feel the critters bite but you'll likely see the blotches afterward. Bedbugs do not spread disease but are considered an extreme nuisance because of the stigma associated with infestations and the cost of extermination.

Where are they found? Anywhere people go, from luxury hotels to public housing. In Winnipeg, they've been found in dorms, apartments, personal care homes and single-family dwellings. Good hygiene will not prevent an infestation.

How do I spot them? Bedbugs can be translucent when immature but can be more easily spotted after they ingest blood and mature. Look for the adults or their droppings under mattresses, in bed frames or any other nooks or crannies where they could hide.

What if I find them? Vacuum up the bugs and eggs, wash all clothes and bedding in hot water and seal up any cracks or other hiding spots. Report the infestation and call a pest-control company if you can't get rid of them. The application of heat as well as pesticides such as bendiocarb are used to eliminate infestations. But you must do something, because eggs can remain dormant for 18 months.

What else should I do? When travelling, inspect hotel matresses and headrames before you decided to bed down for the night. Keep suitcases zipped tight and clothes hung up if if you're suspicious bedbugs might be present. If you suspect your clothes have come into contact with bedbugs, wash them in hot water or put them through the dryer as soon as possible.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition January 26, 2010 B2