TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE: MYTH OR FACT?
MYTH: Bedbugs are a thing of the past.
FACT: Bedbugs came into America with the early settlers and were common in Colonial times.
In the past decade, bedbugs have been found in every state in America, and are becoming a major problem in big cities and small towns across the country.
MYTH: Bedbugs only live in filthy homes.
FACT: Bedbugs have been found in every type of dwelling, from five-star hotels, apartment buildings and college dorms to single-family homes and everywhere in between. They are more interested in places to hide where humans are present than in unsanitary conditions.
MYTH: I'll only get bedbugs if I travel in the Third World.
FACT: While international travel may increase your risk of transporting bedbugs, they regularly hitchhike from hotels that are closer to home. Hotels and motels can be bedbug havens because of the fresh crop of people each night and the opportunity to climb aboard luggage.
MYTH: Bedbugs only live in the bedroom.
FACT: While the bedroom is a great place for nocturnal insects like bedbugs, as infestations become more severe, bedbugs will move into furniture, fabrics, wall crevices and flooring cracks throughout your home.
A licensed pest management professional will carefully inspect your entire dwelling for signs of infestations while making a treatment plan.
MYTH: I can get rid of bedbugs by leaving my house empty for a few weeks.
FACT: Adult bedbugs can live as long as 12 months without a meal, so a long vacation won't provide you with relief. The only way to deal with the problem is to treat it directly and monitor results over the long haul.
A licensed pest management professional will help you eliminate bedbugs from your home.
MYTH: Bedbugs are so embarrassing that I should never tell anyone that I had a problem.
FACT: Having a bedbug infestation in your home can cause emotional stress. If you need help, seek help. But keeping an infestation secret from your friends and neighbors can lead to further spread, especially in apartment buildings, dormitories and other multi-unit living arrangements.
Keep in mind you didn't go out and purposely bring bedbugs home. They are insects of opportunity, and they found you or your personal belongings and came home with you. In many cases it's friends, relatives, workers etc., who may bring bedbugs into a home ... not always the homeowner.
To stop the spread, consider telling your landlord, school housing administration or building manager, and have them get in touch with a pest management professional right away. Keep in mind that if you try to get rid of them yourself and choose the wrong product you could chase or move the bugs to adjoining apartments or living areas.
Do-it-yourself efforts often make matters worse and can lead to further spread of an infestation. Professionals use a variety of products in well-thought-out strategies to gain control.
Source: The Bedbug Institute; www.bedbuginstitute.com
Published on: http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110615/HEALTH/106150327/-1/SITEMAP
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