Strange bloodsucking bedfellows.
March 19, 2006 9:08 PM Subscribe
Oh great, thanks for the reminder. I live in a Boston neighborhood in which bedbugs are endemic... one of the only places in the United States so blessed.
Not in my building yet, though...
posted by killdevil at 9:16 PM on March 19, 2006
Not in my building yet, though...
posted by killdevil at 9:16 PM on March 19, 2006
The Leonard Lopate show had a segment on this (scroll down, mp3 link and streaming audio inside).
posted by hooray at 9:23 PM on March 19, 2006
posted by hooray at 9:23 PM on March 19, 2006
Two weeks ago, my university department brought in a job candidate and put him up in one of the better hotels in town. He was swarmed with beg bugs during the night--showed up for his day of interviews with welts all the hell over him. This in Joplin, Missouri. Anyone know how to synthesize DDT?
posted by LarryC at 9:25 PM on March 19, 2006
posted by LarryC at 9:25 PM on March 19, 2006
Anyone know how to synthesize DDT?
As (DDT) dries, it leaves a white deposit on the hut walls, and it has been found to make bedbugs more active.
posted by Kwantsar at 9:29 PM on March 19, 2006
As (DDT) dries, it leaves a white deposit on the hut walls, and it has been found to make bedbugs more active.
posted by Kwantsar at 9:29 PM on March 19, 2006
From the "bed" link above:
Infestations of bed bugs are on the increase...
Human bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) are found all over the world and are constantly being dispersed via used furniture, luggage and bedding. During the last decade, there has been a significant increase in the number of bed bug infestations...
I wonder if anyone has done any studies to compare the spread of bed bugs in a certain community to the popularity of craigslist in that community.
Think of all that used furniture changing hands.
posted by evoo at 9:32 PM on March 19, 2006
Infestations of bed bugs are on the increase...
Human bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) are found all over the world and are constantly being dispersed via used furniture, luggage and bedding. During the last decade, there has been a significant increase in the number of bed bug infestations...
I wonder if anyone has done any studies to compare the spread of bed bugs in a certain community to the popularity of craigslist in that community.
Think of all that used furniture changing hands.
posted by evoo at 9:32 PM on March 19, 2006
Eww...second the craigslist comment. I'm already a little squicked by the thought of using old chairs or couches. Now I get to be paranoid about it, too!
posted by lhall at 3:06 AM on March 20, 2006
posted by lhall at 3:06 AM on March 20, 2006
"Squicked"? Is that a word? I like it! If it's not a "real" word, it should be.
This site says:
"There is inconclusive evidence this term may have originated among practitioners of sexual bondage or sadomasochism."
Anyways, yeah. Bedbugs: Lame.
posted by SmileyChewtrain at 5:56 AM on March 20, 2006
This site says:
"There is inconclusive evidence this term may have originated among practitioners of sexual bondage or sadomasochism."
Anyways, yeah. Bedbugs: Lame.
posted by SmileyChewtrain at 5:56 AM on March 20, 2006
Bedbugs are rampant in Toronto right now. I've managed to avoid them invading my apartment, even though I was spending a lot of time somewhere that was infested. Those are some itchy fucking bites. Worse than mosquitos.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 6:07 AM on March 20, 2006
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 6:07 AM on March 20, 2006
Bed bugs also have an interesting sex life. The males have large, scimitar-like sex organs with which they pierce the females body wall, not bothering to use her sex organs. They fill the female's body with semen, some it which makes it to her reproductive organs. The rest is absorbed as protein by the female and used as nourishment.
Romantic!
posted by mediareport at 7:22 AM on March 20, 2006
Romantic!
posted by mediareport at 7:22 AM on March 20, 2006
a year ago i briefly lived with some people in a small apartment in New Jersey that was badly infested.. i had to be the one ot find out. although its been many, many months since that horrible reality i still have nightmares about bugs crawling on me and sucking my blood.
i recommend people buy these mattress covers. even if you get an infestation if they arent living in your mattress you are alot less likely to get attacked, unless you spend the night on your infected couch.
i am a huge fan of dumpster diving, but i will never again even consider anything upholstered or a mattress.
posted by trishthedish at 7:45 AM on March 20, 2006
i recommend people buy these mattress covers. even if you get an infestation if they arent living in your mattress you are alot less likely to get attacked, unless you spend the night on your infected couch.
i am a huge fan of dumpster diving, but i will never again even consider anything upholstered or a mattress.
posted by trishthedish at 7:45 AM on March 20, 2006
That's not an impaled woman with spooge running out of her mouth- that's my wife!
posted by Operation Afterglow at 8:38 AM on March 20, 2006
posted by Operation Afterglow at 8:38 AM on March 20, 2006
I saw last night the CBS (or NBC?) show describing the bug infestation in Manhattan. I was so impressed with those critters that I dreamed about them last night. It was really horrible!!
posted by dov3 at 9:57 AM on March 20, 2006
posted by dov3 at 9:57 AM on March 20, 2006
EWWW!
When I was traveling in Nepal, I came across this poor Aussie guy whose sleeping bag got infested at some tea house. Guy was a wreck, but the local "cure" was to put the bag out in the sun - sunlight kills them apparently. I have no empirical proof it worked (I didnt stick around) but I heard the same thing from other folks. Any corroboration?
posted by elendil71 at 10:21 AM on March 20, 2006
When I was traveling in Nepal, I came across this poor Aussie guy whose sleeping bag got infested at some tea house. Guy was a wreck, but the local "cure" was to put the bag out in the sun - sunlight kills them apparently. I have no empirical proof it worked (I didnt stick around) but I heard the same thing from other folks. Any corroboration?
posted by elendil71 at 10:21 AM on March 20, 2006
Bed bugs? We're supposed to worry about bleepin' bed bugs now? This 21st century is really falling short of my expectations.
posted by Termite at 11:20 AM on March 20, 2006
posted by Termite at 11:20 AM on March 20, 2006
We don't have a problem with bed bugs, but I seem to have an allergy for house mites or their products, and I am seriously considering to hang one of those UV lamps they have in hospitals in my bedroom. I also heard the beasts suffer under sunlight but I just don't have the sunny yard to hang my linen on.
posted by Laotic at 12:16 PM on March 20, 2006
posted by Laotic at 12:16 PM on March 20, 2006
Is there any way to identify bites on one's body as bed bug bites? Or is it simply circumstance that determines the diagnosis? As in, I am waking up in the morning with bites, therefore I have bed bugs.
Also, can anyone explain why I would be getting bitten, but not my boyfriend?
posted by anonymous78 at 12:17 PM on March 20, 2006
Also, can anyone explain why I would be getting bitten, but not my boyfriend?
posted by anonymous78 at 12:17 PM on March 20, 2006
Also, can anyone explain why I would be getting bitten, but not my boyfriend?
Most bloodsucking insects home in on body temperature. even a small (like .1 degree difference) will draw them in preference.
Or so I've been told by entomologists. My body temp is about 98.3 and I'm never bothered by bugs like mosquitos unless I'm the only food out there. Amuses the hell outta me seeing everyone flailing about when I'm just hangin back.
posted by elendil71 at 1:07 PM on March 20, 2006
Most bloodsucking insects home in on body temperature. even a small (like .1 degree difference) will draw them in preference.
Or so I've been told by entomologists. My body temp is about 98.3 and I'm never bothered by bugs like mosquitos unless I'm the only food out there. Amuses the hell outta me seeing everyone flailing about when I'm just hangin back.
posted by elendil71 at 1:07 PM on March 20, 2006
My body temp is around 96.7 (really!) and I never realized that about mosquitos! No wonder everyone complains about getting bitten but me...hee hee hee. Thanks for the info, elendil71. On another note, my ex is an exterminator in northern New Jersey, and he said he gets bedbug calls several times a week these days, as opposed to a monthly call just a couple of years ago. Lovely thought, that.
posted by annieb at 5:45 PM on March 20, 2006
posted by annieb at 5:45 PM on March 20, 2006
yeah my roomate never got affected by the bugs so she thought they werent real.
my bites looked like a rash and itched alot. i thought i had poison ivy.
the best way to know for sure is to take the sheets off of your mattress and inspect it closely... look for blood trails around the seams.
paranoia is how i caught them. i thought maybe i had them but couldnt find them.. then i dreamt that i was being bit. because i was.. i woke up, turned on the lights and low and behold there were so many of them everywhere. worst sight EVER.
posted by trishthedish at 8:15 PM on March 20, 2006
my bites looked like a rash and itched alot. i thought i had poison ivy.
the best way to know for sure is to take the sheets off of your mattress and inspect it closely... look for blood trails around the seams.
paranoia is how i caught them. i thought maybe i had them but couldnt find them.. then i dreamt that i was being bit. because i was.. i woke up, turned on the lights and low and behold there were so many of them everywhere. worst sight EVER.
posted by trishthedish at 8:15 PM on March 20, 2006
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