COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A resurgence of bedbugs across the U.S. has homeowners and apartment dwellers taking desperate measures to eradicate the tenacious bloodsuckers, with some relying on dangerous outdoor pesticides and fly-by-night exterminators.
The problem has gotten so bad that the Environmental Protection Agency warned this month against the indoor use of chemicals meant for the outside. The agency also warned of an increase in pest control companies and others making “unrealistic promises of effectiveness or low cost.”
Bedbugs, infesting U.S. households on a scale unseen in more than a half-century, have become largely resistant to common pesticides. As a result, some homeowners and exterminators are turning to more hazardous chemicals that can harm the central nervous system, irritate the skin and eyes or even cause cancer.
Ohio authorities, struggling against widespread infestations in Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton and other cities, are pleading with EPA to approve the indoor use of the pesticide propoxur, which the agency considers a probable carcinogen and banned for in-home use in 2007. About 25 other states are supporting Ohio’s request for an emergency exemption.
EPA rejected the request in June. An agency spokesman, Dale Kemery, said the EPA has pledged to find new, potent chemicals to kill bedbugs, which can cause itchy, red bites that can become infected if scratched.
In the meantime, authorities around the country have blamed house fires on people misusing all sorts of highly flammable garden and lawn chemicals to fight bedbugs. Experts also warn that some hardware products — bug bombs, cedar oil and other natural oils — claim to be lethal but merely cause the bugs to scatter out of sight and hide in cracks in walls and floors.
A pest control company in Newark, N.J., was accused in July of applying chemicals not approved for indoor use throughout 70 homes and apartments units, even spraying mattresses and children’s toys. No illnesses were reported.
In Cincinnati, an unlicensed applicator saturated an apartment complex in June with an agricultural pesticide typically used on golf courses. Seven tenants got sick and were treated at the hospital. The property was quarantined, and all tenants were forced to move. Authorities are pursuing criminal charges.
“When you see the anguish that bedbugs cause these people, it’s understandable why they might take things into their own hands, and some of it is very dangerous,” said Michael Potter, an entomologist at the University of Kentucky and one of the country’s leading bedbug experts.
Bedbugs, a common household pest for centuries, all but vanished in the 1940s and ’50s with the widespread use of DDT. But DDT was banned in 1972 as too toxic to wildlife, especially birds. Since then, the bugs have developed resistance to chemicals that replaced DDT.
Also, exterminators have fewer weapons in their arsenal than they did just a few years ago because of a 1996 Clinton-era law that requires older pesticides to be re-evaluated based on more stringent health standards. The re-evaluations led to the restrictions on propoxur and other pesticides.
Though propoxur is still used in pet collars, it is banned for use in homes because of the risk of nausea, dizziness and blurred vision in children. Steven Bradbury, director of the EPA’s pesticide program, said the problem is that children crawl on the floor and put their fingers in their mouths.
Critics in the pest control industry say that the federal government is overreacting and that professional applicators can work with families to prevent children from being exposed to harmful levels of the chemical, which is more commonly used outside against roaches and crickets.
“It’s a knockout pesticide, vastly superior to anything else for bedbugs,” said Andrew Christman, president of Ohio Exterminating Co., which is on pace to treat about 3,000 bedbug infestations in 2010, up from an average of two in 2006.
Christman said other in-home pesticides aren’t as lethal as propoxur, requiring several treatments that can push extermination costs to $500 or $1,500, depending on the size of a home.
Marion Ehrich, a toxicologist at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, said the EPA is showing appropriate caution. She said other scientists who have studied the bedbug problem are not eager to see propoxur released in homes.
“Propoxur is not a silver bullet, and given time, bedbugs would likely become resistant to it, too,” said Lyn Garling, an entomologist at Penn State University.
Experts say it is going to take a comprehensive public health campaign — public-service announcements, travel tips and perhaps even taxpayer-funded extermination programs for public housing — to reduce the bedbug problem.
People can get bedbugs by visiting infested homes or hotels, where the vermin hide in mattresses, pillows and curtains. The bugs are stealth hitchhikers that climb onto bags, clothing and luggage.
After the bugs were discovered this summer in a Times Square movie theater and some upscale clothing stores, New York City began a $500,000 public awareness campaign.
Last week, the pest control company Terminix listed New York, Philadelphia and Detroit as the three most-infested cities, based on call volume to its 350 service centers. Ohio had three cities in the top 10.
For Delores Stewart, 76, bedbugs have been a nightmare, infesting her Columbus home since last year.
“It’s awful, it‘s disheartening and it’s a terrible way to live,” Stewart, 76, a retired meat factory worker who discovered the vermin crawling in her bed and her living room recliners.
Her house was treated by a reputable exterminator for the fourth time Wednesday. She has warned neighbors and others about the problem and doesn’t blame them for staying away.
“I feel isolated,” she said.
Darrel Spegal, a property manager in Columbus who oversees four apartment complexes, said he has spent thousands of dollars to exterminate units.
“We have to try something different,” Spegal said. “I mean, look around. The bugs are winning this war.”
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rhet 2
Posted on September 1, 2010 at 9:25pmI’m wondering if anyone has tried Dawn dishwashing liquid? I’ve never seen or heard of bedbug infestations like this, but, in my gardening, I’ve found that a light spraying does massively reduce insect populations. It’s biodegradable, but it dissolves the wax in insect exoskeletons. I have to rinse the plants an hour after application, because plant tissue also contains wax-like substance that the soap dissolves. Can an etymologist familiar with bedbug cell structure comment?
I’m also wondering what herbs medieval societies used. Some of the very old, pre-technologies were not as useless as people think.
Report Post »Train
Posted on August 31, 2010 at 11:34amMany of the current families of insecticides kill bugs by attacking their nervous systems. I believe that the rise in frequency of neurological disorders such as restless leg syndrome may be a result of the use of these insecticides. Although we may find out that DDT is not healthy, I am not sure that it is any worse than what we are currently using.
Report Post »sbyoung
Posted on August 31, 2010 at 10:56amfilth brings bedbugs, people coming into this country visiting, illigally, carry germs,bugs and only
Report Post »god knows what else. This country is clean, In the 40-50′s bugs and childhood diseases were non-existen. now with all the border crossings, we’re back where we started
larryz
Posted on August 31, 2010 at 10:50amEating and rubbing on cretin foods and spices may discourage them, “Bed Begs” form looking at you as something to nibble on, but then it may have the same effect on other humans you may want nibbling on you.
NeeNee
Posted on August 31, 2010 at 10:44am“The increase in bed bugs has nothing to do with the removal of DDT, rather it is due to the increases in international travel and what we call bunk houses of illegal immigrants where 8-10 people are living in a single family home.” – SARGENJD01
So true! Our small midwestern Iowa town has been co-opted by the illegals, to the point where 70% of the population is Hispanic (two major packing plants). I have friends who work at the local schools who tell me that bedbug bites are quite ho-hum these days. However, one of the most pathetic examples was related by a school nurse. An 8-year-old girl had what appeared to be large tooth-impression bites on her back & shoulders. “Do you have a dog that’s biting you?”she asked the child. Girl replied no, their apartment had RATS!!
My state also saw a big uptick in mumps a couple years ago. This childhood disease, too, had been eradicated—or so we thought—for decades. Some legal Hispanics have told us that our town is attracting folks from a very poor, mountainous region of Mexico. No skills, no education beyond 4th grade. And obviously no vaccinations.
Two houses in my neighborhood have at least 25 people in them. We passed a law saying that families can no longer go together to buy homes and/or pack them with people. After two years, I can say it has had little success. Reason? All they have to do is say two words: extended.family. And officials must back off.
Report Post »Train
Posted on August 31, 2010 at 11:18amNeenee, although it is true that more bed bugs have come into the country from outside of it they would not be a significant problem if DDT was still around. One or two applications of DDT would stop them and that would be it. The way things are now, people spend years and multiple attempts and use multiple strategies to get rid of them. We got rid of all of the carpet in our house because after trying steam, insecticides, DE, — throwing out furniture and mattresses, heat, dry ice, and Steri Fab — we were unable to get rid of them. We spent $600 dollars on a steamer that we used to steam the baseboards and floor in our bedroom. We slept on an inflatable mattress that could be deflated and put into a freezer. We had gotten rid of them and my wife bought a mattress at a mattress store that had them so we had to start all over. Bed bugs are torture.
Report Post »sargenjd01
Posted on August 31, 2010 at 10:34amI am not sure where people get these silly ideas about certain things but a dehumidifer will absoutely, positively do nothing to prevent BEDBUGS. A female bedbug can live for well over a year without a blood meal and can even surivive over wintering in a un-heated building, reducing the ambient humidity level will do nothing to affect them, They are one of the hardiest insects around surving long periods without a meal and various temperature ranges. Bed bugs thrive in some of the worst conditions, As for the gentleman that prescribed using DDT, personally I would never use a chlroinated hrdrocarbon inside my home. These were banned for a good reason, their effects on avians and they have a 50 year half life and will contaminate the water tables.
Report Post »GJPinks
Posted on August 31, 2010 at 10:29amSeveral years ago I remember reading a report by the scientist responsible for the “Egg Shell Thinning” report. When he reviewed his raw data, he discovered that he had severely limited the Calcium content of the diet. When he took this to the attention of his superiors, telling them that he needed to rerun the study with proper diets, he was told not to do it. You might want to try and track this guy down and interview him.
Report Post »sargenjd01
Posted on August 31, 2010 at 10:20amAgain, no offense dannidee but dehumidifers will absoutely not prevent or control bedbugs. Believe me, as an entomologist I know, now maybe you were thinking about dust mites since it does help in their control. And I could care less about what the WHO says, you go ahead and use DDT in your home, any idiot that would use a chlronated hydrocarbon ath on the average has a half life of 50 years inside their home is crazy.
DanniDee
Posted on August 31, 2010 at 10:10amDehumidifiers PREVENT many problems, including BEDBUGS and MILDEW, and they’re not very expensive, either.
Report Post »Freelancer
Posted on August 31, 2010 at 10:03amJust as soon as Congress gets back in session, Obama will call for a $30 BILLION program to fight this problem and target only the inner cities. They will use any reason that they can find to spend more money on handouts and people will literally riot for their portion of it.
The government will provide….
Report Post »sargenjd01
Posted on August 31, 2010 at 8:54amHumanbean is close but unfortunately diatomaceous earth (DE) alone will never eradicate bed bugs in a home. As someone who works in this industry we have gone from 1 to 2 bedbug calls a month to 1-2 a week. As a rule of these calls only about 50% actualy have bed bugs. Often it is fear or something like an allergic reaction to carpet bettle larva. The increase in bed bugs has nothing to do with the removal of DDT, rather it is due to the increases in international travel and what we call bunk houses of illegal immigrants where 8-10 people are living in a single family home. I have often taught pepole how to control common insect infestations but bed bugs like termites is something you should leave to the professionals, sure you can do it yourself but eventually you will call a professional.The main treamtment requires little chemical application but rather a treatment of very hot steam or co2 freezing of beds, furniture, carpets, baseboards, headboard, picture frames, etc. are the first requirement. The cost is not associated with chemical since a proplery weill trained pest provider does not need to use long-term persistent chemicals to treat for bedbugs . The cost is associated with the labor since the average bedroom requires about 4-5 hours. People who do not work in this industry need to stop talking about things they have no knowledge of. considering the chemicals we use for pest control have not long term residual effects and often are completely broken down within 90 days. You better know how to treat a certain pest or just applying a “BLAST” of chemcials could result in doubling or even worse trippling a minor ifestation..
Report Post »Train
Posted on August 31, 2010 at 11:10amWe called Terminex and it did not solve our problem. Our greates succes has been with information from the internet and our own experimentation. The little plastic trays coated with power that you put under your bed posts seem to help some too. Covering your mattress and box spring with an allergy cover helps but does not totally solve the problem.
IndependentJ
Posted on August 31, 2010 at 8:51amThey probably should find a safer alternative………
Report Post »humanbean
Posted on August 31, 2010 at 5:53amI am surprised no mention has been made of diatomaceous earth (DE) (…consisting of or containing diatoms or their fossil remains) as a means to eradicate these (or any) pests. This is a physical rather than chemical defense. It is not harmful to humans as long as you use pure DE and not a compound mixed with chemicals – the sharp edges of the microscopic fossil bits are too small to cause any damage to humans.
If DE is sprinkled in and around the infested area, the powdery substance clings to the bodies of the pests and any of it that might be ingested does the same from the inside and causes micro-cuts in their soft tissue that causes them to individually bleed out and die. Even if only a portion of the pests have it clinging to them, they will nevertheless pass it to others in the population as they “socialize and mingle” expanding the effect amongst the rest.
A bit slower than a blast of chemicals – it takes perhaps a week or even a few weeks for full effect, but bugs are not likely to build up a resistance to micro-razor blades and safe for humans and pets. Perhaps it is not advertised much because it is cheap, plentiful, and does not require an EPA-certified professional to apply. Look it up and see for yourself.
Failbhe
Posted on August 31, 2010 at 10:00amExactly SargenJD01. DE works well to reduce the number of bedbugs but it is very messy, gets into the air where you breath it in, and is a pain in the butt to clean up afterward. However; it really does reduce the activity of bedbugs while you wait on a professional to exterminate them but it by no means kills them all. Which, when your wife is freaked by the bugs, the idea of sleeping with these things crawling all over you, DE is a decent stop-gap until the professional arrives.
Harry Schell
Posted on August 31, 2010 at 10:17pmI have asthma, and you tell me little razor blades are just fine for me. I will do more research, but if the County of Los Angeles CA can ban wood-burning fireplaces due to their impact on people like me, I wonder seriously about your messy idea. Been around DE, and it gets into every nook and cranny, no surprise. And if I can zip the bloodsuckers with a chemical with no/minimal comebacks…er, tell me why I should do that if my quality of life is the issue. If Gaia’s satisfaction with how I live is the issue, you can admit that. Never met her at church, but I understand your view.
Report Post »Train
Posted on August 31, 2010 at 2:57amThe danger from DDT was from agricultural applications where massive amounts were used. There is no way that limited applications of DDT in homes or businesses could get into the environmnent to hurt animals. Plus there is no evidence that DDT is harmful to humans. Plus what we are comparing is a single application of DDT to multiple applications of these other pesticides. There is a good chance that DDT would be safer for humans. Our government is DDT-O-phobic in a very irrational way..
Report Post »BlueStarMom
Posted on August 31, 2010 at 4:57amYou’re so right. On the contrary, NOT using DDT has been very harmful to humans. Malaria in Africa kills millions, the medfly in California has literally changed every day life for decades, and now this. Did you know that we have inspection stations on every major route into CA where you must stop and let them search for fruit? Not illegal aliens. Coolers, lunchboxes, and rv refrigerators are searched. How much money do you think we’ve wasted over the years on the medfly? Ever driven back from Vegas on Sunday and sat in a 100 mile long traffic jam? Know why? Medfly inspection station. Love to see the analysis of the air pollution all those idling engines create to make sure no Nevadan bananas get smuggled in. They always say Social Security is the third rail of politics. Ever hear a politician propose lifting the ban on DDT? Nope. And you never will. At least they’re consistent in their stupidity.
Report Post »Allie
Posted on August 31, 2010 at 2:48amThey’re everywhere.
Mclowe
Posted on August 31, 2010 at 12:21amBring back the DDT and see those bugs disappear.
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