Bed Bugs Overview

Why are Bed Bugs Back?

• Cascade has experienced a huge increase in Bed Bug calls in the last 18 months.
• Bed Bugs have returned to the U.S. and are becoming widespread.
• We grew up only hearing stories of bed bugs due to the powerful, and now banned, pesticides of the 1950's.
• The resurgence came from increased oversees travels, immigration and human population growth.
• Now they're spread by domestic travel, hotels (including 5 star) & public housing—and even public places such as theaters, office buildings, pet kennels and retail stores.
• Bed Bugs are tiny and flat so they can hide in great numbers in small cracks and crevices, even in mattress seams.
• Bed Bugs, similar to mosquitoes, feed on blood which they need to survive and to multiply. They can consume up to 3 times their body weight in one feeding.
• Bed Bug bites take 3 to 10 minutes and initially go unnoticed. Later itchy bumps occur.
• Bed Bugs can multiply rapidly. Two can turn into thousands.
• There are no successful home remedies for Bed Bugs. They must be controlled professionally.

See Bed Bug Facts for more information.

Greater Seattle Bed Bug News

Body Hair Senses Parasites While Slowing Their Blood Quest
- Scientific American
http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=body-hair-senses-parasites-while-sl-11-12-13&WT.mc_id=SA_syn_HuffPo

"Volunteers detected bedbugs more quickly on unshaven versus shaved arms. And the bugs took longer to find a feeding spot among the forest of hair..."

Be vigilant to avoid bedbugs when traveling
- Seattle Times
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2011790456_trbedbugs09.html

"Years of backpacking in Third World countries introduced Michael Newberg, 53, to plenty of meddlesome insects. None, though, compared to the bedbugs that infested his suburban Denver home last year after a stay in a hotel in Estes Park, Colo..."

Bugs in Your Bed
- The Stranger
http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/bugs-in-your-bed/Content?oid=3210060

"Of all the disturbing things about bedbugs, their mating habits may be the worst... "

Bed bugs becoming the latest “epidemic” in King County
- MyNorthwest.com
http://www.mynorthwest.com/category/local_news_articles/20100715/Bed-bugs-becoming-the-latest-"epidemic"-in-King-County

"These hot summer nights aren't the only reason many people are "sleepless in Seattle" these days. Bed bugs are becoming a huge problem..."

Seattle has a bedbug problem and doesn't know it
- Seattle PI
http://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog/archives/220167.asp

"Feeling pretty safe about bedbugs? Don't. Clean doesn't have anything to do with it. Neither does heat. The unfortunate fact is, bedbugs show up just about anywhere..."

Ewww! Bed bugs making a big comeback in Seattle
- KOMO News
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/55493312.html

"Bed bugs are making a nasty little comeback, so say officials at the "Bed Bug Summit" held Thursday in Seattle..."

Bothersome bed bugs biting NW
- Puget Sound Business Journal
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/2010/09/bothersome_bed_bugs_bite_nw.html

"I can live with spiders and snakes, but the thought of bed bugs is getting to me..."

Photo credits

The photos on this page were taken from Wikipedia under a GNU Free Documentation License unless otherwise noted.

National Geographic's "Bed Bugs" Video