Bed Bugs Invade New York

[nferr]

Oh my gosh. I was supposed to be in NY right now...but I cancelled my trip 3 days beforehand when I heard about bed bugs in my hotel. I am a senior, and I have a near phobia of bugs since childhood. I know I wouldn't be able to sleep with just the thought of them sharing my room somewhere. Now I am reading here that they are riding the trains. I had a sleeper car......but never thought about them on the EB. I am wondering if I'll be able to ride the trains again. I've been taking Amtrak for many years but only the last couple of times have I had sleeping accomodations. I probably would have been better off...not reading this "stuff",but on the otherhand, maybe it's better that I am informed?????????????????????

I think you should just never leave your house. Live like a hermit. I mean - come on - all life is a risk of some kind. You're going to be terrified of the small chance of a bedbug bite? I ride motorcycles 10,000 miles a year.

 

[gmcguire]

Cecil Adams' "The Straight Dope" has a pretty good assessment of Rachel Carson and DDT.

A couple of things. First, much of the conventional wisdom on DDT is a myth. It's still used in places where malaria is a problem, but mosquito resistance to its overuse is an issue.

As for bedbugs, heating the room they are in to > 130* seems to be an effective measure now that they've developed resistance to most pesticides and is becoming the preferred method of eradication.

 

[AlanB]

As for bedbugs, heating the room they are in to > 130* seems to be an effective measure now that they've developed resistance to most pesticides and is becoming the preferred method of eradication.

Actually the method being used to kill them more and more is to take the temperature in the other direction, freezing them. Yes, for clothing they'll tell you to wash them and then dry the clothes to kill the bugs. But for furniture and other objects, freezing is both easier and safer.