L.A. too feeling bedbugs' bite

New Yorkers aren't the only ones coping with creepy, crawly bloodsuckers.

Bedbugs have turned up in the Golden Triangle retail district of Beverly Hills and inside homes and apartments in more than two dozen local communities.

"It's really all over the county," said Angelo J. Bellomo, director of environmental health for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

After noticing an increase in reports from tenants, property owners and businesses, public health officials last spring began tracking reports of bedbugs and later posted public notices about how to prevent and treat infestations. They're confirming as many as 55 reports of the lentil-size, brown critters each month.

Across the United States, bedbugs have turned up in posh hotels, movie theaters, churches, hospitals, dormitories and high-end clothing stores. Fears of hotel infestations, particularly in New York, have thrown the travel industry into a tizzy, and national "bedbug summits" have drawn standing-room-only crowds.

Read more: "L.A.'s slow trickle of bedbugs may turn into a flood."

ALSO:

Winds, rain returning to L.A. Sunday night

-- Martha Groves

Photo: Erik Alden of Isotech Pest Management and his coonhound, Maddie, are on the hunt for bedbugs in a Santa Clarita apartment building. Credit: Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Pizzedoff]

Hmmm..."...lentil-size, brown critters." Well, there's always a 'creative' upside to almost anything.
At the rate the world economy is decompressing let the sun shine down! Just whip out the tweezers and fill up the ole' crock-pot with these little 'lentals', throw in some 'greens' (if you have a lawn). By the time the kids are home from school and hubby shows up from the grind, you're ready! Everyone can park together at the family table and give thanks for the nice warm bowls of 'lental' soup. Who's to know?
Anyone know the nutritional value for this little delish?

[Jay C]

This is why need to bring DDT back so we can kill these suckers for good!!!

[Jim Q. Citizen]

Ah..... yes! All the comforts of the Third World without even leaving your home!
And of course, the U.S. government won't allow the use of the pesticides that can easily knock this vermin out. Sometimes I wish Obama and his minion would just stick to redistributing the wealth.

[dee]

Question: If these bugs 'travel' so easily, what about major 'people carriers'--i.e., buses, trains, planes? Do those who have home infestations,or who have picked up the little critters, and may have them on their person, drag them along from city to city and 'share' while on a cramped carrier for several hours (or, internationally, lots of hours)? If anyone knows, please share your knowledge--hate to upset travellers just before the holiday, but don't know if I should drive cross-country or fly...

[Nick]

Prevention is the key. These buggers are tough to remove once you get them. I am not taking any chances. This is an important time for local awareness. I read another good article about pest prevention yesterday. I was turned on to a product made by a local company fighting to keep this under control. I use it when I go to the movie theater. The brand is Nature-cide. Nice little travel size bottle and is chemical free. I am listening to the experts and preventing this from happening to me.

[monitor2010]

Using a monitors like "The Bed Moat" and mattress encasements and you then make your bed an island.

Getting a good nights sleep

[justsomeguy]

Just some info... I'm a police officer so I deal with homeless who often times have various diseases such as Mersa, needles, you name it. However, I did pick up a case of bedbugs just from the contact with infested sheets. From my point of view, you cannot see these small insects and all it takes is one or two to hitch hike onto your clothes. I know that all I did was move an infected bedspread a few feet and found my home infested within a month. Just an FYI for anyone staying in a hotel ANYWHERE... look in the cracks of the mattress because it took me a good two months of constant battle with these critters just to rid them from my bedroom.

[Smith]

I like very much this article, but i found someting more interesting here
bedbug-signs