BEWARE OF BED BUGS
City on dubious top-10 list
Windsor has become an itchier place, according to the country’s largest pest-control provider. The city has catapulted itself into the Top 10 list of Canadian cities experiencing Cimex lectularius — bed bugs.
Orkin Canada’s second annual list of top bed-bug cities saw Windsor jump two spots, to No. 9, between Sudbury and Scarborough. Based on the number of commercial and residential bed-bug treatments carried out by Orkin in 2018, Toronto is tops on the list, followed by Winnipeg and St. John’s.
“No one is immune because bed bugs can thrive in either clean or dirty homes, and some entomologists are warning this epidemic is set to get worse,” Orkin said in a news release on Tuesday. “In less than two decades, this pest has gone from a rarely experienced irritant to a major problem.” Locally, bed-bug numbers are “absolutely” increasing, said Phil Wong, environmental health manager with the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit.
“A lot more people have bed bugs than they might know,” said Wong. And, he added, “It’s not a reflection of how clean your home is.” Parties, public gatherings and other social events are ways for bed bugs to hitchhike rides to new homes, which is why this is the time of year to beware of such bugs and keep an eye open. “Early detection is the best way to reduce the chances of an infestation,” said Orkin Canada. Places to look include mattress tags and seams, under seat cushions, behind headboards, creases of drawers, buckling wallpaper or in carpets. Look for coloured stains, cast skins or live bed bugs. Prevention tips include drying potentially infested bed linens or clothing on the highest heat setting possible. Before returning home from travel, examine bags, inspect clothing and other items. Inspect all second-hand furniture before bringing it into the home. Wong said visiting and staying in hotels are ways of picking up the unwanted pest. After a blood meal, a tiny bed bug can last another couple of weeks before it needs to feed again.
Although bed bugs bite, the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit advises that the blood-sucking insects have not been linked to the spread of disease. “They can cause swelling, redness and itching which can lead to skin infections,” the local health unit says on its website. While WECHU provides education on the bugs, the agency does not investigate complaints because the insect does not represent a public health hazard.
There have been periodic infestations in the Windsor area in
recent years, including in public housing, hospital and library branches. Wong said little red spots appearing on your body after a night’s sleep are telltale signs of bed bugs sharing the sheets. “What we do recommend is don’t scratch them, it can lead to infections,” he said.