DON’T LET THE BED BUGS BITE
If your childhood was like mine, than you were occasionally tucked in to bed with the following blessing: “Good night, sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite.” Thankfully, I have never actually run into a Bed Bug in my sleeping quarters, but thousands of Americans have recently run into these little critters in motels across the US.
How do I know this? Because In the last two weeks (May 2009) our firm has received calls about bed bug infestations in three Motels along interstate 81 in Virginia.
I won’t name the motels (yet) but am certain you and your family has probably stayed in a similar place on a family road trip, reunion, etc.
So what is the big deal about Bed Bugs? According to the Harvard School of Public Health, bedbugs are small, wingless insects. They are parasitic, and seek out the nests of warm-blooded animals, whose blood they feast on. Although some types of bed bugs (and their relatives) inhabit bird nests and bat roosts, others seek out human “nests,” eg., people’s homes. This of course, includes Motel rooms where a fresh supply of people enters and exists daily.
Ok, so we have established they are blood suckers, what else can they do? Well these small but mighty bugs can do the following:
o Cause allergic reactions (which need to be treated medically)
o Skin infections (MRSA ) from open wounds caused by bugs
o Cause scaring / welts on the skin
o Cause emotional distress (think you will ever stay in a Motel again)
Apparently, bed bug infestation is on the rise (see http://www.foxnews.com/search-results/m/22105138/don-t-let-the-bedbugs-bite.htm) – so what do you do if you are bitten?
o Go to your dermatologist / emergency room for treatment if you get infection / allergic reaction
o SAVE THE BUGS (Ziploc bags are fine)
o Launder your clothes (in a hot dryer) before taking them home
o Leave suitcases in a trashbag outside to bake in the sun or hot car (to kill the bugs)
o Take photos of the bugs and your scars / welts
o If they are home – call an exterminator (don’t use the stuff at the hardware store – may not work that well)
Mr. Frith and I represent families who have been bitten by bed bugs across Virginia and the East Coast. If you have been bitten by a bed bug at a Motel / Hotel, we can help. Please call our office at 1-866-985-0098 or email me at lellerman@frithlawfirm.com