Bed bugs in Michigan

One of the nation’s most annoying pests are spreading throughout Michigan. Bed bugs have caused headaches for East Coast residents over the last decade, with major outbreaks hitting Philadelphia, Boston, and most famously, New York City. The bugs have taken over entire apartment complexes in ultra-dense Manhattan, affecting thousands of residents and causing million-dollar removal fees.

For the better part of a decade, Michigan residents sat back and watched as other states contended with the parasitic pests. Cities such as Detroit and Ann Arbor were almost completely free of them, as only the occasional outbreak featured on television shows and online reports. It’s been this way until 2007, when the bugs started taking over the state at truly unbelievable speeds.

Today, Detroit ranks among the ten most infested cities in the United States, with a wide variety of hotels and apartment buildings reporting issues with the bugs. Pest control companies are working overtime to ensure that the bugs can’t spread further, using new chemical cures and innovative heat and ice-based methods to keep the city clean. It’s working, although not as quickly as many hope.

While Detroit’s bed bug problems are minor next to those seen in other major cities, they’re enough to cause severe trouble for its residents. An apartment building in the inner city has had mail service dropped after a major outbreak was reported, and several other buildings within the city have been forced to temporarily house their residents in hotels, serviced apartments, or even family homes.

How are bed bugs spreading through Michigan?

As with other major metropolitan areas, it’s travel that’s to blame for Detroit’s surge in bug-related problems. With one of the country’s most active international airports and a direct road linking the city to nearby Canada, the bugs are easily able to spread into Michigan from other regions. Cities outside of Detroit have also seen outbreaks due to short-term hotel guests and their luggage.

The bugs are surprisingly athletic, able to crawl at a rate few humans would expect. As such, they can easily move from bedding to luggage without being noticed, particularly during the night-time hours when they’re most active. Pest control experts have stated that the bugs move into luggage, clothing, and other possessions during the night and are subsequently transported to new cities.

They’re also fierce hair residents, able to take refuge in human hair during the daytime. The bugs can cause skin irritations and severe itching, making them a fairly easy pest to spot when on your person. However, their fairly small size and tendency for compact spaces makes them difficult to spot on clothing, as they can easily burrow into seams and collars in order to avoid detection.

Which cities are most at risk of bed bug infestation?

Michigan’s economic center – Detroit – is most at risk of infestation due to its busy international airport, road link with Canada, and its relatively large population. Hotels in the city have played host to the bugs for years due to high turnover and limited staffing, with cleaning staff unable to detect the bugs in between guests. Most infestations are noticed by guests during the night.

Smaller cities such as Grand Rapids and Ann Arbor are also at risk, although due to their smaller travel appeal the two are less likely to experience outbreaks than Detroit. Several infestations in small towns have been reported, although due to the lower population density they are generally dealt to quickly and more effectively.

What steps can Michigan residents take to eliminate bed bugs?

Resident of Michigan – and also travelers in Michigan – should take steps to ensure that personal items don’t come in contact with the bugs. Bed bugs are infamously tough, and removing just one infestation can cost thousands of dollars and several weeks worth of spraying. Keep your clothing and suitcases away from bedsheets or carpet by storing it in the bathtub or using plastic cases.

Secondly, check mattresses, bedsheets, and pillow cases for any traces of the bugs before sleeping in a hotel bed. A story by Connect Michigan outlines the most effective ways to avoid catching the bugs in luggage or clothing, and even solutions for removing them from an infested home. There are numerous pest control services in the state, most of which offer a bed bug removal service.

Source www.bed-bug.org