May 06, 2009
Growing Bed Bug Problem Prompts UNL Extension Workshop
LINCOLN, Neb. — They come out at night and feed on you while you're sleeping. You won't even know it until you feel the effects later.
Bed bugs have become such a problem that University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension is trying to teach people more about them. Extension has joined with the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department to present the workshop "Bed Bugs: What You Need to Know" on May 21 at the Lancaster County Extension Center, 444 Cherrycreek Road.
The workshop is open to the public but is targeted toward landlords and property managers, said Barbara Ogg, extension educator.
"That group isn't as aware of how difficult it is to treat these and how fast they spread," Ogg said.
Bed bugs, a one-fourth-inch long reddish brown insect, hide in cracks and crevices of mattresses, box springs, sofas and chairs, Ogg said. Females can lay three to five eggs a day, and the white eggs about the size of a pin head can be difficult to see.
Usually people don't know they have a problem with bed bugs until after they have been bitten, Ogg said. The nocturnal bugs crawl onto sleeping humans and bite, feeding on blood. The bite is painless but the result is red, swollen, blotchy skin that will itch for several days.
A resurgence in bed bugs was noticed in the United States in the late 1990s and the problem has been growing, Ogg said. It can be an especially difficult problem in apartment buildings, where the bugs can be brought in by one person and affect nearly everyone, crawling from unit to unit.
Travelers sometimes pick up bed bugs while staying in hotels. The bugs will crawl into suitcases and be brought to homes. They also can be brought into the home through the purchase of used furniture.
"Landlords and property managers need to be able to recognize the problem and take subsequent management tactics, including thorough treatment by a pest control company," Ogg said.
The bed bug problem will be addressed by several presenters at the May 21 workshop. One presenter will be Annette Bredthauer, public health veterinarian with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, who will share results of a recent survey of pest control companies about bed bug treatments.
Other topics presented will include bed bug identification, biology and behavior, how to inspect a home or apartment for bed bugs and chemical and non-chemical management options.
The cost of the workshop is $20, which will include a packet of written information. No preregistration is required. Also presenting will be Ogg, extension educator Clyde Ogg of the UNL Pesticide Safety Education Program, and Jim Bare of the county health department.
For more information, contact Barb Ogg at (402) 441-7180. A brochure detailing the program can be found at Lancaster County Pest and Wildlife News.
5/6/09-LM Barb Ogg - Ph.D
Southeast Research & Extension Center Extension Educator (402) 441-7180
 
Lori McGinnis IANR News and Photography (402) 472-0918
Department:
Extension
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