BED BUGS:

Bedbugs have feasted on sleeping humans for thousands of years. After World War II, they were eradicated from most developed nations with the use of DDT. This pesticide and others effective in treating bedbugs have been banned by the EPA after pressure from environmental activists. The risk of encountering bedbugs has increased to the point that they can be picked up at almost any public place, restaurants, movie theaters, schools, gyms, hotels, etc.

Bedbugs are reddish brown, oval and flat, about the size of an apple seed. During the day, they hide in the cracks and crevices of beds, box springs, headboards and bed frames. Sanitation and constant diligence are the ingrediants for successful bed bug control. It's a daunting task to eliminate bedbugs from your home.

A female bedbug can lay more than 200 eggs in her lifetime, which typically lasts for about 10 months. Newly hatched bedbugs are nearly colorless, so they are hard to spot. They shed their skin five times as they grow, and need a blood meal for each molt.

Nonchemical treatments may include:

• Vacuuming. A thorough vacuuming of cracks and crevices can physically remove bedbugs from an area. But vacuum cleaners can't reach all hiding places.
• Hot water. Washing clothes and other items in water at least 120 F (49 C) can kill bedbugs.
• Clothes dryer. Placing wet or dry items in a clothes dryer set at medium to high heat for 20 minutes will kill bedbugs and their eggs.
• Enclosed vehicle. If it's summer, you can bag up infested items and leave them in a car parked in the sun with the windows rolled up for a day. The target temperature is at least 120 F (49 C).
• Freezing. Bedbugs are also vulnerable to temperatures below 32 F (0 C) but you'd need to leave the items outdoors or in the freezer for several days.