Bed Bug Summit in Buffalo, NY

Remember that big summit a couple of months ago? A smaller summit was held in Buffalo, New York to address the bed bug contagion.

Mosquitoes' Last Stand

   Bed Bugs are killing it in New York but today, it's the mosquitoes who are killing it in our office. Temperatures have been drifting in and out of the 70s this week and it's breezy so the mosquitoes must be getting ready for their big die-off as the summer ends and cold creeps into the city. Before they all die-off however, they're invading our office building today and I already have six bites on my legs.

   Yeah, it was dumb to wear shorts today but I had a workout session at 1PM today at the gym. Jen caught one of the mosquitoes which she's keeping in a little plastic cup. She's Buddhist and doesn't believe in killing anything but I told her that if she traps the mosquito, it's going to die over the weekend when no one's at the offices and it'll die a lonely death. She thought about it for a few minutes but didn't let it go. I think she's going to bring it home or release it but I asked her to take it outside if she was going to let it go. We don't need any more mosquitoes.

Bed Bugs in the New York Times

An article posted last night on the N.Y. Times' website appears to concede tentative victory to the bed bugs. The writer cites the evolution of super bed bugs that Mother Nature has adapted for resistance to pesticides. The writer's solution for possibly conquering beg bugs? I'll quote the pablum below:

http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2010/08/in_1913_the_department_of.html "So, what to do with these genetic superbugs? Burn them. And if that doesn’t work, freeze ‘em. Exterminators no longer just treat houses with pesticide, as they did in the forties. Now they’re employing the full arsenal. That includes using heat and steam machines that reach over 180 degrees. In other scenarios, exterminators use what is essentially dry ice to freeze them, like they’re a villain from Batman."

   That sounds all nifty and comic-book mighty but the real world doesn't work like that. Cleaning up one domicile by burning and freezing isn't a permanent solution. All that needs to occur after the scorched Earth tactical strike is for another pair of bed bugs to enter the home on the sleeve of a visitor, the UPS delivery guy, or the plumber from an outfit that ends in "Rooter." So, is there really a solution for the bed bug problem? Sure there is.

Prevention.

   I haven't slept with bed bugs. Ever. Neither have my neighbors, the neighbors down the street, and the neighbors who live right next to the local sandwich shop. The one that serves bacon and egg heroes to the locals. I don't expect to wind up with bed bugs either because I avoid dirty ass people and I never frequent joints where dirty ass people frequent.

Bed Bug Brouhaha

   New York City has gone bed bug crazy. Not that bed bugs haven't always been around but with all the blogs, twitters, and news articles mentioning bed bugs, Gotham's mind space is being owned by the little buggers. So, are they really that much more widespread or are we just hearing about it more because of the information overload that we're immersed in everyday?

   I'd prefer the second explanation as to why bed bugs seem to be mounting an invasion rather than the fact that they're really multiplying faster than Mother Nature ever intended. Sure they've got uncanny survival skills such as being able to survive without food or water for a year but c'mon now.

   In conclusion, the bed bug population hasn't exploded. It's just that people are talking about them more so they've infested the thoughts of the city. If you're unfortunate enough to be the host of a bed bug colony, you might have to hire a professional extermination service to eliminate the infestation but costs can and do go up to a few thousand dollars for a thorough cleaning. New York Magazine featured an article a few months ago where a family spent nearly $100,000 to clean their UES apartment.