Reports of bed bugs on the rise in Washtenaw County; Ann Arbor apartments deal with infestation
Officials with the Washtenaw County Public Health Department say reports of bed bugs in the area are on the rise, due in part to resistant bugs and the increasingly transient lifestyles of humans.
At least one apartment complex in the area catering to University of Michigan students treated four apartments in the past week for bed bugs.
Angela Parsons, environmental educator for the health department's Environmental Health Division, said the county received about 15 reports of bed bugs for all of 2009, compared to none in 2007.
But public health officials say it's hard to get a tally on the total number of local cases because they aren't usually reported to the county.
"We have definitely seen an increase in reports and cases," Parsons said. "(As of) last week, we had received 15 complaints so far this year. Our numbers will definitely trump last year's."
Bed bugs are small, relatively flat, brown insects that feed on the blood of sleeping humans. In some people, bites from the tiny pests can result in red, itchy welts, similar to a mosquito bite. Other people may have no reaction to the bites.
Bed bugs are shown in this jar.
AP Photo | Terry Gilliam
Amy Khan, vice president for CMB Property Management, Inc., said Wednesday that four units at Corner House Lofts were treated for bed bugs in the past week — two units with live, adult bed bugs, and two units with "suspected (bed bug) activity."
The bugs were found in beds and couches in the apartments, which come furnished.
"This is the first time we've had the problem (at Corner House Lofts)," Khan said of the complex at the corner of State and Washington.
A pest control company treated all four units — as well as the hallways and laundry rooms at the property as a precaution — when the bugs were discovered last week. They were treated again on Wednesday, Khan said.
She said a fog treatment was used, and the affected rooms were thoroughly vacuumed because the chemicals used to treat the problem only kill adult bugs, not the eggs.
The bright side, she said, is the problem was "really isolated."
Parsons said factors leading to more bed bugs include greater restrictions on pesticide use, such as DDT — once commonly used and now banned — the pests' increasing resistance to pesticides, and transient lifestyles of humans.
Bed bugs are stowaways and can hitch a ride from one place to another on clothing, in suitcases — even in electronic devices.
Alice Ehn, executive officer for the Washtenaw Area Apartment Association, recalled a story of an area resident who had a recurring problem with the bugs. As it turns out, they were hiding in his laptop computer.
"It's not like roaches where they come with bad conditions or unsanitary behavior," Ehn said. "Bed bugs come to a place on a person, in their luggage, or in their cell phone. ... A lot of people think it's the landlord's fault, but it's not."
Parsons said with more people traveling, the bugs also have more opportunity to get around. They're also difficult to spot, and once found, they can be difficult to get rid of.
"They're really good at hiding, and they typically come out at night to feed in dark conditions," she said. "They're difficult to eradicate, too."
An Environmental Health & Safety Fair taking place today at the county health services building, 555 Towner in Ypsilanti, will address the issue.
The event will consist of two sessions, one from 9 a.m. to noon and another from 1-4 p.m.
The reports the health department receives only represents part of the problem, Parsons said, because the department only receives "formal complaints" from places like hotels, apartments and other rental units — not from homeowners. And the department is usually only notified when management isn't effectively handling the problem on its own.
"We usually get involved when the tenants feel there's a problem that's not being addressed," she said.
Parsons said it's important for people to understand bed bugs "don't discriminate" on the basis of education, socioeconomic status, or any other factor.
"They have been found in 5-star hotels and in inexpensive motels," she said.
Parsons provided the following tips for preventing the spread of bed bugs:
- When staying at a motel or hotel, check the room, especially around the bed, the mattress and bedding for the pests, their fecal matter or dried spots of blood, which could indicate an infestation.
- After traveling, put all clothing through a hot cycle in the dryer to kill any bugs that might have come along.
- Inspect all second-hand furniture, especially upholstered furniture and mattresses, for signs of the bugs before buying or bringing it home.
Heather Lockwood is a reporter for AnnArbor.com, reach her at heatherlockwood@annarbor.com or follow her on Twitter.
Comments
Sallyxyz
Wed, Oct 6, 2010 : 7:42 a.m.
@barnwow, which specific apartment complex are you referring to? Once again, the public needs to know the specifics. Can you provide the name and address? Heather, I'm familiar with FOIA, but that doesn't excuse the fact that the public needs to have specific information and a list of all hotels, apartments and businesses that have or have had a bedbug problem. This is serious business and it needs follow-up. File the request and then do another article when the information is available. This is not a problem that is going away any time soon. It is an epidemic in many cities in the country. As far as the Bedbug Registry is concerned, it's fine if a report is made. Many landlords and hotels don't want to report a problem, so many problems are not documented on the site. The Health Department is a more reliable source, and they need to step up and make the information PUBLIC. Isn't that their mission, PUBLIC HEALTH?
bamwow
Fri, Oct 1, 2010 : 2:33 p.m.
A family member of ours was infested with bed bugs all summer. Had the apartment complex been forthcoming to its residents they may have been able to save a lot of furniture, clothes and heartache. Instead, it was kept quiet. Only residents who inquired about what to do were given advice or treatments so there was NO prevention. Residents had to dispose of mattresses, sofas, chairs, desks, tables and in a few cases the entire contents of apartments had to be put in storage. Bedbugs may be survivable, but they aren't manageable for senior citizens and people with health problems. They are a nightmare.
a2citizen
Thu, Sep 30, 2010 : 8:11 p.m.
@ Heather & Sallyxyz: I don't mean to get into a back and forth with you about the information the health department releases, but in the Monday editions the Ann Arbor News use to print the results of the weekly restaurant health code inspections. I'm glad the inspectors performed inspections but I never saw a restaurant without any violations. It was almost as if the inspector was going to find something wrong just to find something wrong. That being the health inspectors attitude, why all of a sudden the concern over privacy? If the apartments had rats, improper wiring or no sewage, would that information be subject to FOIA? Regards
stunhsif
Thu, Sep 30, 2010 : 6:17 p.m.
@DB, And bedbugs are Democrats because they, "bite the hand that feeds them". Have a good night, don't bite the bedbugs or the roaches!
YpsiLivin
Thu, Sep 30, 2010 : 4:31 p.m.
Check http://bedbugregistry.com/ to search for hotels, apartments and properties where bedbugs have been reported.
David Briegel
Thu, Sep 30, 2010 : 4:11 p.m.
I lived in a Northeast A2 apartment complex in the 80's and had a real roach problem. When I moved I took serious preventive action at both locations and thankfully I haven't seen on since. I used to tell my kids "don't bite the bed bugs" when I tucked them in at night! It led to interesting and humorous discussions! stun, they only like conservatives!!
David Briegel
Thu, Sep 30, 2010 : 4:04 p.m.
Heather, Just Do It! People need to know and they need to know the response. Sooner is better than later. But at least Do It!
breadman
Thu, Sep 30, 2010 : 3:24 p.m.
Corner House is on the corner of State and Washington.. Above Buffalo Wild Wings. Stacked together, most are students housing......
Heather Lockwood
Thu, Sep 30, 2010 : 1:43 p.m.
@Sallyxyz The Michigan Daily reported that Corner House Lofts was dealing with a bed bug problem, which is how I knew to contact management there. Officials at the health department would not tell me what specific apartments, hotels, etc. had reports of bed bugs. I was told that information may be subject to Freedom of Information Act laws. To obtain information by filing FOIA requests can take weeks, so as far as I know, it would not have been possible to get that information in a timely manner.
Sallyxyz
Thu, Sep 30, 2010 : 1:28 p.m.
The SPECIFIC apartment complexes need to be named. The articles states that bedbug infestation reports are on the rise in Washtenaw county, but fails to specifically name the hotels, apartments, residences or businesses where the bugs were found, other than one complex (Four Corners). This is irresponsible journalism and does not inform the public SPECIFICALLY where the problems are occurring. Pressure from realtors and property managers to not name specific addresses of infestation reports is not acceptable.
YpsiLivin
Thu, Sep 30, 2010 : 10:52 a.m.
A2Grateful, While the media attributes the near-elimination of bedbugs in North America to DDT, the evidence doesn't actually support that theory very well. Bedbugs are largely resistant to DDT today and a growing body of evidence suggests that they were also resistant to DDT in the 50's. Their resistance to DDT should have made their population increase at that time; instead, the bugs virtually disappeared. While screening multiple populations of bed bugs against various insecticides we have found virtually all populations were 100% resistant to DDT. This is not a surprise given that the first observances of DDT resistance were noted almost 50 years ago. It is a little surprising that they continue to be so completely resistant to DDT. - Texas A & M research scientist James W. Austin Also, while you say that bedbugs aren't harmful based on the fact that they're not known to carry diseases, they can generate extreme psychological distress among people, which is harmful. Homeowners may have the resources to take action on their own ($2K-$5K), but renters are in a different position altogether. If the landlord isn't responsive to the tenants' complaints, or doesn't treat the whole building the tenants are left to deal with the problem. That often means throwing out expensive furniture, bedding, electronics and personal possessions. Landlord inaction also spreads the problem when the tenants move to a new apartment with the bedbugs in tow. Continue to rationalize bedbugs as a minor problem, if you must, but that will get a lot harder for you when you're the one fumigating and throwing out your possessions.
Morris Thorpe
Thu, Sep 30, 2010 : 8:10 a.m.
stunhsif, Ironic. A friend in Mexico recently came back from a visit to NY and found...bed bugs stowing along in his clothes. However, he doesn't think the whole US is infected, so he still plans to go ahead with his trip to SF this spring.
a2grateful
Thu, Sep 30, 2010 : 7:28 a.m.
"Sleep tight... don't let the bedbugs bite"... words my grandmother would say to me when tucking me into bed as a child... Aren't I fortunate to have lived without knowing anything about the origin of the bedtime wish?... Bedbugs are not life threatening... The former eradicating agent is: DDT... Bedbugs are survivable and manageable... Unless you're dealing with the hysteria generated by media, especially TV during "sweeps week," or pest control company marketing... Of all the human challenges, bedbugs are low on the list of threats...
stunhsif
Thu, Sep 30, 2010 : 5:24 a.m.
I brought them back from Mexico in late June this year. Only saw 4 adults and was able to eradicate them before they got into our bedding etc. Got a quote from Terminex for over 1000 dollars so I turned to the internet and was able to get rid of them myself. I will not be making another trip to Mexico anytime soon!