HOLY CRAP

[twirlgrrl]

Bedbugs can live without food for UP TO A YEAR.

Oh, wait. I found a different article that says they can live without food for UP TO 18 MONTHS.

No, we do not have bedbugs, but I am freaked out by them and there is a crazy infestation downtown. Ew. I hope they don't make it up here. EVER.

Comments

[alexisyael.livejournal.com]

Yeah, DID NOT NEED TO KNOW THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LALALALALALALA...

[twirlgrrl.livejournal.com]

Sorry, LOL

[eac.livejournal.com]

Yuck. I've found myself worrying about this, too -- mostly about accidentally bringing them home from a hotel...

[twirlgrrl.livejournal.com]

That's my worry, too. I poked around until I found good info (including a video) about how to figure out if a hotel room is infested, and I feel a lot better now.

[kindsis.livejournal.com]

This is not helping my bedbug phobia. I've heard about the resurgence in bedbugs, and we stay at hotels frequently. I sure hope I never experience any. YUCK!

[twirlgrrl.livejournal.com]

http://bedbugger.com/2006/10/19/faq-how-can-i-avoid-bedbugs-while-traveling/

Check out this really helpful info and video about how to check a hotel room for bedbugs. I feel a lot better knowing what to look for.

[peachyc.livejournal.com]

This is the only time in the last 7 years that I recall being glad that I don't live in SF!

A couple of months ago, or maybe longer, I heard a story on This American Life about bedbugs that totally freaked me out.
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?sched=1255

Not that you need to hear more about it.

[twirlgrrl.livejournal.com]

They're everywhere, not just SF! Check this out:

www.bedbugregistry.com

The closest ones I found to you were in Portland and SeaTac, but I'm sure this registry isn't widely known so not every sighting gets registered--not by a long shot.

I mean, I sincerely hope that Olympia is bedbug free! But the info I posted in a comment above showing how to detect them is useful to everyone, I think. :)

[peachyc.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I guess I knew they were in big cities, but I hadn't heard that they were in SF. Matt stays in hotels a couple of times a month, so I'm not feeling like we're immune!

The story on This American Life talked about this NYC couple who were fighting bed bugs for years. It was awful. They wouldn't let their kid have friends over, they kept replacing furniture, clothes, bedding and nothing was helping. Really terrible.

[jerrygarciuh.livejournal.com]

I have been obsessing about this for over a year now. I refuse to ever ever buy another used couch!