Bedbugs Raises Concern in Burnaby
There are reports increasing menace of these blood-suckers over the last few years. BC Housing has spent more than $721,000 for a period of 12 months fighting bedbug infestation in 43 out of their 49 housing complexes in the Lower Mainland. Even the most luxurious hotels and apartment rentals are now taking measures to stop the spread. Just recently, public libraries in New Westminster and Burnaby have had to inspect and treat its facilities. In Burnaby, the bedbugs became controversial when they where discovered, ironically in the mystery and thrillers section of its Metrotown branch last September. The libraries were treated with steam and heat for the books to kill the bugs and its eggs.
The adverse effect of this problem is the existence of online registries to report presence of bedbugs in hotels, resorts and apartments. It is also now too difficult to find thrift stores that would accept sofas and beds and other soft furniture. Business for the Burnaby Care Pest and Wildlife unit has increased to 40%, with teams of bug-sniffing dogs and handlers being the busiest of them all. Smaller dog breeds such as beagles are trained since they look harmless to other humans.
Factors for the spread are the faster and more convenient means of transportation where in the bugs can hitch a ride on people’s clothing and luggage. Also people react differently to bedbug bites. More times, occupants tolerate the bug presence that by the time somebody complains, 10% of the whole building will already be infested.
Care Pest would normally use heat as opposed to chemicals in treating bedbugs. When the dogs detect an infested area, the room is sealed. Using heaters and fans, the room is warmed like a convection over to as high as 50 degrees Celsius, hot enough to dry the bugs and its eggs. The only loophole to this procedure are too much clutter inside the room which hampers warm air circulation.
What the Burnaby is doing right now
Calls have been increasing in the Care Pest unit about simple itchy complaints to people who felt being bitten by bed bugs. With this the unit has formed a triage procedure for pest complaints. This procedure filters calls to be of real bedbug problem from other issues. One example is a woman who complaints of itch and sores that was later diagnosed by doctors of scabies. Special task force are being formed to educate landlords and homeowners to alleviate the problem once and for all.