Bedbug Wars

No this is not a title for a new video game.  Last month I found a few bedbugs in my unit I immediately sent a fax to the UNH’s Director to report the findings and to suggest they come up with an efficient tactical plan to control the bedbug situation at the KMHC building by hiring licensed professionals.  The following week Good Shepherd Works pest inspectors came to inspect my unit it was diagnosed I have a light infestation and the team laid out a plan.  I listened, asked questions and followed their written instructions.  This morning a second treatment was completed, I feel like something has been accomplished and I'm hoping the bugs are gone.  Praise goes to Good Shepherd Works pest control team for their efforts and leaving a completed work report for the tenant.  Kudos to the UNH’s Director, in a way this was a test to see how quick she would respond to my fax, so far she’s better then former UNH’s Director Janis Lewis-Deeley.

I’ve spent many hours online researching the bedbug problem in North America.  Like pharmaceutical companies, pest control is a multi-million dollar business.  Scientists can find water on planet Mars yet they can’t develope a permanent pesticide to eradicate the vampire-like insects.  Bedbugs don’t discriminate they can infest wealthy and low income households, nobody is immune.  Here are some examples how you can get them: bus seats, clutter, traveling to other countries, picking up used furniture, they can travel through walls infesting multiple units which I believe happened at KMHC.  The psychological effect anxiety, fear and panic are worse than the bites.  Stigma that comes with having bedbugs  ie:  UNH’s came up with a policy to ban tenants who have bedbugs from using their transportation services and strangely at the bedbug tenant meeting I heard they handed out $25.00 gift cards, an additional $25.00 gift cards will be handed out again when the treatment process is completed. Some tenants believe these cards = "hush money" and btw where is my gift card!  :P  

A few KMHC tenants moved out over bedbugs and now the building has a bad reputation among the Hamilton Native community.  There are few reasons why KMHC and bedbugs seem to go together.  We have no superintendent to keep an eye on the building full time and tenants are afraid to file a report for fear of being ostracized.  Here is a link: Bedbug Tenant Rights, I highly recommend all renters check it out.  Know your rights.
 http://tinyurl.com/nmg8bj6

Add on - According to the history books bedbugs were first introduced into the Americas by the early colonists. Colonial writings of the early 18th century documented severe bed bug problems in the English colonies and in Canada, but not in Indian villages. Meaning bedbugs are not indigenous to North America.

Tk