Bed Bugs On The Rise

Bed bugs are on the rise, and not in areas people want to her about. A forum was held in Rochester Wednesday where people learned more about those bugs, and the problems they are causing.

Night night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite. It's an age old saying, but one that now, you might want to take seriously.

"They're in private residences, multi-family housing residences, senior assisted centers and so we really need to get rid of them," said Stephen Kells with the University of Minnesota.

Bed bugs were common in the 1960's, and pretty much went away for about 40 years. About 10 years ago, they came back. Now some experts are saying, they are worse than ever.

"We have a campaign going across the state called let's beat the bug campaign. Its about getting the information of bed bugs to as many people as we can," said Kells.

Nearly 100 people came to a bed bug forum at the University of Minnesota Rochester to learn more. One topic of discussion was what the bugs are attracted to; human blood.

"Once they've got a blood meal, they can grow, they can reproduce, they can create more bed bugs and we start getting severe infestations," said Kells.

Those severe infestations have moved away from places like hotels, which seem to have gotten the problem under control, to multi-family residences and senior living facilities.

"I think it's scary, because I think there's a stigma with it that its only dirty places, or low-income places or things like that," said Rose Lenzher who works in a senior living facility.

Bed bugs can happen anywhere, but it is important to get rid of them.  

"The best thing to do is call an expert. They have either the equipment to do the proper heat treatments, or the commercial chemicals that are required to control bed bugs," said Kells.