My SIL had them about a year ago and it grosses me out to even think about it based on what they said - She had bites all over that itched horribly, the bugs are big enough to see with the naked eye and like to hide in cracks and creases. They had to have the whole house exterminated a couple times and bought a new mattress....they had no idea where they came from either. I really hope this isn't your problem - Good Luck!

Beth
Mommy to Kendall (5 1/2 years old) and
Kye, Reese and Bryce (2 1/2 months old)

My husband works for an exterminating company he says:

Look for a bug about the size of a dime that is flat, kind of like a flea and a tick crossed. Look everywhere, cover the mattresses in plastic or throw them out. The telltale sign, other than seeing the bugs, is what the bites look like.

Beware of a bad company telling you that you have them when you don't and charging you like crazy. On a real bed bug case, it is $500 per room here (pesticide through room).

You can pick them up traveling.

He says he has heard of companies "treating" on cases that didn't have them just for the money. Check their reputation.

Catherine

Bri, Mikayla, Tristan 3/09 (32.2)
Sage 10/06
Hunter 11/04
Matisse (CH Siberian Husky, Agility)

This is ironic because they just did a long segment on this news here recently. Basically, almost everyone who'd contracted them never saw an actual bug, but knew from the telltale rashes/bite marks left by the bugs. The statement was the bugs only come out at night and are very hard to spot.

When my aunt & uncle were infested, the treatment was VERY involved. They had to wash/bleach everything in their house and store it in tupperware containers until the treatment was over. Then everything that couldn't be washed was sprayed. From what they said, it was as much work as if they were moving.

I hope you don't have them!! My fingers are crossed for you.

Joey
23 weeks pregnant w/ BBG triplets

What makes you think you have them? What are the symptoms? I once thought I had them because I would wake up itching with obvious bug bites all over me, but it turned out to be chiggers. Just a thought. As gross as chiggers are, at least they aren't bedbugs Good luck.

Wendy
Mom to trips born 6/29/2007 @ 35w1d
Jack 5 lb 3 oz
Estelle 5 lb 7 oz
Clara 4 lb 9 oz

We have a reputable extermination company here with bebug-sniffing-dogs (a Retriever and a Beagle I think). They claim to be able to find the bedbugs and use only local treatment to kill them individually. They expose the dogs to bedbugs everyday to keep them honest. Check around for that. I once thought we had bedbugs, and tore the kids' room up looking for those suckers. I eventually found a slit in the window screen that was letting in night time mosquitos.

Aloha,
Kelli
BBB 6/4/06 @ 29wks 4 days
GG 4/30/09

There was a great segment on NPR this morning. They had an expert and they also gave lots of tips, like matress encasement and other things. If you do have them, I think it's worth while to listen to it. Here is the link to the segment:

http://www.kqed.org/epArchive/R201007300931

I don't think the audio is available just yet, but should be uploaded shortly.

Good luck!

Amritha

Mom to GGG triplets
1 fraternal, 2 identicals born @ 34.5 weeks on 12/17/08

I think I ran into these bed bugs several years at a Marriott Courtyard hotel in Atlanta when I was travelling for work a ton. I woke up the next morning and had red "bites" and marks on both of my feet and on the lower part of both legs. They did itch like crazy and I trust me I bitched out the hotel manager up one side and back down the other. They thought they had come from the comforter on the bed... Nasty.

Todd

Proud father to BBG triplets, born 33 weeks, 2 days on 7/9/09.
Claire
Matt
Drew
http://themesserletrio.blogspot.com

There was a little Mexican boy in my kids' kindergarten class that was covered head to toe with bites. They were horrific.

As a landlord, it is SO scary. I have had a friend whose tenants infested their house. After they were evicted, my friend had to rip out all the carpet and fumigate and it cost them thousands of dollars.

I am even more grossed out than I was last night!! We found 2 this morning in our sheets...even though I washed and dried them all yesterday. So obviously they are somewhere in our room. I feel violated...it's disgusting!
I took the bugs to the pest control company this morning and got the confirmation. I am shocked at the extent and $$$ that it takes to get rid of them. We can either do a 2 dose chemical treatment for $800 that involves huge work for me in the 10 days between the treatments. The other option, a heat treatment, is a one time shot and involves much less work for me. The only problem is that they can't do it for another week and a half and it will cost around $2000!!
When ever my husband travels again, which he does often, I am making him shower as soon as he gets home and his clothes will go directly into the wash.
Ughhh, I hope you guys never have to deal with this!
Thanks for your feedback.

Jill

www.rauckmantrio.blogspot.com/

Sept 5/08 @ 32w6d

The apartment building my brother lives in has an infestation. They have been going through hell trying to get rid if them. I told him I would move!!!
Mom to
Mario 2 lb 1 oz NICU 76 days
Luigi 2 lb 3 oz NICU 76 days
& Peach 1 lb 9 oz NICU 109 days
Born at 27 weeks