Photo ofJP Valery/Unsplash
By David Heitz / NewsBreak Denver
(Denver, Colorado) There are those who like to say that bed bugs attract people who experience homelessness because they are dirty.
That’s not the case. Bed bugs flock to the homeless because the bugs are hitchhikers.
Few people need to keep moving all day like the homeless. “Where do you go?” is the usual response from people affected by homelessness to those trying to drive it out.
A person affected by homelessness may go from an emergency shelter to a coffee shelter in the morning and from there to a lunch shelter and from there to a day shelter. They essentially stay on the move throughout the day, and bloodthirsty bed bugs hitchhike in their backpacks, on blankets, and on second-hand clothes.
In the end, shelters become veritable breeding nests for bed bugs. When I experienced homelessness, the bed bugs at the Salvation Army Crossroads homeless shelter were particularly hideous. The bugs would emerge from cracks in the ground.
Will they really crawl into your mouth?
When I first saw one, I knew nothing about the pests. A homeless man told me that the bugs would crawl right into your mouth while you slept (this has never happened to me). Numerous pest control companies online say that while this can happen, it probably won’t happen.
Luckily, animal shelters work to keep bed bugs at bay. “Unfortunately, bed bugs travel on people and their belongings, so bed bugs can always be reintroduced into the shelter,” Emily Williams told NewsBreak in an email. Williams is the director of communications and marketing for the city’s Department of Housing Stability (HOST). “Some things we recommend are proper individual storage of personal belongings, frequent cleaning and disinfecting, changing bedding regularly, spacing sleeping areas as far as possible, drying bedding on high heat (this kills the bed bugs) and treating the bed bugs regularly Furnishings.”
Intense heat kills bed bugs
One of the only ways to decimate a bed bug infestation is to turn the heat up—all the way up. “We also know that some shelters use hot box tents and heat storage rooms to manage bed bug situations with personal items and clothing, which is good practice to limit bed bugs in the facility,” Williams said.
Williams said both 48th Avenue shelters have heat treatment rooms built into the facility design. According to Michigan State University, bed bugs are a common problem in homeless shelters. However, according to the university, animal shelters should never turn anyone away for bed bugs.
“Unfortunately, bed bugs travel on people and their belongings, so bed bugs can always be re-entered the shelter,” according to Michigan State University’s website. “They may be exposed to the insects in shelters, temporary housing, motels and hotels, friends’ houses, and other places where they spend the night. After being released, bed bugs can inadvertently move from place to place, including into homeless shelters.”
When I experienced homelessness in 2019, there were no bed bug inspections as people entered Denver shelters. The extension recommends screening residents of the shelter for the pests. “Customers can be asked if they have been exposed to bed bugs while being asked about other public health pests such as lice, scabies and if they have cockroach allergies or asthma,” the addendum reads. “In some cases, bites are obvious, but the customer may not know or be concerned that they have been exposed to bed bugs.”
Mayoral candidates complain about bugs
Jesse Lashawn Parris, a candidate for Denver mayor, recently complained to the city council about a bed bug infestation at Fusion Studios, where this author lives. Fusion is a Colorado Coalition for the Homeless Property.
Building management is doing everything they can to get rid of the bugs at Fusion, including spraying every room a tenant asks for. I decided to get rid of bed bugs in my room myself and spent over $300 on bug spray.
A report by Orkin earlier this month showed that Denver ranked 15th nationwide for major cities with bed bug problems. Orkin ranked the cities based on the bed bug extermination carried out in the previous year. Chicago took first place. New York, Los Angeles, Detroit and Washington, DC also made the top ten.
