Travel restrictions, social distancing, and border closings are part of life during Covid-19. But those strict rules had an unexpected benefit – there are fewer bed bugs now, say Canada’s biggest pest controllers.
According to a report from pest control company Orkin Canada, bed bug sightings fell 20 percent in 2020 – a decrease allegedly attributable to the pandemic. It is the first time in five years that bed bug sightings have fallen.
The beetles usually hide in mattresses and bedding, feed on particles of skin shed by sleepers, and take a bite to suckle blood. This usually leaves a tell-tale mark on the arms or face or other exposed area of the body of a sleeping person. They also leave small stains on sheets and other beds or furniture.
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They usually travel with luggage, clothing or other items on soft or unpolished surfaces – hotel rooms being particularly vulnerable.
Bernie Grafe, an Orkin Canada spokesman, said the drop in bed bugs was due to the pandemic. Covid-19 compares bed bugs to “trailers” and means fewer people travel and the pests cannot spread as easily.
But once the travel restrictions are lifted, expect the bed bugs to move again too. Gaffe warned that bed bugs will bite and travel again once the locks are loosened. The pests can dormant for months – and that means they’ll be hungry for blood when normal life resumes.
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