Manhatan Bed Bugs
Few cities worldwide can compete with Manhattan when it comes to over-development, crowded living space and overall congestion. Even large metropolises including Tokyo, Mexico City and London have more elbow room when it comes to residents moving about comfortably. Part of Manhattan’s charm is its old brick buildings, cobble stone streets and quaint neighborhood squares that feature centuries old storefronts and walk-up apartments. Unfortunately all this aged and rustic beauty is also a prime foundation for a bed bug infestation.
Manhattan was once ground zero for the first bed bug wave that gripped American cities after World War Two. Following the controversial use of the synthetic pesticide DDT bed bugs were believed to have been eradicated from New York City but as new statistics show bed bugs have returned to the Big Apple and are finding more than enough dark and dank crevices to hide in and call home.
Because of the abundance of buildings in Manhattan, including hotels, condos, dormitories, hostels, offices and hospitals the area is ripe for bed bugs to move about and breed in great numbers. The maze of wood, concrete, wiring and plumbing gives bed bugs literally millions of dark corners and small cracks to hide in and wait until their next human blood feeding.
Another factor driving bed bugs back into Manhattan is the increase in foreign travel and high immigration rates. Bed bugs are very adept at using humans as vehicles and can easily hitch a ride on a person’s clothing or luggage. Because thousands of people arrive and depart the city each day it’s impossible to inspect each traveler and often times bed bugs will slip into couch cushions and mattress liners without anyone even knowing.
Immigration also presents a problem since many immigrants are still coming to the country illegally and are forced to cramp together in dingy apartments with either used furniture or mattresses that were found on the street. Old furniture and mattresses are perfect hiding spots for bed bugs and when furniture is left for anyone to pick up chances are it hasn’t been treated for pest control and very well may be infested with bed bugs. Since bed bugs are very small and barely visible with the naked eye chances are the average person would not be able to tell if a bed frame or mattress pad has an infestation.
Another problem leading to an increase in bed bug populations is the number of students in the Manhattan area. More colleges mean more dorm rooms and of course more used furniture and cheap mattresses. Many students look for their furniture at flea markets and tag sales or take home what has been left on the street corner for trash pick up. Again, most students don’t know how to properly treat used furniture and mattresses and can unknowingly bring a new group of bed bugs into a dorm room, residence hall or youth hostel. With the turn over of used furniture and mattresses continuing unabated the bed bug problem is likely to get worse before it gets better.