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Phoenix Arizona Battles Bed Bugs

Bed Bug Infestation in the Valley

Updated: Tuesday, 06 Jul 2010, 6:28 PM MDT

PHOENIX – Exterminators are waging a growing battle against bed bugs. The blood-sucking pests are now infesting dozens of homes, apartments and public housing units across the valley.

Bed bugs are a growing problem because they spread quickly, crawl from person to person, and are sometimes so small you can’t even see them.

There’s been a rise in bed bugs in the past few months, and experts say the epidemic will only get worse.

“I’d get up in the morning and I’d have these little tiny red spots on me,” says Leona Godfrey. It was bed bugs. Dozens of them were hiding all along the armchair of her couch.

Godfrey lives in Pine Tower, a public housing unit for seniors. So far, Phoenix has seen 28 cases of bed bugs in 3,500 public housing units.

Burns Pest Control says they get calls every day about bed bugs. You can get bed bugs from traveling, buying used furniture, or from house guests who carry bed bugs. They feed on blood.

Bed bugs aren’t known for causing disease but cleaning an infested home is tough — what’s even tougher is the stigma attached to it.

The County Health Department lists hotels and apartment complexes that have had problems with bed bugs.

To see recent bed bug cases in your area
www.maricopa.gov/envsvc/envwebapp/complaintCatType_search.aspx

Bed Bugs Arizona: A Bed Bug Hotel Experience

BED BUG AWARENESS IS STILL LACKING and gee, I happened to learn the hard way about how SERIOUS of a problem they are. A VICTIM OF BED BUG BITES IN AN ARIZONA HOTEL AND MY CLAIM FOR MEDICAL REIMBURSEMENT WAS DENIED Oh well, it has made me feel like I was meant to be an “Ambassador of Awareness” about bed bugs as I certainly do not hesitate to share my story……….so here it is!
I was on a trip in Arizona (stayed at Aspen Hotel InnSuites in Flagstaff) this past March (2010) and got 35 bites! Not knowing what they were, I reported it to the hotel, they brought in pest control experts and sure enough, an INFESTATION of bed bugs that was found behind the headboard of the bed I’d slept in was determined to be the culprit.
Five days after the fact, the allergic reaction I was having to the bites got soooooo bad that there was an infection moving in to my bloodstream (you could see it moving right up the inside of my left arm!). I had to use prednisone and an antibiotic for a week. Gawd, prednisone is NO FUN!
Then to make things worse, I continued to get bites after checking out of the hotel which means they DID ‘HITCHHIKE’ on me/my stuff!! I even got 2 bites during the flight home, so who knows if the bug migrated off of me on to the person sitting next to me…..or if they were on my luggage did they get on other people’s luggage?!?!
When I got home, nothing came in the house unless it was heading straight for the washing machine or the shower! My suitcase was banned to the deck off the back side of the house. Oh yeah, I was also denined on my request to the insurance company for a $150 luggage replacement allowance.
I filed a claim with the hotel’s insurance company, Traveler’s Insurance, to seek medical reimbursement and was DENIED! Supposed to hear from the hotel’s general manager today on if they will AT LEAST refund me what I paid to stay at that hotel! HAVE THEY NO SENSE OF GOODWILL?!
It’s scary and also discouraging to see that as a victim of circumstances, I pretty much had no recourse. I am making a trip to NYC over labor day weekend with the international student I will be hosting and it creeps me out just to know NYC is so full of these little ‘varmits’!
SO BE AWARE!
Seeing how my vehicle does have towing capability, I think I will get a small camper and only make driving trips. Still not guaranteeing 100% protection but it’s a serious consideration! – Lisa