Bed Bugs: A Tiny But Growing Annoyance

By Jonathan Del SordoiBerkshires Intern
03:42PM / Monday, August 17, 2009Print Story | Email Story

Photo by Jonathan DelSordo

Justin Hedlund of Steritech, left, and Pittsfield Health Department Director James Wilusz talk bed bugs last week.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city's on a bed bug watch. While there were only a handful of reported cases of the tiny blood suckers last year, Health Department Director James Wilusz said the insects are a growing concern.

While the bug's lifespan is just over a year, they can lay about 200 egg in that time and spread far beyond their typical locations — homes and hotels — by hitchhiking. In recent years, bed bugs have been spotted in modes of transportation, such as trains, planes, buses, cruise ships. There have also been cases in which bed bugs have been found in movie theaters and businesses, such as rental stores.

The fast-crawling hitchhikers can migrate from beds to just about anything. "The best way to control bed bugs is first realizing the problem, how bad it is, and what treatments can be made in each case," said Justin Houlin Hedlund, an employee of Steritech Co., a pest control service.

Steritech and the Board of Health teamed up last week for a presentation at the Berkshire Athenaeum on the rising problem of bed bugs. About two dozen people attended the educational session.

A study last year by the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and Seoul National University in South Korea found urban bugs are becoming resistant to certain pesticides. New York City's bed bugs are particularly tough, becoming 264 times more resistant to a common insecticide.

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Their resistance and travel techniques means the once rare critters are having a resurgence. While not deadly — they don't pass diseases such as HIV or malaria — their bites can cause reactions in people with allergies and, well, they're just nasty.

Bed bugs tend to stay near their host. When they sense carbon dioxide, they tend to quickly move about. Bed bugs, however, cannot thrive in cooler climates and any temperature below 55 degrees slows down the bugs' metabolism and stops development as a whole.

They tend to be active between the hours of midnight and 4 a.m., said Hedlund.

Forms of treatment start by finding the host. Methods of extreme heating or cooling are proven factors in eliminating these critters. There are also a few practical ways to eliminate these bugs as well.

"Commercial vacuums and simple mattress covers are the easiest way to prevent and eliminate them," said Hedlund.

He stressed that "most people are unaware of these little pests. All it takes is a few minutes to look. So spread the word, not the bugs."

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It is most disturbing that the media disseminates information like cooling gets rid of bedbugs. All cool temperatures do is slow them down, cool or even cold does not kill the eggs. Only heat above 48 degrees celsius for a prolonged period of more that 1.5 hours will kill all stages of bedbugs. This nonsense about putting stuff in the freezer is just ignorant. All it takes is one 2 eggs to create an infestation. Most infestation start by people unknowingly transporting bedbugs fro an infested place to their homes.Hotels are prime places to pick up a few hitchikers. Check your room, don't put luggage on the bed or carpet use the luggage rack or desk, use an allersac and bug zip bags, check your stuff before you bring it back home. If you do pick some up and catch it early wash everything in HOT water and then put everything in the dryer on HIGH HEAT.
from: Joshua	on: 08-17-2009 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

Justin Hedlund is on the left at the podium. Jim Wilusz, Director, Pittsfield Department of Health - is on the right Editor: Thanks for the correction.
from: VMR Turner	on: 08-17-2009 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

There is so much mis-information in this story that I don't know where to begin. First of all bed bug's life span is much more than a year, the fact of the matter is that a bed bug can stay dormant without feeding for at least a year. The fact that bed bugs are less active in colder temperatures is also false, caves billions of years ago I don't believe were heated and the survived just fine. Also, infestation regardless of how bad or mild it is, needs to be treated the same. Editor: The information was provided at the meeting. However, most credible Web sites peg their lifespan at 18 months at most and that they can succumb to cold temperatures below 32Â°F. We agree that any infestation should be treated immedidiately.
from: Bryan	on: 08-18-2009 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

Lanesborough Town Meeting to Vote Budget, Bylaws & Vehicle Purchases

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
04:21PM / Monday, June 08, 2026

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Tuesday's annual town meeting includes a $14 million operating budget, new short-term rentals, accessory dwelling units and sign bylaws, and free cash article appropriations.

Voters will gather at Lanesborough Elementary School on June 9 at 6 p.m. to decide on 20 warrant articles.

The fiscal 2027 budget is up a little over 10 percent. Some of the main increases are the Mount Greylock Regional School District and McCann Technical School: the McCann assessment is up more than 30 percent based on factors including enrollment and the school renovation project, and Mount Greylock's is up 11 percent.

Article 11 is for the town to vote to approve from free cash the sum of $16,298.48 for the McCann Technical School roof and window replacement project so as not to impact the budget. Article 3 is appropriate $7,586,284 for Mount Greylock Regional School assessment.

Another notable increase was in life and health insurance, showing an increase of about 26 percent.

Ambulance Director Jen Weber is planning 24-hour coverage, which means more staff and a hike in her budget. One of the articles asks the town to appropriate $234,100 to operate the Ambulance Enterprise Fund for salaries and expenses.

Many town departments are looking for new vehicles. The Fire Department is looking to replace its outdated 1996 fire engine. There are two articles related to the truck at a total of $813,366. Article 12 would transfer $225,000 from free cash into the Fire Truck Stabilization Fund; Article 13 would transfer $605,000 from the fund and authorize the borrowing of $208,366.08.

The total includes a $100,000 contingency cost to cover any additional costs if a 2026 model-year chassis cannot be secured before new emissions standards go into effect in 2027.

The board at its last meeting moved the $225,000 transfer to come before the borrowing article, changing the stabilization number. If the $225,000 is not voted on, then they will amend the next article's number on the floor, subtracting the $225,000. This shows the borrowing number significantly lower.

Article 17 asks for the transfer of $80,000 from free cash to replace a police cruiser.

Police Chief Rob Derksen's aim is to replace one vehicle every other year, meaning the oldest vehicle gets replaced about every 10 years.

He stressed that if delayed this year, the town may have to double up in a future year to get back on schedule, and that paying later usually costs more. The article will ask for $80,000 from free cash, the vehicles used to be funded by the BHRD.

Lastly, the Highway Department is looking to replace a 2014 International dump truck that will be a total of $330,000 and will take two to three years to receive.

Money will be used from last year's approval of $250,000 from free cash for the replacement of a 2012 highway front-end loader that was underspent $49,261. Town meeting is being asked to approve a transfer of $53,274.85 from free cash and the use of $227,464 from funds from the Sale of Town Real Estate to fund the balance.

Other free cash proposals include $1,200 to purchase software to support tracking and ongoing maintenance schedules of town-owned vehicles; $42,000 for the replacement of the Highway Department's storage shed roof, $200,000 to reduce the tax levy.

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