Bed Bug Interceptors

 I was thinking of a homeless lady that had bug bite sores all over her body. There were others with multiple spider bites. Now, all these years later, I wonder if the bites were from bedbugs. A neighbor's bedbugs made their way to my apartment. I am highly allergic to insect bites. Or maybe just allergic to living here in Allentown, closing all the factories down. Dreary place. So miss sunny So Cal. 

One would think sleeping on the ground or outdoor benches, I would have had just as many sores as that lady.I do not recall any. I also was lucky not to get head lice from a woman at the Armory winter shelter. We were blanket to blanket on the floor. Most often I was lucky to get an aisle spot, rather than needing to climb over sleeping people for my many trips to urinate. I used to wear sanitary pads. Wish I had known about Poise pads.

But this post is about bedbug interceptors. Sort of false and misleading advertising. When I saw them advertised, I was going to buy them. When I first suspected bedbug bites, I got bedbug glue traps. I liked the idea of putting the interceptors under couch legs; they climb in and they die. I am glad I studied the "fine print" before settling on which one to buy.

I had quite an infestation of bedbugs in 2020. When I first noticed the bugs, I thought they were carpet beetles. I thought I had a chemo rash. No medical professional looked at the rash and noticed that it was not a chemo rash. OMIGOD hundreds of those little suckers feasted on my legs. Others on my arms, near arm pits, on back and stomach. Nothing relieved the intense itching. I discovered they were bedbugs the day after I came home after 30-day hospital stay.

This is why I know the interceptors are not a good idea. The ads say that bedbugs can not climb smooth surfaces. Thus some of the interceptors have ridged edges so the critters can climb the sides of the square or circular thingy underneath sofa or bed legs. When they climb, they fall into the inner circle getting trapped due to being unable to climb out of the slippery slopes. Trapped, they die.

Oops, bedbugs can go a very long time without feeding. A year, I think. So those little trapped bugs will not die. Maybe those type traps come with instructions. The ads just say regularly check for trapped bugs. What does one do when they see a bunch of pin dot size bugs scurrying around? Lucky if they are that initial lymph size. A full grown mama? Oh my, maybe she will lay an egg then go to sleep. 

Or they are not moving. One would assume they died. That is what the ads imply. Dump the bugs, alive or assumed dead in the trash? Flush down toilet? I guess both methods would dispose of them, but I am not taking chances. My glue traps caught 3 or 4 bugs. The exterminator left a couple of their glue traps. I see what may be bugs or the bug's casing which they shed as they grow.

My apartment was professionally treated 3 times. I assume so was the neighbor's. I believe I got bit 3 times since my last treatment.