By Scott Arnold
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Health officials plan to meet next week to search for solutions to Nashville's bed bugs problem. The number of cases has doubled in the area.
Business is booming for pest control companies fighting the problem mainly in apartment complexes and extended-stay hotels.
Before an exterminator sprays any chemicals, most likely they'll ask residents to take the cushions off the sofa, tear apart the bed, get all the clothes out of the closet, and wash or dry clean them.
Many times, people can actually see the adult bed bugs. They typically hide in between your mattress and box spring. Most likely, they are in a five feet radius of where you sleep because they live off of your blood.
The heat kills the bed bugs and once the pest control people spray, the resident and any pets they have may need to leave for 24 hours.
If you are in a hotel, check the mattress seams and look for red spots - that's the blood spots from their fecal matter.
When you get home, put your luggage in a trash bag and put it in your car. The heat kills them.
"You can check behind nightstands, and pull furniture out, be careful putting your clothes in the drawers," said Andy Yant with P.E.S.T., INC.
It's also an expensive problem to treat. Some pest control companies will want to charge anywhere from $175 to $600.
E-mail: sarnold@newschannel5.com
