Taking the bite out of bed bugs
The Thunder Bay and District Health Unit educates public through conference
Many landlords, shelter and hotel operators in Thunder Bay spent the day learning about bedbugs.
The Thunder Bay and District Health Unit held a conference today on preventing and dealing with the pests.
What are bed bugs?
Bed bugs are small insects (about the size of an apple seed) with oval-shaped bodies and no wings. They usually come out and bite at night. It is possible for anyone, anywhere to experience a bed bug infestation, but bed bugs can be prevented and controlled. (Source: bedbugsinfo.ca)
People like Jim Hudson are keen on learning more about the potential problem. He's the housing co-ordinator with Beendigen Inc., an agency that runs a women’s shelter and rents housing units.
"With the housing units, we do have a big concern with the bedbugs," he said.
"But we also have a shelter for abused women, so it's a transient population and we're very interested in not having the little bugs come and live with us."
Hudson said his organization has only had to deal with one infestation.
The health unit said it has received 11 bedbug complaints this year.