bedbugs

Oct 07, 2004 4 Replies
A

I realize that discarded electronics found on the street can be useful, if only for parts. However, I was told recently that there seems to be a resurgence of bedbugs in the US and that one of the places they can turn up is in discarded stuff found on the street. So, I'm wondering how one might deal with this problem, e.g. is there a way to kill all life inside the electronics before bringing it into the home? One thing that occurred to me was to put the found object in a plastic garbage bag and open some kind of spray can or cartridge of some sort, and leave the bag sealed for 24 hours before opening it. I don't know if that would work on bedbugs, nor what to use. Moreover, even if it kills the bedbugs, they might already have laid eggs and the eggs might not be killed by this procedure.



Does one have to abandon scavenging for discarded electronics?


Ignorantly, Allan Adler * Disclaimer: I am a guest and *not* a member of the MIT CSAIL. My actions and * comments do not reflect in any way on MIT. Also, I am nowhere near Boston.
Vote
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn
C

Is one of your legs longer than the other? Someone has been pulling on one of them.

Vote
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn
K

What would they eat?

A neighbor once gave me an oak dresser, telling me that it was full of roach eggs. She was moving out because of the "roach problem" and refused to take the dresser with her. I locked it in the back of my truck for 3 months. When I took it out and looked more closely, I found that all the "egg sacks" were drips of varnish from a previous owner!

It is really a nice dresser.

Kevin

Vote
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn
A

Like the characters in Soylent Green, they eat people, or rather nibble on them. I think they like blood. I'll readily admit there are no people inside the discarded radio, except possibly for the little man inside who makes the dial light up and who is occasionally asked to perform as a one-man band, but I was told that bedbugs can survive on only one meal a year.

Ignorantly, Allan Adler * Disclaimer: I am a guest and *not* a member of the MIT CSAIL. My actions and * comments do not reflect in any way on MIT. Also, I am nowhere near Boston.
Vote
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn
E

Nothing.

Bedbugs can survive for very long periods without food.

-Ed

(You can't go wrong with psycho-rats.) (er258)(@)(eng.cam)(.ac.uk) /d{def}def/f{/Times findfont s scalefont setfont}d/s{10}d/r{roll}d f 5/m {moveto}d -1 r 230 350 m 0 1 179{1 index show 88 rotate 4 mul 0 rmoveto} for /s 15 d f pop 240 420 m 0 1 3 { 4 2 1 r sub -1 r show } for showpage
Vote
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn

Join the Discussion

Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.

Didn't find your answer?

Ask the community — no account required