She feels like her skin is crawling. She scratches herself constantly. She peers at her arms and slaps her legs for no reason. She loathes the thought of crawling into bed at night because for too many weeks her bed crawled back! My friend Jane was the victim of a bed bug infestation.

No one in her apartment building in Brooklyn seems to know where they came from, but they spread so fast that it wasn’t long before everyone had them. Nasty little unwanted guests nipping at their bodies in the middle of the night, sucking up their blood and with it their peace of mind — and in Jane’s case, her sanity. The constant bites, the itching, the anxiety have turned Jane into a paranoid neurotic. She sees bed bugs everywhere. She got rid of her bed, had a commercial cleaning service scrub down her apartment, actually threw away her sheets and blankets, but even now — two months after her apartment building was finally declared bed bug free — she can’t relax in her home. She’s moving next week and hoping no bed bugs follow her.

Jane is one of the unfortunate bed bug victims who develop a sensitivity syndrome. It can cause nervousness, jumpiness and sleeplessness. The social stigma alone causes victims untold psychological anguish. Despite what people think, bed bugs are not caused by filth or dirt. They are creatures of convenience, a nuisance insect like fleas and lice that causes discomfort and distress, but not disease. Easily spread, they can enter your home on someone’s clothing, a suitcase, cardboard box or used furniture. They are particularly difficult to get rid of in multi-unit dwellings like apartment houses or hotels because they travel easily through wall voids, ducts and elevator shafts.

Once in, they’re the very devil to remove. The little buggers hide in tiny crevices in furniture, floors, molding, mattresses, bedding, even behind wall paper. They generally hide near sleeping areas to be close to their food source — YOU! At night they’ll feast on your blood, gorging for 5 to 10 minutes before scurrying away. It’s the salivary proteins that are injected when they bite that cause the allergic skin reactions that leave the itchy welts that drive their victims crazy.

Uncommonly difficult to eradicate, a bed bug infestation calls for professional help. If you suspect you have a bed bug problem, contact the bed bug extermination experts at Stern Environmental Group. We promise prompt fast action and guaranteed extermination. Don’t wind up like my friend Jane. If you think you have a bed bug problem, call Stern Environmental Group today. Visit our website to learn more about our pest control and pest management services. You’ll sleep well tonight when you get “Stern” with your pests.