Bed Bugs Expert to Speak in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- Bed bugs are becoming an emerging public health issue after years of relative invisibility. These nocturnal bloodsuckers do not discriminate and will infest any environment with beds and sleeping people. Bed bugs cannot fly, so either walk or hitchhike to a new location on used mattresses, furniture, clothing, backpacks or suitcases. Both people and the things they buy are traveling greater distances more frequently, and many city residents live in multiple-unit housing allowing hitchhiking bedbugs to spread quickly. To help address this growing problem, the Philadelphia School and Community IPM Partnership will be hosting an educational session on bed bugs on October 21, 2009 from 2 – 3 p.m. at the School District of Philadelphia at 440 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia with bed bug expert Changlu Wang, Rutgers University. For more information, contact the program at (814) 865-2839, or Web site http://www.paipm.org.