Tuesday, May 10, 2016 9:42 am

The Trading Post

By SAVANNAH CUNNICK

That's right...also known by: wall louse, mahogany flat, crimson rambler, chilly billies, heavy dragoon, chinche bug and redcoat.
I know that you really don't want to think or hear about these obnoxious creatures, but truth be known....they do exist, they are unhealthy to have around and they are a tremendous challenge to get rid of! I call them the PREHISTORIC VAMPIRE ROACH!
These parasitic insects feed exclusively on blood....preferably HUMAN BLOOD. Face it, they love to hide in your bed, bite you and live on your blood.
Wow...really makes you want to crawl right into that comfy little bed of yours, doesn't it? They are kind enough to give us skin rashes, allergies and even psychological effects. They prefer warm houses and to be near or inside beds, bedding and other sleep areas. Mostly active at night...they are not always nocturnal. Face, neck and arms are their primary interest for dining.
They can be found in wall cracks, crevices of mattress seams, sheets, furniture, behind baseboards, electrical outlet plates and picture frames.
They are also little HITCH HIKERS. A stay in a hotel can grant them free travel on luggage, purses and briefcases right into your home. It is suggested
to wash all clothes from your trip and spray luggage and so forth with Lysol before bringing into your house.
Bed bugs love to travel with you from stores, offices, schools and gyms (just for starters). Second hand furniture are also culprits for infestation entering your home.
Hey, don't mean to scare you folks, but you need to be aware of this chilly billie vampires!
Oh, yes....and what do they look like...you may ask. Ok....here goes.... These creepy creatures are light brown to reddish brown, a flattened oval shape and have no hind wings.
They can be mistaken for small cockroaches. They emit a terrible odor when crushed. If you happen to smell a rotten raspberry odor, you can be assured of a massive infestation. (Unless you are known to be a raspberry fanatic and grow them throughout your house!)
They can survive a wide range of temperatures and have a healthy life span. They can survive up to five months without feeding. They also are capable of surviving on your domestic dogs and cats. Described as being approximately the size of an apple seed, they can live for more than 300 days and lay five eggs a day. (How lovely!).
There are ways to get rid of them....either professionally or do-it-yourselfer. At a point in the early 1940's the bedbug was mostly eradicated in the U.S., but then increased again since 1995...likely do to pesticide resistance, government bans on EFFECTIVE pesticides and increased international travel.
If you want to try to get id of them yourself, here are a few starter tips. First, vacuum regularly. Immediately empty vacuum debris into a bag and take bag outside of house. Some people wrap their mattresses in plastic or use heated mats under sheets. When laundering bedding use the hottest water and hottest drying heat level.
I spray LYSOL on the mattress and bed ruffle when bedding is removed for cleaning. Boric acid does not work, because bed bugs do not groom. Remove extra clutter from home so that infestation may be spotted more easily. Remove and spray shoes before entering home. Even though bed bugs can carry diseases, they are not known to transfer them to humans.

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Uncle Festus decided to wrap himself with plastic sheeting....slept terribly, but swore he lost a few pounds! He is presently training his hound dog to sniff out these pests. He read about it and now took it upon himself to try the incredible. So far, the pooch has only found large cockroaches, a scorpion, three mice and a raccoon. (All probably carrying bed bugs!) Plus now, due to the intense amount of sniffing...pooch has a sinus condition and suffers from a scorpion bite. Festus never did mention the vet bill!
Aunt Martha said that she wouldn't mind the vampire bug if it sucked FAT instead of BLOOD. (Sorry, Martha, it just doesn't work that way...go back to your diet!)

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They are claiming that in New York this bug causes such hotel infestation that the Bed and Breakfasts are now called Bed Bugs and Breakfast.
Actually, they do have a gizmo that is called The Guardian that runs around the floor surrounding your bed and prevents the bed bugs from crawling up.
Seriously...you can order it over the internet. It resembles the robot vacuum cleaner that scurries around your floor and picks up all the dirt.
Regardless, there you are....Savannah has spoken on the icky subject of BED BUGS. My only remaining statement is: do you think that LITTER BUGS ARE RELATED TO THESE BED BUGS? I ask this because I often wonder if the litter bugs who throws their mattresses along side thehighway threw them away because they were infested with bed bugs?

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Well, onto the Short Mountain Trading Post news. Remember our exciting spring opening on Saturday May 21st. We are featuring a large Flea Market with everything you can imagine for sale. FREE space rentals...so call me to reserve one: #615-464-7824. FREE LUNCH for everyone at JD's Grill!!
Lots of new vendor merchandise inside the Barn plus a Dollar Room in the Loft. Tons to buy for only a dollar! We are hoping for beautiful weather for our wonderful fun-filled day! See you there! Opening time is 11:00 AM until 5 PM.

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Before I close, I have to tell you what Cousin Clarence did the other day. He painted the numbers 1,2,3 and 5 on his four pigs and then released them into Walmart. He spent his afternoon sitting back and watching security search for #4 pig. (Honestly, that boy will be the death of us yet!)
Gotta run for now, Folks....but I want all of you to search out those bed bugs....love your family, help your neighbors, drive carefully and enjoy everyday that comes your way !!!

HUGS, SAVANNAH