Chicago Could Have New York-Sized Bedbug Problem In 2 To 3 Years

ROSEMONT, Ill. — While most businesses recoil at the mere thought of bedbugs, one suburban Chicago hotel is welcoming the bloodsucking pests – at least this week.

Experts are gathering at the Hyatt Rosemont to talk about the pests that are running rampant in the Northeast.

Jeff White, an entomologist, or bug expert, in Trenton, N.J., said it's a serious issue and people need to know how to spot bedbugs. Over the weekend, he packed up a jar of them and sent them on a car ride to Rosemont, where they are on display at the 2010 North American Bed Bug Summit.

Aaron Bastable, director of sales at the Hyatt Rosemont, said he's confident White and other exhibiters will keep the bedbugs locked tight in their jars.

"You know these are entomologists and these are the professionals in the industry," Bastable said. "If anyone knows how to contain them, then it's going to be them."

And, if anything goes wrong, the hotel is occupied by a small army of people who have trained bedbug hunters and exterminators. They said trained dogs can sniff out the bugs, which can be killed with chemicals, heat and steam.

Athletic clothing and shoe maker Nike Inc. said Sunday it was temporarily closing its Niketown store in New York City after it became the latest victim of the bloodsucking pests. Reports of bedbugs have surged in recent years as they have become resistant to common pesticides.

Pest control workers say New York City is the epicenter for the outbreak. Bedbugs have been recently discovered there in a theater, office buildings, other stores, housing projects and posh apartments.

Chicago is expected to have a comparable problem in two to three years, bug control professionals said. A recent list compiled by a pest control company placed Chicago fifth in the nation out of 15 large cities with bedbug infestations.

Comments

[H Day Case]

02:58 PM on 09/22/2010

Same sort of situation. Highly and densely populated areas where lots of people are moving about. Its only a matter of time before the bugs arrive and thrive. Get used to if folks. As we go green we'll be seeing more of this. It's the natural and normal state of homonids to be infested with our little companions. We've had them all of our history, minus the 5 decades afte the introduction of effective pesticides, which are now being phased out. This is life au natural. http://www.pestcontrolcenter.com/blolg

[Hugh Briggs]

11:55 AM on 09/22/2010

Al-quada sent the Bedbugs over as part of their new 'Bite the Infidels' campaign. You heard it hear first!.

[corwin]

05:18 PM on 09/22/2010

No. It was the Clinton administrations banning of pesticides that had been used safely for decades. it's amazing how playing games can have consequences Stil,we have a competent President now

[bluejean1951]

10:40 AM on 09/22/2010

Okay, which one of you New Yorkers slipped into Chicago and infested us? Thanks for sharing! :D

[kittywells]

02:49 AM on 09/22/2010

Bed bugs are all over America, not just in cities.

But apparently the news prefers to mention only the cities.

[Derek Spisak]

01:05 AM on 09/22/2010

This is the biggest piece of BS hype I have ever seen. Hotels have been dealing with this for years and actually are very good at having quick, decisive, immediate response. It is ironic, the 1 and 2 star hotels are better at prevention than the luxury product.

New Yorkers are being sold a bill of goods. Follow the money.

[KIVPossum]

03:08 PM on 09/22/2010

One of the better hotels facing Grant Park had a spider and cockroach infestation in our room.

[HHUA]

12:25 AM on 09/22/2010

I am about to plan a vacation... Maybe Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico (haven't decided yet) but I am completely freaked out by this bed bug thing. I was just looking at a highly recommended 41/2 star hotel (by Frommers) in Puerto Rico and sure enough I found a reviewer on Trip Advisor who stayed there and complained of bed bugs!

There is also another resource called bedbugregistry.com that you can check for any hotels that have had complaints... Of course, people have to file the complaint with the registry and I'm sure that most people who have come in contact with a problem don't know about this website but it's better than nothing. Although honestly, it's probably safe to say that there aren't many hotels at this point that have not had a bed bug issue at one time or another... The key is how they deal with it!