ILLUSTRATION: MIKE RIGHT
PMPs large and small share horror stories of jobs involving Cimex lectularius.
Do you want to play a game?
Now, we’re not going to go all “Saw” on you, in case you aren’t a horror movie aficionado and didn’t realize the above question is a quote from that 2004 flick. Rather, we’re here to swap stories about some of the most frightening, creepy, and — let’s face it — high-volume populations of bed bugs pest management professionals (PMPs) have ever encountered.
It’s fun to tell tales around the proverbial campfire, but if you look closer, there are some lessons to be learned, too. Just as in the best horror movies, don’t go alone into a dark house. Don’t let your cell phone die. Don’t conjure evil — well, that goes without saying. It’s also important to confirm that the pest is indeed a bed bug, that you are aware of every possible source, and that you get customer cooperation. Sometimes, that’s a tall order. There’s always time for a sequel.
We thank the seven PMPs who shared their Bed Bug Horror Stories. We’re also happy to collect more stories and continue the conversation. Just drop us a line at pmpeditor@northcoastmedia.net.
For now, though, pop the popcorn, turn down the lights, and settle in. And if reading the following stories makes you a little itchy, that’s OK. As the great Hollywood philosopher Norman Bates once said, “We all go a little mad sometimes.”
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