Today is June 9, 2021
Published 7:00 am Wednesday, June 9, 2021
Bed Bug Awareness
Identify and control bed bugs
Critters inside a home are a cause for concern, but some of these uninvited guests inspire more ire than others. Bed bugs are among the least popular critters people can encounter.
Bed bugs can quickly change from being a minor nuisance to a major infestation. Therefore, understanding bed bugs, how they spread and when and how to treat a bed bug infestation is knowledge all people should have so they can nip bed bug problems in the bud before they become more serious.
The Environmental Protection Agency says many bugs that resemble bed bugs. Identifying bed bugs correctly is a critical first step to treating an infestation. Here are some of the more notable attributes of bed bugs:
· Bed bugs are generally long and brown with a flat oval-shaped body around the size of an apple seed. Bed bugs that have recently fed will be balloon-like and reddish-brown in color.
· Young bed bugs (nymphs) are smaller, and their color is a translucent white-yellow.
· Bed bug eggs are pearl-white in color and the size of a pinhead.
· Bed bugs have six legs and two antennae and they cannot fly. They cannot jump long distances, instead moving by crawling and climbing. They can climb heights and drop down from above onto beds to find a meal.
Orkin of Canada says that, since bed bugs are nocturnal and small, detecting them can be challenging. Usually blood stains on sheets or black spots of dried bed bug excrement indicate an infestation even before bugs are seen.
Bed bugs tend to be discovered in the seams of chairs and couches, between cushions, and in the folds of curtains. Bed bugs may hide in drawer joints or in electrical receptacles. They even can hide in cracks along the top or bottom of a wall.
Bed bugs can survive and remain active at temperatures as low as 46 F, advises the EPA. Heat is what kills them most readily, and a room or area must be hotter than 113 F consistently to do so.
Avoiding bed bugs requires diligence. Reducing clutter, inspecting secondhand furniture for bed bugs and vacuuming frequently can help. Check luggage racks and hotel rooms for bed bugs prior to remaining in the room. Cold and hot treatments may kill some of the bed bugs, but an infestation usually will require treatment by a professional exterminator.
Bed bugs need to be identified and promptly address before a minor problem becomes something much bigger. For more information about controlling bed bugs, visit www.epa.gov/bedbugs.
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Great ways to enjoy a day on a boat
Few things can be as enjoyable on a warm day as spending some time on a boat. For many people, the sound of the water lapping beneath a boat and the feeling of a warm summer breeze blowing through their hair is the very essence of summer relaxation.
Boating appeals to people with varying interests, and there are many ways one can enjoy a day spent traversing a nearby river, lake or ocean.
Fishing
Recreational fishing is wildly popular. According to the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation, in 2016 more than 47 million Americans participated in fishing at least once during the calendar year. In its Survey of Recreational Fishing in Canada, the organization Fisheries and Oceans Canada found that more than 3.2 million adult anglers actively participated in a variety of recreational fishing activities in Canada in 2015. The sheer volume of people who enjoy recreational fishing suggests it’s an activity that has widespread appeal and it can benefit people of all ages and skill levels. What’s more, fishing provides a wonderful excuse to spend a day on a boat.
Sailing
Sailing is a rewarding and demanding hobby. Avid sailors often describe the origins of their love of sailing as “catching the bug.” Indeed, few hobbies can be as gratifying as sailing, which the organization Discover Boating® notes requires participants to be more active than almost any other type of boating. While sailing can be physically demanding, when the waters are calm, few activities can be as peaceful and relaxing.
Exploring
Of course, even people who do not own their own boats can still enjoy time on the water. The Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation notes that roughly 90 percent of U.S. residents live within one hour of navigable bodies of water. Many waterfront communities, particularly those with tourism-based economies, are home to small businesses that provide local river, lake or ocean tours. These can be great ways to learn about local history and/or see local marine life.
A day spent on a boat is a great way to enjoy a warm afternoon. And the options are endless when it comes to how to spend such days on the water.
