Bed Bug Discussion

[Scribbles]

By the way the movies is absolutely disgusting now.

THE UA IS INFESTED WITH THEM.

[Rueful_Rose]

By the way the movies is absolutely disgusting now.

THE UA IS INFESTED WITH THEM.

Whoa. That's creepy.  You're talking about the UA Kaufman Astoria, right?  I have plans to catch a matinee there tomorrow.

Did you see bedbugs there?  Or do you have insider info from a theater employee?   

[Scribbles]

Yes, yes...and Yes. LMAO.

I didn't take a confidant's word about it and ended up with one on the back of my neck that night. It was disgusting, I ended up leaving after 20 minutes into the movie.

I told a clerk and he shrugged like "I don't know what to tell you...." I don't blame him. It's hard to combat these things, especially over there. The best thing is prevention. But how in the world could you prevent it at the theaters?

I'm not telling you to NOT go. But I'm a paranoid freak with these b/c I've learned to sense them from a block away LMAO. They're everywhere though so it's just something you have to deal with.

[daisy]

Ok, now I'm never going to that theater again.  I cannot go through that nightmare ever again......  And if it's true, management should be told and if they do nothing, some bad press might do the trick.

[Astoria Luv]

Last night I was waiting for the G train in Brooklyn and was pretty tired.  I went to the wooden bench on the platform and then remembered reading something on the board about bed bug infestation on the benches.  Needless to say, I stood and waited for the train.

[Rueful_Rose]

Yes, yes...and Yes. LMAO.

I didn't take a confidant's word about it and ended up with one on the back of my neck that night. It was disgusting, I ended up leaving after 20 minutes into the movie.

I told a clerk and he shrugged like "I don't know what to tell you...." I don't blame him. It's hard to combat these things, especially over there. The best thing is prevention. But how in the world could you prevent it at the theaters?

I'm not telling you to NOT go. But I'm a paranoid freak with these b/c I've learned to sense them from a block away LMAO. They're everywhere though so it's just something you have to deal with.

That's it.  I'm not going.   Especially with all the winter stuff you have to wear these days that gets thrown on the seats.  No way to monitor if anything sneaks into your coat or scarf. The risk might be small, but I'm not in the mood to chance it.  Many thanks for the details and the heads-up.

Man, it's crazy you caught the bug on you before it had a chance to hitchhike back to your home.

[scarlettworegreen]

from New York vs Bed Bugs
   

Movie-going in the age of bed bugs

Posted: 29 Nov 2008 09:22 PM CST

This conversation at Astorians is about a bed bug encounter at a NYC movie theater.

The question is not, are there bed bugs in NYC movie theaters?

Because the answer to that one is yes, of course. (Silly!)

And if the thought of safety in your favorite theater or in neighborhood-X-that-is-not-Astoria crossed your mind… sorry!

The interesting question is, should we wear leather outfits?

There are no known repellents that work to my knowledge.

Bringing any kind of contact-killing spray to the theater is likely going to get you interrogated in a tiny room and, more important, if you actually see bed bugs around your seat, I don’t imagine you are going to stick around to try to kill them?

Tactile inspections are not likely to work either—there is so much dirt and debris on seats, in their seams and undersides and around them for this to be of much help. Plus, most of us are not skilled at bed bug inspection.

So, in a movie theater, we may get bed bug bites. If we’re lucky, we’ll get them before the third act. That way the bed bug, satiated and no longer attracted to us, in fact slightly repelled, will amble off to its hiding spot and leave us alone well before it’s time to gather our coats from under that pile in the next seat.

It gets complicated if there are lots of bed bugs. If, in fact, the bed bug population in your favorite movie seat is ready for new adventures. Or just clumsy. In that case, all bets are off.

So, perhaps you need to select washable attire for movie-going and isolate your clothing (and shoes) upon returning home. Into a hot wash and dry as soon as possible and problem solved. Don’t bring a backpack or handbag or shopping bags and you’re set.

Of course, your friends and family, those innocents who have not yet had bed bugs at home, are unlikely to take such precautions. And your downstairs neighbors? Your teenage kids?

What do you think, we may as well go to the movies? Some of us won’t be able to stay away no matter what unhappy bed bug experiences we’ve already had. We may get bites. We may get bed bugs. C’est la guerre.

We could, of course, call these our fellow New York citizens and ask them to create a plan to control bed bug infestations in our city. Just saying. We can be poor in these uncertain times, but do we have to have bed bugs, too?

For more information, check out www.newyorkvsbedbugs.com  Take action!

[Scribbles]

Yea the experience was disturbing and there was no mistaking that it came from the seat and not my clothes (which were brand new, and being the freak that I am a thoroughly inspect every thread of my clothes for them, even drawers and socks. Anyway here's the specific details from my experience. 

I like to slouch in movie theater seats so the back of my head is always pressed up on the seat firmly. At first it first started with a little scratching, I didn't think of it too much. Then it hit me when I kept scratching it for the next 5 minutes. I start shaking off my body like something is on me until I had enough and turned around.

I went through my frantic routine of searching for them. I knew it was a BB bite right away. So I start looking around the corners of the seats, edges and all. Blindspots are bedbugs great hideouts.

Then there it was behind me crawling down and towards the back of the seat.

BTW if you think any other theater is safer than UA Kaufman, you're dead wrong.

Most folks wouldn't have even seen this bug but since I've had a trained eye for them since last spring. I've become a wiz at spotting them or sensing them before they bite. I get goosebumps and the hairs on my body start to rise. That's my first clue.

Really, everyone needs to beware anywhere and everywhere you sit. Theaters, Coffee Shops, even your friends and relatives homes.

It almost feels like it's impossible to avoid them. I spot a few in my apartment from time to time.

BUT SWITCHING FROM A WODDEN BED TO BRASS WAS GENIUS FOR ME. So far I've only had two or three over the course of the past 3-5 months.

Exterminators suck a**. What a waste of money!!!

[scarlettworegreen]

hey scribbles,
i actually recently talked a date out of taking me
to see the new bond film because i was worried
bed bugs have taken up residence there.

ack!!!!

[amandax]

Please take a moment to email Mayor Bloomberg about this epidemic and ask him to address it:

http://www.nyc.gov/portal/site/nycgov/menuitem.bd08ee7c7c1ffec87c4b36d501c789a0/index.jsp?doc_name=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nyc.gov%2Fhtml%2Fmail%2Fhtml%2Fmayor.html

And our dept. of health and human services here:

http://www.nyc.gov/html/mail/html/maildoh.html

[AAPA]

BUT SWITCHING FROM A WODDEN BED TO BRASS WAS GENIUS FOR ME. So far I've only had two or three over the course of the past 3-5 months.

Exterminators suck a**. What a waste of money!!!

Yo Scribbs, what gives? You've had repeated BB encounters over the last few months in your home and now you are accusing the movies of giving them to you? What's to say that one of your little house pets did'nt hitch a ride in your pants and decide to catch a flick? I'm a l ittle concerned by your testimony especially after all the hoopla that has followed it. 

[scarlettworegreen]

aapa is right.  if you are seeing any in your house you have hundreds.
really. truly.

[scarlettworegreen]

BUT it is not much of a stretch or even false to say
they could be living at your local theater.  they
are fantastic hitchhikers and travel in clothes, purses,
backpacker, etc. 

it just takes one.

considering the level of infestation in astoria, i would
think they are nearly everywhere.

[Scribbles]

Ok you don't have to believe me. I'm just telling you what happened.

I'm almost certain that it wasn't from me. Like I said, I thoroughly check and examine all my clothes before I wear them to go outside. If you ever had BB, you can understand that it becomes a symptom and it almost seems like you check between every thread to see if they're hiding somewhere.

Also, I'm very sensitive when it comes to BB. It almost strikes a 6th sense in me and I can feel them within the premises or nearby. I can't really explain it.

Third, let's just say it did come from me...still doesn't change my insider sources.

Regardless I encourage everyone to go out to the movies. I'm not stopping any of you from NOT going. Just bring some pesticide repellents with you LOL.

[scarlettworegreen]

Yay! (we think!)

Big news:

A bill was introduced in the New York City Council on November 19, 2008 that would require the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to:

   1. create a bed bug control training program for:
          * pest control providers, and
          * property owners;
   2. make available bed bug information on its website; and
   3. establish a bed bug toll-free hotline for the public to report bed bug infestations and request bed bug control information.

it is not perfect but it is a start.

check out asap www.newyorkvsbedbugs.org for details and how you can help support (i.e. write letters, urge peter vallone to take some leadership on this as well, get your friends to write appropriate notes in support of the bill to proper people AS WELL AS JOIN THE DIALOG!) (as we have all done enough whining and need action)
http://newyorkvsbedbugs.org/nyc-council-intro-873/