bed bugs bite

[medNoir]

ok, what are these little flying bugs
that I can't see
but they leave tiny itchy red dots
day and night, indoors and out


I thought they were fleas
but I don't think so anymore.

[FoxTrot]

I think they're sand fleas. They don't bother me, but my wife gets bitten all the time when she sleeps. She has all kinds of bug bites on her legs. Why is it that females get affected more by it???? :?:

[Nooks]

I think it is the sand fleas, get a plastic mattress cover that zips up. The fleas sufficate and die, DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE.

Make sure you dont scratch the heck out of them, cuz you could end up with a staff infection. Apparently they are common here and can be very dangerous. The staff infections that is.... not the sand fleas. Although they are quite a neusance, according to my best friend down here.

I live on the 3rd floor and I was warned early by value md. I wasnt sure I was gong to have a problem, but I made sure I took care of it before I had a problem and I brought a mattress cover with me.

Sorry about the bed bugs = good luck.

[Ganja Magic]

Ahhh, the infamous No See'ums. I hate the little bastards. :lol: Nooks is right, a staph infection can follow when you scratch.

Go to James Store
One aisle over from the cheap booze
There are black mosquito coils wrapped in plastic
Light one end with a match
Mount in your room or outside
The smoke is foul, but bearable
When the sand fleas suffocate
And die a horrible death
Thus, leaving you alone.

[medNoir]

Could someone give a URL of a picture of a
"plastic mattress cover"

I get the impression that there's more to it than the obvious english phrase.

[link626]

is there a fumigator that we can use to get rid of the fleas? or do they keep coming back even after spraying them?

are these fleas common in most apartments, regardless of how clean we make them?

[jujubean]

Anybody know if I can purchase a plastic mattress cover on the island?

I'm getting eatten alive here!!!! :shock:

[medNoir]

You sold me. Are plastic matress covers sold in Portsmouth or Roseau ?

[Ganja Magic]

You sold me. Are plastic matress covers sold in Portsmouth or Roseau ?

Upstairs at Astaphan's in Roseau is probably your best bet.

A long shot is Courts in Portsmouth, but it is worth a try if you don't have the time for a Roseau trip.

[Ganja Magic]

When you wash your sheets, be sure to add plenty of bleach and let them soak before starting the wash cycle. And double sheet your mattress, that is two barriers for the bed bugs to get through when trying to find your skin at night. They home in on body heat, so the more sheets the less they get to you.

Also, take your mattress outside and beat the hell out of it - in addition to the dust and debris, little flea eggs will fall out as well. Check your bedframe for any spots where eggs might hide, spray with Lysol or just squirt some alcohol or bleach in there.

Wear long PJ's when you go to sleep. If you have scrubs or comfortable pants that completely cover your ankles, all the better.

The most drastic measure is to put your bare mattress in your room, throw a "bug bomb" (i.e. Raid spray) in there and run. Come back in a couple hours, beat your mattress a few times and hopefully the little buggers will fall out.

All this being said, maybe a plastic cover isn't a bad idea. :lol:

[Michael10101]

I don't know what the heck they are, but a mattress cover solves a lot of the problems. I was getting a lot of the bites, even with wearing sleep pants. I brought a mattress cover with me, and ta da. NO BITES!!!

To tell you the truth I don't see any men with to many bites, and I think the reason is leg hair. The little bastards have to crawl through to get to the leg, and why bother, when a nice clean shaved leg is walking right along side it. Who knows.

[FoxTrot]

...

[Nooks]

I have heard that Best buy in Portsmouth has them, but we went there and they sold us a fitted mattress sheet, that is vinyl but doesnt zip up. Thats the wrong thing.... I have since been told that they have them upstairs at best buy in portsmouth, which i had no idea there was eeven an upstairs, however, i am going to try that.

Friday I went to roseau (Astaphans) and they were out. they had one left and of course it was the wrong size for the mattress and AND the zipper was broken.

They said they will be getting their new shipment on Monday so i will definietly call before making the journey if bbuy in portsmouth really doesnt have any.

FYI

Try the mattress cover and the double sheeting, before you make an army bed bug raid. Sounds like a lot of work,

good luck.... and if not ---- theres nothing wrong with women having hairy legs is there????? :mrgreen:

[sanjuanico]

The plastic bed cover is a plastic mattress cover that fits around the whole mattress and you zip it up. This should sufficate all these fleas and hopefully end your restless nights. I did find one at Astaphans, however I would have one shipped from the states. You can go to Bed Bath and Beyond website and order from there.

[FoxTrot]

I bought a mattress cover today. Is the store in Portsmouth directly across the street where all the transports drop and pick people up. It cost $20 EC for a queen size and $17ec for a full size. They give 10% discount with a student discount.

[sanjuanico]

I have these bugs in my bed too. I did spray the mattress with Bugone. I am not sure if it has worked or not. I have been sleeping on the couch, until Ive discovered that they may be there too!
I have been told that its much more common to have these fleas when living on the first floor. It doesnt matter how clean your apt is.

[sanjuanico]

Fox Trot,
Did the mattress cover have a zipper? They sold me one without the zipper....still have the bugs.

[FoxTrot]

Yeah, it has a zipper.

[Dru]

Please refer to my comments in:

http://www.valuemd.com/viewtopic. php?t=15952

These pests are not bedbugs, but the are sand fleas. They are found throughout most all Caribbean islands. It does not mean that you are living in a dive or are a bad housekeeper. The simple remedy for the problem is to wrap your mattress in plastic or purchase a zippered plastic mattress cover. Bug bombs and poisons will not stop them, but will only kill the adult critters. To completely eradicate them, you must suffocate the eggs. Some individuals will be allergic to the bites, and some will be bitten and not even know it.

The "no-see-ums" are different that the sand fleas. They are usually found outside, and they come out in the dark. The remedy for that critter is to wear bug repellent. (mattress plastic won't help that one)

YES, I am NOT a student, and NO, I have not lived in Dominica for more than 10 days each of the 4 times I visited there. I HAVE traveled the Caribbean islands extensively enough to have first hand experience. I have tried to give sound "motherly" advice. Those of you who have been bitten and not known it...you are fortunate. Those of you with the itchy red dots...I feel your pain.

[Nooks]

was this at grand bazaar?