Daily Archives: May 26, 2014

The conviction that insects are crawling on, biting, or burrowing in the skin, when no arthropod is involved, is termed"delusory parasitosis." I run into this quite frequently when dealing with Pest Control. However Bed Bugs in particular seems to be a pest these people cling to. Because Bed Bugs are so small and hard to find, humans can almost be talked into having them. I get a call. She's being attacked by bugs but you can't see them. She has been to 4 doctors and has not solved the problem. She has dryer sheets taped around her legs and washes herself down with alcohol nightly. There is some type of White Dust all around the walls and in the furniture. She says she has bombed the house 3 times. But she is yet to see a bug ! What is it? What should we do as Pest Control Operators ? Number 1 DON'T TREAT ! Do a through inspection. Be very nice to the customer because they are having a problem. Unfortunately it may be a problem we can't fix. I get calls like this all the time. I have learned how to better respond to this type of customer.

Usually there is no insect but is a physical, physiological or psychological stimulus. Dry, sensitive skin is particularly susceptible to these sensations. Particles impinging on the skin as a result of static electricity may be perceived as "bites" or "stings." This is particularly true of materials with sharp projections such as paper, metal, and fiberglass fragments. Carpet fibers also may be attracted to lower portions of the body because of static electricity, and these too can feel like pinpricks.

Table 1. Common attributes of DP sufferersa

A. Most common in older people (Lyell 1983, Webb 1993, Trabert 1995, Goddard 1995, White 1997)

B. Disproportionately female (St. Aubin 1981, Lyell 1983, Webb 1993, Trabert 1995)

C. Exhibit behaviors such as:

(1) quitting their jobs (Monk and Rao 1994, Goddard 1995 )

(2) burn/destroy furniture (St. Aubin 1981, Lyell 1983, Gieler and Knoll 1990, Goddard 1995)

(3) abandon homes (Waldron 1962, Lyell 1983, Driscoll et al. 1993, Goddard 1995)

(4) obsessive laundering/dry cleaning (St. Aubin 1981, Lyell 1983) boil clothing and bed linens

The rest is here:
Georgia Atlanta-Macon-Augusta-Athens Bed Bugs Blog