Classification: Cimex ridiculous
Drawing of the recently discovered 'Ostrich Bug' or Cimex ridiculous.
April 1: Once thought mythical, the parasitic Ostrich Bug (Cimex ridiculous) has been confirmed in a variety of habitats – private homes, office buildings, theatres, hotels – with a high concentration within multi-unit housing developments. Infected individuals exhibit evasive behaviour patterns, leaving their homes and their businesses exposed to a secondary insect invasion - Bed Bugs (Cimex lectularius).
Artist's rendering of typical Ostrich Bug feeding behaviour. Used with permission of www.ostrichbug.com
Signs and Symptoms
These poor souls are left vulnerable and exposed; ill-prepared to defend homes and businesses from the inevitable bed bug invasions. Their lack of understanding spreads both pests, dispersing infestations like a modern day “typhoid Mary”. While they feel safe with their heads entrenched, keep in mind their actions are toxic to others.
Typical behaviour exhibited by those infected by the Ostrich Bug
Prior to burrowing their head in the sand, the diseased are known to mumble:
“Won’t happen to me. No bed bugs in my building.”
The Antidote
To eliminate both pests, the secret is to address the secondary pest first (Cimex lectularius). Seek accurate and current bed bug information. Educate your peers and ‘spread the word, not the bug’, followed by the pro-active implementation of an Early Bed Bug Detection system.
Take A Pro-Active Approach
To gain the upper hand, the workable solution is Early Bed Bug Detection (EBBD). The goal is to identify bed bug introductions at the earliest opportunity through three levels of inspection.
EBBD: "Early Bed Bug Detection"
E for Education – learn to recognize bed bugs in all life stages - know your enemy
B B for Bug Behaviour – deploy monitors, such as the BB Alert Passive Monitor, which sync with the pest’s natural behaviours, as your 24/7 early warning tool
D for Dog - k9-assisted bed bug inspections to easily and quickly determine if bed bugs are present.
