Tuesday 20 July 2010

MSN Video article: Bedbugs on the rise

MSN Discovery News 20th June 2020



Those tiny, bloodsucking pests are making a comeback, infesting homes and hotels nationwide.

Entomology professor Mike Raupp gives Jorge Ribas a closer look at the creepy critters. View the video here.


If your parent or grandparent ever tucked you in at night, you may have heard this common, yet somewhat curious, chant. Most children never see or hear of bedbugs and never have any idea what their ridiculous parents are talking about, drifting off to sleep without any concern of the attack of the so-called 'bedbugs'. But, what they are blissfully unaware of is that there actually are bedbugs, scientific name cimex lectularius, and they would love to dine on the delicate flesh of a tender young offspring, if given the chance.

These creatures were most common when our ancestors were dwelling in caves, unprotected from the creatures preying on all the common wildlife of the day, but almost unheard of in the modern world of developed society. Approximately the size of a small apple seed as adults, these creepy-crawlies are notoriously difficult to find. They, like the common tick, are thin enough to slip between floor boards, under outlet covers and into the smallest spaces one could imagine, only emerging at night to feast on their unsuspecting prey.

The result of their bite and feast is no more or less harmful than that of a spider or dedicated mosquito - swelling and itching usually - and can only carry live disease, such as HIV, for up to an hour on its mouth parts so is not well know for passing disease in the modern world. And adult bedbugs can survive up to one year without feeding on blood, so their survivorship of hard times is quite amazing.

The last decade has seen an unprecedented increase in reported bites in highly developed countries - Australia in particular, reporting a 700% increase from 2000 to 2004 compared to the previous 4-year period. There however, the vast majority of the cases were reported from lower-end lodging such as back-packer hotels, people camping or in less than standard dwelling. The higher density the population, the happier they are with no regard to income or social status.

There is one additional variety of bedbug, cimex hemipterus, that prefers tropical settings, that is said to be in up to 65% of homes located in those regions. These have also made their way into Australia, but not yet to the US, most of which were directly linked to travel to Asia and other Pacific countries.

One of the reasons cited, but not confirmed for the recent proliferation of these pesky intruders is their increased resistance to certain pesticides. In the past pest-control chemicals tended to be broad based, aimed at wiping out cockroaches, ants and the like but also wiping out the populations of bedbugs at the same time. Now, as chemicals are refined to target very specific species, the bedbug is not affected by them, even immune to their effects, thusly given the opportunity to breed and flourish.

Do not be alarmed by them however, because besides the itchy bite mark, these little critters are fairly benevolent to you and your children or pets. If pest control is not something you want to try, one of the easiest ways to treat them is to wash all bedding and vacuum the carpets, and buy a new mattress.

Monday 12 July 2010

July Competition - win a chair bed for FREE - choose from 15 colours!

Note: Competition now closed, winner was Karen S. Check out our August competition here.

Comfy Living are celebrating 5 years of business in August 2010, and we're going to be running a competition to mark the occasion.

We've been thinking how to create a campaign (not just cracking the champagne open) and we need your help.

This month, we will be giving away a best selling chair bed from the Comfy Living website www.comfy-living.co.uk which is available in 15 colours.

All you need to do, is suggest to us how we should best celebrate our 5th anniversary?

Enter by email: info@comfy-living.co.uk or by posting a reply on this blog.



You can follow us on Twitter @Comfy_Living  and join our Facebook page to keep up to date with promotions and fun ideas!

Please tweet this page to your followers and feel free to spread the word!

Competition ends midnight 31st July.
Enter as many times as you like!

Enter by email: info@comfy-living.co.uk or by posting a reply on this blog.
We are sorry, but this competition is open to mainland UK entrants only.

Thursday 8 July 2010

Bunk Bed HOT SALE at www.comfy-living.co.uk

HOT SUMMER SALE NOW ON!!


Wooden bunk beds feature in the July 2010 summer sale at www.comfy-living.co.uk

The exclusive Christopher solid pine single bunk bed can also be converted to two single 3ft beds if required.

Click the here to be taken directly to the bunk bed sale page!


Thursday 1 July 2010

Futon Competition Winner June 2010


FUTON WINNER ANNOUNCED!



A big congratulations to Deborah Wheeler who was chosen at random from hundreds and hundreds of emails to win a Comfy Living double futon with wooden base!

We will be running another competition soon, so watch this space, follow us on Twitter and Facebook to be kept up to date with news, discounts and competitions in 2010.

Thank you to everyone for participating, and we will be sending you all a personal message about a special offer on the Comfy Living website very soon ... :)