Fear Spreads as 'Bindae Government Joint Countermeasures Headquarters' Formed
'Fake Eradication Methods' for Bindae Also Spread
Posts Selling Bindae for Revenge Against Interfloor Noise Appear
Fear of bedbug infestation is spreading, centered around residential areas and public facilities.
Since live adult bedbugs and larvae were discovered at a jjimjilbang in Seo-gu, Incheon on the 13th of last month, reports of bedbug sightings have continued, despite bedbugs having been believed to have disappeared from surrounding living spaces since the 1970s.
Amid growing concerns about the nationwide spread of bedbugs, on the morning of the 9th, officials from the Yongsan-gu Public Health Center are conducting pest control operations to exterminate bedbugs in the Dongja-dong goshiwon area of Yongsan-gu, Seoul. [Photo by Yonhap News]
On the 19th of the same month, a student at a private university dormitory in Daegu reported being bitten by bedbugs, and reports of bedbug appearances followed at lodging and public facilities such as a goshiwon in a shantytown area in Seoul and a goshiwon in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province.
On a secondhand trading platform, a post appeared offering to buy bedbugs. The poster stated they wanted to buy bedbugs to "take revenge on neighbors for noise between floors," sparking controversy.
The netizen who wrote the post said they would buy 10 bedbugs for 3,000 won and wrote, "I would appreciate it if you could collect 10 bedbugs, put them in a zipper plastic bag, and send them by courier. Please contact me."
They explained, "After always suffering from noise between floors, seeing the bedbug news felt like finding an oasis," and "I want to punish the people next door."
Netizens generally reacted to the secondhand bedbug trading post as foolish. They pointed out that the poster overlooked the risk that if bedbugs occur in one household in an apartment complex, they could spread to other households.
Amid this, a post appeared on a secondhand trading platform expressing the intention to buy bedbugs. Above all, the writer sparked controversy by stating that they wanted to buy bedbugs "to take revenge on the neighbor's noise between floors." [Photo by Online Community 'BobaeDream']
In response, netizens commented, "It won't just be the next door neighbors in trouble," "If bedbugs appear, they will spread throughout the entire apartment," and "The poster's own home will also suffer bedbug damage."
Exploding Interest in 'Bedbug Map' Amid Bedbug Fear
As reports of suspected cases continue nationwide, a website providing information on bedbug sightings has even emerged. [Photo source=Bindaemap]
As bedbugs are found nationwide and suspicious reports continue, websites that collect and provide information on bedbug sightings have emerged.
Representative examples include 'Bedbug Map,' which displays bedbug sighting information on a map, and 'Bedbug Board,' which provides information in a dashboard format. These initiatives resemble the 'COVID-19 Map,' which received great public response during the COVID-19 outbreak, and are efforts by the private sector to alleviate public anxiety.
The Bedbug Board website, operating since the 9th, provides dates and locations of bedbug sightings in South Korea based on data collected from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and various news articles. As of the 13th, it contained information on a total of 41 sightings, 33 locations, and about 4,000 related articles. Additionally, it offers ▲bedbug sighting locations and dates ▲suspicious report status based on citizen submissions ▲bedbug-related news and information.
As fear of bedbugs grows and related reports continue, the government formed the 'Bedbug Government Joint Countermeasures Headquarters,' consisting of 10 ministries including the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Ministry of Health and Welfare, and Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. Emergency approval was also granted for eight insecticides made with the neonicotinoid-class dinotefuran.
Ultimately, Hygiene Management Is Key to Bedbug Eradication
As bedbug phobia spreads, 'fake eradication methods' disguised as 'folk remedies' are circulating for bedbug control. Some claim that leaving the electric light on in the room will get rid of bedbugs, while others make absurd claims that diatomaceous earth, insecticide, baking soda, essential oils, or phytoncide are miracle cures for bedbug eradication. There is even a rapidly spreading video suggesting that using cockroaches, natural predators of bedbugs, can solve the problem. [Photo source=Online community]
Bedbugs, which feed on human blood, start sucking blood from the moment they hatch from eggs. Bedbugs can suck blood up to 2.5 to 6 times their body volume.
Female bedbugs can lay up to five eggs per day and between 200 to 500 eggs in their lifetime. They can even survive up to 12 months without feeding. They are also resistant to insecticides, making eradication difficult. Records dating back to 1300 BC show traces of bedbugs, so complete eradication may be impossible from the start.
As bedbug phobia spreads, 'fake eradication methods' disguised as 'folk remedies' are circulating. Some claim that leaving the lights on in a room will kill bedbugs, while others absurdly claim that diatomaceous earth, mothballs, baking soda, essential oils, or phytoncide are effective against bedbugs. Videos suggesting using cockroaches, natural predators of bedbugs, to eliminate them are also spreading rapidly.
Of course, these are incorrect. While it is true that bedbugs dislike light and cockroaches are natural enemies of bedbugs, leaving the lights on in a room does not kill bedbugs. Instead, it is more likely they will hide in dark cracks in walls or furniture. Bedbugs have strong survival abilities, able to endure up to 150 days without feeding on human blood.
There is no possibility that cockroaches, which inhabit completely different environments from bedbugs, will help eradicate bedbugs. It is true that bedbugs avoid cockroaches, but there is no scientific evidence that cockroaches prey on bedbugs. Using cockroaches could cause more harm due to their association with unsanitary environments.
The most sensible method to eradicate bedbugs is to use the high heat of steam or a dryer. Vacuuming bedbugs hiding in cracks is also a method. However, the most important effort is to thoroughly seal cracks in walls and regularly clean gaps between furniture and walls to eliminate environments where bedbugs can live.
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