Sheltering Bedbugs

Those pesky little critters that have raised themselves to the level of "epidemic" have created a number of headaches for the YWCA Women's Emergency Shelter.

Now only new clothing can be accepted for donation, and all personal belongings of residents must be stored in large plastic bins. They're also looking at replacing the sturdy, familiar wooden bunk beds with metal ones to help reduce infestations.

It’s hard enough to be away from home — even if that home life includes abuse — so making the shelter as comfortable as possible is a goal of the people who run it. Unfortunately, the bedbugs that come in on the clothing of people seeking shelter can burrow into the nooks and caries of the bunk beds, personal items and other things. The shelter has already paid $16,000 this year to clean out infestations, and the year isn’t over yet.

To learn more about bedbugs, visit the Cincinnati Health Department.

— Margo Pierce