Sleep Tight… Why I’m a Little Bugged By Margate School Bedbug

A letter came home from the kids' school principal this week. A single bed bug has been found in a classroom at the Ross school, where my children attend.

All the sudden that old expression, "sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite", has taken on a much greater significance.

In the letter, Principal John DiNicola, who I've come to know as a pretty good guy with a hard job, explains that bed bugs are a nuisance and can cause considerable discomfort.

The letter goes on to explain that bed bugs are usually active at night and feed on human blood. The bites don't hurt at first, but then become swollen and itch.  Do a search for a picture of a bed bug bite and prepare to be grossed out.

After finding the little bugger, the school had the classroom deep cleaned and plans to bring in a "certified bug detection canine" to locate any possible bed bug sites.  They can train dogs to hunt just about anything, can't they? Any

Reading that these nasty little critters may be in the place your kids go to school gives this parent full-body shivers.  But let's not lose our collective cool, okay gang?

To the other school parents, townspeople, and the overly dramatic TV-40 reporter whose news story about a single bed bug discovery made it seem like the end of days: PLEASE REMAIN CALM!

So far, only one bed bug has been found and no one is reporting being bitten.  Bed bugs certainly don't travel alone though, so lets take whatever steps to make sure the bugs don't get in to any Margate beds.