News

NEW YORK, NY May 09, 2008 — Lots of New Yorkers are grossed out following reports of bedbugs in the subway, but should you really be surprised? Like other critters, bedbugs go where the food is.

Lou Sorkin, an insect expert at the American Museum of Natural History, says people unknowingly bring bedbugs with them from home into public. But, he says the subway isn't the most likely place they’d turn up.

SORKIN: The theater and an office would have a higher priority of bedbug infestation than a subway bench or even park bench. It depends maybe on the geographic location of that particular subway bench or park bench.

REPORTER: The Metropolitan Transportation Authority says its pest experts are focused mainly on rats, not insects, but that subway platforms, benches and stairs are regularly power-washed with hot water and detergent. How often depends on how much traffic they receive.