They crawl through the night. They suck blood. And they could easily take over your apartment.

Sound like an army from a bad zombie movie? Not really. Bed bugs may never get their own movie, let alone any bad sequels, but that won't stop them from returning. By the end of World War II, bed bugs were almost wiped out in the United States. However, in the past five years, they are beginning to make a comeback.

Scientists credit the return of the bed bug to several factors, including a rise in international travel and changes in pest control practices, such as using less effective bug pesticides. The pesticide DDT was once used to treat bed bugs, but it is no longer commonly used because of the danger it posed to people and the environment.

"In general, the bed bug pest problem has increased around the world," said Bill Robinson, a spokesman for pest control company Orkin. The company reported an 81 percent increase nationwide in bedbug treatments from 2003 to 2004. Last year, Orkin found infestations in 43 states, compared with 35 in 2003.

For now, Marquette students are safe.

"At this point in time Marquette University, as far as we know, has no bed bugs on campus," said Dan Bergen, area coordinator for university apartments.

Students in residence halls and university-owned apartments were given packets at check-in this year to educate them about the threat of bed bugs and ensure their well-being, according to Bergen.

"It doesn't matter if you're clean or dirty," Bergen said. "They're not picky. They're in high-end hotels, they're in dirty hotels. They're in furniture on the side of the road, they're on furniture in people's homes."

Two years ago, they were in O'Donnell Hall.

A resident, who was a freshman at the time, and his roommate picked up a couch that had been left on the sidewalk. It had slashes in it — the student, who asked not to be named, now realizes that the marks may have been a sign not to take it.

"Probably not a good idea," he said. "We didn't know about bed bugs."

Within a few nights his roommate began to notice bites on his legs. A few days later, bites showed up on his chest and later appeared on his neck. They reported the infestation and had to evacuate their room for four days while it was treated.

Students are at a greater risk for bed bugs because they travel frequently, according to Bergen.

Waking up in the morning with bite marks similar to a mosquito is a sign of bed bugs. They can be found in mattress and box springs, folded sheets, and in holes within or near a bed frame.

"If bed bugs are spotted, they should be reported to the apartment manager or director of the residence hall immediately," Bergen said.

Students should also reduce the clutter in their rooms, wash all clothes and sheets in hot water, and also invest in a mattress cover that will eventually kill the bugs.

If further action needs to be taken, the university will have them removed by Wil-Kil Pest Control for no charge.

This article was published in The Marquette Tribune on September 8, 2005.