Bed bugs are not the only targets. On Sunday, a California resident tried to kill a large spider with a torch lighter. Torch lighters create a flame much hotter than a regular lighter. The spider fled once it was on fire and ran onto a mattress, setting it on fire. From there a set of flags and drapes caught fire, and then the fire spread to the closet. The resident unsuccessfully tried to extinguish the fire with a garden hose. The fire department got the fire under control in about twenty minutes.

Sadly, these are not isolated incidents; in July, a woman in Kansas, after successfully eliminating bug with a lighter, tried it on a second bug. Unfortunately, the lighter sparked, setting the box spring on fire and ultimately causing $140,000 in damage to the apartment complex.

Attempts to kill bugs with a combination of alcohol and fire, or just fire, go back to at least 2006 and probably much longer. The moral of the story is that eradicating bugs with fire is not a good idea. Fire should be contained to fireplaces, fire pits, or grills. Bug eradication should be tailored to the type of bug and the best method of eradication. Some bugs, like the spider, can be relocated outside if the resident is not afraid of spiders. Otherwise, a good insecticide should solve the problem. If pets and small children are in the home, an insecticide that is pet safe should be used. Exterminators are best for any sort of infestation; where there is one bed bug there are apt to be many, and since they are hard to eradicate, it is best to let an exterminator handle it. Whenever using chemicals, always carefully follow the directions and warnings on the product; they are typically there because someone previously misused the product, or to help save your life or eyesight.

Since we're talking about fire, a few safety tips are in order. If a fire breaks out in your home, call 911 FIRST. It will take at least a few minutes for them to get there, and you do not want to lose valuable time trying to extinguish the fire on your own. Fire spreads rapidly. Each home should have a few fire extinguishers, and family members should learn how to use them before something happens. Having to read the instructions while a fire is spreading is not helpful. The best practice however is to get everyone, including pets, out of the house safely. Fire is dangerous and can cause serious damage, injury or death.

It is estimated that at any given time there are 10 quintillion (10,000,000,000,000,000,000) individual insects on the planet. There are roughly 7 billion (7,000,000,000) people on the planet. The bugs are obviously winning. Let's not let them lead us to burn ourselves out of our homes trying to get rid of them.