Pedestrians beware: Bedbugs have invaded New York City streets. Giant blood-suckers are crawling all over the East Village, terrorizing residents and returning to their home base– an abandoned mattress in Astor Place.
In an Internet exclusive, Downtown Traveler obtained a photo of the bedbugs last night.
A bedbug infested mattress in Astor Place becomes street art.
Bedbug street art
Alert residents couldn’t miss this cluster of bedbugs on the corner of 4th Avenue and 8th Street. An abandoned mattress was spray painted with the message, “Ahh Ohh… New York City Bedbugs” and depicted a dozen insects of varying sizes. The bugs surrounded a suspicious man wearing a red shirt and a Fu Manchu mustache.
Fortunately, the bugs were a work of street art. There is no evidence that dog-sized bedbugs have invaded the city (yet). It’s unclear whether the mattress was spray painted on the street by an artist who just happened to pass by, or if it was decorated before being dumped on the curb.
A street artist paid tribute to "NYC bedbugs" on this mattress in Astor Place.
Hot topic
Bedbug hysteria has swept New York City. It started this summer when critters were found in a Times Square movie theater and an Abercrombie & Fitch store.
A recent bedbug sighting at a Brooklyn subway station sent bloggers into overdrive, guessing where the insects would appear next. Actress/singer Norah Jones was one of the first celebrity casualties of the bedbug witch hunt. She was demonized last month for supposedly bringing bedbugs to her building in Cobble Hill.
No one knows where bedbugs will turn up next. They may appear in an art gallery near you!
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Only in NYC would you find such unique street art on timely topics. Pretty cool.
Bugs are definitely not my thing. I prefer not to be reminded they are out there, not matter how artistic the reminder.
They have made their appearance in Chicago too, but fortunately not at my mancave. Wait a second, what is that ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Hehe– what perfect timing for a bedbug attack…
Even street-art bedbugs make me itchy. I have turned into a compulsive bed-bug sprayer with an essential oil concoction I’m assured works. At least it gives me piece of mind. Don’t want to bring those suckers home
Uh oh…. I had a bad memory of bedbug, it was KL. I still have some scars. It’s light now but it was horrible for months!!!! 🙁 Oh no. Burn those!!
YUK, YUK, YUK. How about “bedbugs roasting on an open fire…”
Street art is as close as I want to get. Great piece and so New York