The city will hold a forum Thursday on bedbugs, Planning and Development Director Amanda Jarratt told council at its Tuesday work session.

Jarratt said Andy Rose of the Halifax County Health Department will host the forum, which will be held at 2 p.m. in the first floor conference room of city hall.

While the forum is for employees, Jarratt said the public is invited to attend.

Bedbugs started making their comeback in 2008, according to the American Society of Healthcare Environmental Services. The group cites an Orkin Inc. survey in 2008 that found that bedbug complaints nationwide increased by 50 to 75 percent, as compared to 2007.

While bedbugs have proven to be a nuisance over the years, the World Health Organization reported that bedbugs don’t pose a risk for the transmission of diseases but those who are bitten by the pesky bugs could wake up with small red spots on their skin.

Bedbug bites produce a hard whitish swelling that often continues to bleed and scratching the bites could cause secondary infections, according to the WHO. Bedbugs are usually flat, oval-shaped with no wings and are shiny reddish-brown.

Some of the best ways to prevent bedbugs from taking a bite out of an unsuspecting sleeper are to check mattresses for evidence of bedbugs, require mattresses and box springs to be encased, inspect furniture near the bed, use bedbug sniffing dogs and use heat to get the bugs out of their hiding places.