LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) – Lawrence officials are taking aim at a bed bug problem that’s emerging at apartment complexes with new rules allowing the city to tell people how and when to exterminate the critters.

City code enforcement manager Brian Jiminez says bed bugs are becoming an issue at apartment complexes because of the large turnover in tenants. The tiny insects can cause health problems because they bite their victims and suck their blood, sometimes without being noticed.

The Lawrence Journal-World reports the City Commission was expected to approve a new property maintenance code Tuesday. The code could require people to hire a licensed professional to deal with bed bug issues, rather than take care of the problem themselves.