Bed Bug Infestations
‘Tis the season, and bed bugs, despite the rain and cold, are still active. With the re-opening, following the first COVID-19 pandemic, more people are apt to encounter bed bugs. Places where bed bugs are active include:
- Public transit and taxis
- Preschools, elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools
- Work, especially in office buildings
- Multi-family buildings, apartments, condos, etc
- College including dorms and off-campus housing
These are all places where many humans visit and depart, and those criteria are how bed bug infestations spread.
What You Can Do to Avoid Bed Bugs
Public Transit: If you take the bus to work or around town, stand up rather than sit down. Bed bugs are nocturnal, so in the daytime, they hide in places like between seat cushions.
Schools and College – For school children, keep your jacket at your desk rather than hanging it in a communal location. Also, keep your backpacks off the floor and away from other backpacks. Then, parents can question their kids about bites or itchy spots when they get home.
For college kids, keep your laundry in a hamper and keep the hamper off the floor. Bed bugs hide in the daytime. Dorms and apartments are difficult because the bed bugs may not be in the dorm but will spread as the infestation grows. Make sure to wash and change the bedding often. Keep backpacks and other gear off the floors. Bed bugs will hide behind molding on the walls, cracks between floor and wall, and under objects.
For parents, when kids come home from school or college, have them change their clothing in the bathtub and then wash the clothing as soon as possible. You can put the clothes in a plastic bag and seal it to prevent any bed bugs from escaping. Yes, it is a pain, but not nearly as painful as having a bed bug infestation at home.
Bed Bugs at Work – Yes, you can pick up bed bugs at work. An excellent way to avoid doing so is to make sure that you keep your coat in your office, keep any bags, backpacks, suitcases off of the floor.
Because bed bugs hide during the day, they will seek out items on the floor to hide in, including purses, jackets, and other personal belongings. Therefore, when you leave at the end of the day, you take bed bugs with you because they hide in your coat, purse, or backpack.
Visitors to Your Home – sleepovers, visiting families, guests, and others who visit can bring bed bugs into your home. For example, if you travel to see family over the holidays, you may acquire bed bugs if there is an infestation in their home. As we prepare to travel for the holidays, keep that in mind.
Bed bugs feed on human blood. They are a social “disease” that people spread from one place to another as we travel. If you suspect a bed bug infestation, give us a call. We provide exceptional pest control services throughout the Bryan and College Station communities. We offer safe, effective, and affordable pest services.
