Blog
Back To College: Tips To Prevent A Dorm Room Bed Bug Infestation
8/14/13
It is the time of year again when millions of students will be packing up their things and moving into dorm rooms; this unfortunately means that bed bugs could also be doing to the same in dorms across the U.S. including Washington D.C. Bed bugs are a parasitic insect that exclusively feed off of the blood of mammals, and unfortunately for us human blood is their preferred source. Adults are about ¼ of an inch in length and have a flat, oval shape to them; and are brownish red color. They do not fly or jump, so they move to different locations by crawling onto people and their belongings; they will frequently travel in luggage, backpacks, and on clothing. Bed bugs thrive in areas where there are large groups of people; they travel easily through cracks in walls to find new hosts. Bed bugs breed very quickly, females can lay up to 5 eggs a day, meaning that just 1 or 2 female bed bugs that find their way into your dormitory can easily lead to a large scale infestation throughout if you are not vigilant in knowing their signs and how to prevent them.
Movie theaters, libraries, hotels, apartment buildings, and second hand stores are all common places where students may come into contact with bed bugs and then unknowingly bring them back with them into their dorm room. Bed bugs that do find their way into dorm rooms will leave signs of their presence around. If you are aware of these signs you can identify an infestation sooner than later allowing for early extermination intervention. Signs of bed bugs include:
-
Seeing live adult bugs, or molted skin underneath your mattress and box spring or around those items buttons of seems.
-
Small spots of blood or tiny brown droppings on your mattress or bedding.
-
Tiny white eggs and egg casings.
-
Waking up with bug bites that appear as red welts.
While there is no way to 100% prevent a bed bug infestation there are many things that you can do to help protect you and your belongings from a dorm room bed bug attack. Bed bug prevention tips include:
-
Washing clothing in hot water immediately after purchasing especially if bought at a second hand store can work to kill bed bugs.
-
If purchasing used furniture, make sure that you thoroughly inspect it for signs of bed bug activity before bringing it inside your dorm room.
-
When going to public places like libraries and movie theaters keep your purse, backpack or coat up off of the ground; inspect these items when you return to your dorm room.
-
Before moving your stuff into your dorm room check it for signs of bed bugs. Places that bed bugs hide include underneath mattresses, in the mattress seams, in the cracks of wooden furniture and walls.
If you notice signs of bed bugs in your dorm room or in any of the common areas you should immediately notify your RA so that they can contact the appropriate personnel. Bed bugs cannot be ignored and your school probably already partners with a pest control company that offers bed bug control services. Until professional help arrives you should thoroughly clean your room, empty out closets and drawers and vacuum them out, wipe down your bed frame and vacuum your mattress and box spring; wash all of your bedding and clothing in very hot water in order to kill the bed bugs and their eggs. Being aware and taking some preventative measure will ensure that your upcoming school year is a bed bug free year!
In business since 1925, American Pest is a Washington D.C. pest control provider that has vast experience dealing with bed bug infestations and in fact offers bed bug control in D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia for college campuses as well as other commercial facilities and residential properties.