Bed Bugs

In recent years, bed bugs have been making a comeback!  They have been found in hotels, motels, theaters, college dorms, military barracks, prisons, buses, trains, airplanes, health care facilities—and thousands of homes and apartment buildings.  Cleanliness has nothing to do with getting bed bugs.  They can be found anywhere—from a homeless shelter to a million dollar estate and in any type of healthcare workplace.

IS THAT A BED BUG?

• Bed bugs are tiny—about the size of an apple seed.  They are reddish brown, oval, have no wings and are thin...unless they have fed on blood.
• They have six legs and their antennae are about half as long as their bodies.  And, there is no special “season” for bed bugs.  They live, breed and feed all year long. 
• Bed bugs aren’t like fleas—they don’t live on people or animals.  They feed for a couple of minutes and then they go hide, sometimes for weeks!  So you won’t see bed bugs crawling on a client or his/her pet. 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT BED BUGS

• Remember that bed bugs tend to breed within six feet of someone’s bed.  In fact, more than 80% of bed bug infestations are found in a mattress and/or box spring.  And A bed bug can hide in any space where you can fit the edge of a credit card (or perhaps your name tag).
• Bed bug bites can be on any part of the body—most commonly on the upper body, neck, arms and shoulders.  Bed bugs do not burrow into the skin like ticks and their bites do not transmit disease.
• If you think you see a bed bug at home or at work, you can capture it by gently placing a piece of tape over the insect.  Once you’ve got hold of it, save the bug in a specimen container or a zip lock plastic bag.
• There are no good “do-it-yourself” remedies for bed bugs.  Generally, it takes a professional exterminator  three to four treatments (over one to two months) to completely get rid of the problem.
• Request and use personal protective equipment (PPE) if you must work in an area known to be infested with bed bugs.  For example, wear paper shoe covers to avoid letting bed bugs hitchhike on your shoes!  Remember to remove and dispose of the PPE as soon as you leave the infested area.
• Remain on “bug patrol” while you’re at work.  Encourage your co-workers to keep a sharp eye out for signs of bed bugs, too.  Together, you can prevent bed bugs from making themselves at home in your workplace.