October

08

2010

Bed bugs are among the worlds’ best hitchhikers and will travel from place to place on many things including personal belongings, furniture and even clothing, which means they can end up in your dorm room without you knowing it.  There are steps you can take to help prevent these little blood sucking creatures from invading your personal space.

Know what bed bugs look like in order to make an accurate identification

  • Adult bed bugs are small, brown, flat oval-shaped insects, less than ¼” long; similar to an apple seed.

  • Baby bed bugs can be beige (before a blood meal) to reddish-brown (following a blood meal) and similar to a sesame seed.

  • Eggs are about the size and color of two grains of salt

Check regularly for signs of bed bugs in your dorm room

  • Reddish-black fecal or blood spots on your bedding, furniture, wall hangings and other hidden places

  • Shed skins of young bed bugs will be found near where bed bugs hide during the day

  • Live, dead or crushed bed bugs

  • Unexplained red marks or rashes appear on your body in the morning.  Red spots are often in groups or lines.

Protect your belongings from these biting insects and yourself from bed bug bites

  • Protect your mattress and pillow with approved bed bug encasement covers with special zipper locks that eliminate access to bed bugs.

  • Remove any lingering clutter or piles as bed bugs love to hide in places they won’t be disturbed.

  • Keep space between your bed and the walls to minimize access for the bed bugs

  • Vacuum and clean your room regularly, checking for signs of bed bugs at the same time.  Be sure to use a vacuum with a bag and if you suspect you have bed bugs, throw the bag away immediately after vacuuming.

  • Use bed protector cups on the legs of your bed to prevent bed bugs from climbing up.

What to do if you find bed bugs in your dorm room

Notify your roommate and the campus housing authority immediately after finding bed bugs or signs of bed bugs.  If possible, place a sample bug in a small plastic bag for correct identification.

Rose Pest Solutions has bed bug treatments that are sure to get rid of your bed bug problem

At Rose Pest Solutions we offer a variety of bed bug treatments to help home and business owners resolve their bed bug infestations.  Available in Cincinnati, Dayton and throughout Ohio as well as all of Michigan our professional team of pest control technicians have the knowledge and experience to evaluate your bed bug problem as well as develop a treatment plan that works best for your home or building.  Please also read our blog "Will your college student arrive home with bed bugs?" for information on how you can prevent your college student from bringing bed bugs homes!