New York City Apartments # Bed bug calls 14000 12768 12000 - PDF document

Bed Bugs: What Residents Should Know? Department of Entomology Rutgers University Good night, sleep tight, and Richard Cooper and Changlu Wang don’t let the bed bugs bite. 1999: limited mostly to hotels “Good night, sleep tight and don’t let the bed bugs bite” Sleep Tight and Bed Bug Centra l don’t let the bed bugs bite Quickly spread into residential sector New York City Apartments # Bed bug calls 14000 12768 12000 10985 9213 10000 8000 8000 6889 6889 Single Family Homes 6000 4638 4000 Colleges & 1839 2000 Universities 537 0 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Bed Bug Centra l Data source: NYC Dept. of Housing Preservation and Development 1

Effective Bed Bug Management Now bed bugs are found everywhere is Best Addressed at the • Hotels & motels • Churches Community Level • Apartments • Airplanes & cruise ships • Private homes • Public transportation Everyone needs to know: • College dorm rooms • Laundries & dry 1. That bed bugs exist bugs cleaners l • Schools and day care 2. How to avoid them • Movie theaters • Used furniture outlets 3. How to recognize the signs & • Furniture rental stores • Fire stations symptoms of an infestation • Moving/delivery vans • Youth hostels 4. What to do if an infestation is suspected • Health care facilities • Jails • Nursing homes Some common misconceptions A few basic facts about bed bugs • Feed exclusively on blood 1. They are not invisible, you can see them • Do not feed every day, seek a blood 2. They do not jump or fly, they crawl meal once every week or so 3. They do not infest people, they infest structures y p p , y and the contents of structures • Can survive many months without 4. They are not caused by poor sanitation, but feeding clutter in the home can complicate control • Lay 1-3 eggs each day (hatch in 7-10 efforts days) 5. There is no reason to be ashamed or • Nocturnal & very secretive embarrassed, anyone can get them Richard Naylor What they look like Feeding • Usually feed at night while you are sleeping • Hungry bed bugs will feed any time • A blood meal takes 3-10 minutes – May change feeding sites on same person during one meal • Digested blood is excreted as black or brown fecal spots L hua L ϋ i John Obermyer Lihua L ϋ Changlu Wang S oy Hedges t Stephen Doggett 2

Medical importance How bed bugs disperse • Do not transmit human diseases • Transported from infested areas on personal belongings • Reaction to bites vary • Crawl from feeding sites to other areas in – Delayed or no symptoms apartment – Itching • Crawl to neighboring units through walls Crawl to neighboring units through walls, – Swelling Swelling utility pipes and hallways. – Pustules Changlu Wang – Scarring • Emotional impact – Loss of sleep – Nightmares – Stress/anxiety Changlu Wang Changlu Wang Chang u Wang l Chang u Wang l Early Detection is Critical Know what to look for Majority of bed bugs are associated with sleeping Gene White areas & upholstered furniture during the early stages 1 mm ¼ inch Bed Bug Centra l Low level infestations can typically be eliminated easily & inexpensively! Richard Naylor Know where to look Recognize other signs Bed Bug Centra l Bed Bug Centra l Bed Bug Centra l Bed Bug Central Bed Bug Centra l More likely to be on box spring than Spotting, shed skins & eggs mattress during early stages 3

As populations increase more On upholstered furniture likely to find on the mattress Bed Bug Centra l Bed Bug Central Bed Bug Central Bed Bug Central Bed Bug Central Items near beds or sofas Furniture next to bed Chang u Wang l Chang u Wang l Clutter makes elimination of Bugs will infest almost anything making them difficult to find and control bed bugs very difficult! Bed Bug Cen ra t l Bed Bug Central Bed bugs can be anywhere amongst clutter and are very difficult to deal with Bed Bug Cen ra t l Bed Bug Cen ra t l 4

Bed bug prevention So How Do We Control Bed Bug Central Bed Bugs? Bed Bug Centra l Bed Bug Central Discarded furniture may infested, don’t pick up! Richard Naylor Frequently remove & Periodically inspect Second hand items are also high risk launder bed linens beds & upholstered furniture and Bed Bug Cen ra t l Bed Bug Cen ra t l If you are going to bring used items into your home check them very carefully! Bed Bug Cen ra t l Remove clutter and store items Bed bug proof encasements for in sealed plastic bins mattresses & box springs are a good idea Keep lids closed Bed Bug Cen ra t l Bed Bug Cen ra t l Bed bugs are easily seen on encasements and are prevented from getting inside mattress & box spring Chang u Wang l Bed Bug Cen ra t l 5

If you suspect bed bug activity for Save samples for proper any reason report it immediately! identification Psocid Carpet beetle shed skin Immature Spider beetle roach Bed Bug Cen ra t l There are many similar looking pests. It may not be a bed bug! Methods for dealing Not necessary to discard or with infested beds treat beds with pesticides! Bed Bug Cen ra t l Bed Bug Cen ra t l Bed Bug Central Encasement of If discarding infested beds, furniture or other items mattresses & box springs Contact management g office for proper disposal Bed Bug Centra l Bed Bug Cen ra t l Bed Bug Cen ra t l Improper disposal of infested items Encasements used to salvage infested beds can spread bugs everywhere! 6

Hot laundering or drying destroys Interceptor devices on legs of bed bugs and their eggs! beds, sofas and chairs Bed Bug Centra l Bed Bug Central Bed Bug Cen ra t l Bed Bug Cen ra t l • Intercepts bed bugs as they travel to beds & sofas • Provides relief, every bug caught was in route to feed Bed Bug Central Heat or freeze items Avoid applying consumer that can’t be laundered pesticide sprays • Many bed bug populations are resistant to insecticides. • Application of sprays may cause bed bugs to disperse making them harder to eliminate. Chang u Wang g l g Chang u Wang l Chang u Wang l Portable, plugs into Freeze items for 120 volt wall outlet 4 days & reaches ~ 145 o F Changlu Wang Pesticide applications are best Never use bug bombs! left to licensed applicators Bug Bombs: • Can lead to explosions if not used correctly! • Are not an effective method for eliminating bed bugs! Bed Bug Cen ra t l Bed Bug Cen ra t l 7

Diatomaceous earth dust is more 100% elimination of bed bugs effective than sprays is rarely achieved in a • Apply a very thin layer to cracks and crevices single visit around sleeping and resting areas • Avoid excessive application A Follow-up Program is Critical: A F ll P i C iti l Follow up services will be necessary until the bed bugs are eliminated Changlu Wang Remember! Bed bug management • Avoid secondhand and discarded items in multi-occupancy • Check for bed bugs before bringing things into your apt. dwellings requires • Launder linens frequently (at least 1x per week) • Reduce clutter (especially around sleeping/resting areas) a “Team Effort” • Inspect beds & sofa’s frequently • Interceptors can greatly aid in early detection I t t tl id i l d t ti • Encase beds for early detection & protection of beds • Contact property management immediately if you suspect a problem with bed bugs • Don’t discard infested items on your own, contact property management • Avoid treating the problem on your own and follow exterminator’s recommendations Richard Naylor Additional information • Web site – http://www.epa.gov/bedbugs/ Funding of this program is provided by U.S. EPA 8