Environmental Health & Safety
Pest Control Unit
Bed Bugs
Bed bugs over the last five years have made resurgence in the United States to the point where they have become an epidemic in some cities such as New York. However, bed bugs are now a problem throughout the country and have become the number #1 structural pest concern for any industry that provides residential or sleeping accommodations, especially where the population is transient. This makes Universities and Health Care Facilities high risk operations for bed bug infestations. Around the country in the past there have been dormitories as well as surgical units that have been closed down due to bed bugs infestations.
Bed bugs can be a very difficult pest to eradicate- taking significant amount of time and money and then there are still no guarantees. We are somewhat fortunate at the University and SMH as we believe that we have learned how to achieve control and eradication through a variety of procedures and processes. However, it takes knowledge of this pest, hard work, and strong cooperation from parties involved.
Four very important points to remember regarding bed bugs are:
- Bed bugs through all their history with man have not been known to spread any human diseases. However, a very small percentage of the population may have more severe, allergic type reactions to bed bugs, leading to excessive scratching and secondary infections. In this case, you may want to see your doctor.
- Bed bugs are not a result of filth and show no favoritism to any socio-economic class. A five star hotel can acquire bed bugs as easily as a low cost motel. A very expensive mansion that is kept meticulously clean in the upscale part of town can have bed bugs as easily as a simple home located in a modest part of town. However, our experience shows that bed bugs apartment complexes do seem to have more of a problem than a private residence due to the number of people that live in them and the ability of bed bugs to easily spread from one dwelling to another in this kind of setting. Also, a cluttered (not dirty) dwelling is more difficult to be rid of bed bugs since they have more places to hide.
- Bed bugs generally do not live on people, they just feed on people. In other words, bed bugs are not like lice or ticks which live and breed on people. They feed on people for their blood like a mosquito, and then leave the body within 8-10 minutes and hide generally near their feeding locations such as on under a mattress/box spring or headboard of a the bed. They will even travel and live behind baseboards or in electrical outlets. There are relatively rare cases when mentally or physically handicapped people have been seen with them on their clothing or bodies, but this is quite the exception, even in the most infested dwellings. Bed bug will go approximately 10 days before their next meal, but can live many months without a meal if they have to. This means they can live in a vacant dwelling for a long time, waiting for someone new to move in and then start feeding when the new occupant is sleeping.
- Bed bugs are proficient hitchhikers. Although they rarely stay on a person, they can be easily transferred to other locations through personal belongings such radios, suitcases, unworn clothing, etc. This makes hotels, hospital rooms and other transient sleeping locations at higher risk of having bed bug problems. However, the most viable way that bed bugs can infest a dwelling is through the purchase of used beds, mattresses and box springs.
- www.nysipm.cornell.edu/whats_bugging_you/bed_bugs/default.asp
- www.epa.gov/pesticides/bedbugs/
- EH&S Pest Control Unit Bed Bug General Protocol
Listed below are a couple links to other websites that will provide you with very detailed information on bed bugs that should answer many of your general questions, including the all important one of how to prevent your residence from acquiring them and steps to take if you do. There are also some good pictures of the various life stages of bed bugs and what their bites may look like. Also listed is a link to our web page which outlines specific methods on how the University of Rochester handles bed bug issues in various locations through the Pest Control Unit (PCU) of the Environmental Health & Safety Department (EH&S).
If you have additional questions please contact Bill Wilbor at 275-3241 or by email at wwilbor@safety.rochester.edu
QUESTIONS or COMMENTS?
Contact EH&S at (585) 275-3241 or e-mail EH&S Questions.
This page last updated 10/14/2020. Disclaimer.
