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Facilities
A Real Pest
by Wayne Walker With all the talk about bedbugs,
who can sleep tight?
Yes, there are such creatures as bedbugs and, yes, The nymphs (infants) are tan to clear in color and
they do bite. Until about fi ve years ago, in the much smaller in size. In their fi rst stage, they are
United States, bedbugs were restricted primarily about the size of a pencil point. The female bedbug
to nighttime rhymes. Today, word of infestations lays two to five eggs a day. Doing the math, we can see
occurs almost weekly as the pests have found their that an infestation can grow to huge proportions in a
way into residence facilities across the U.S. as well as
in other countries. Such news has forced university matter of a few months. Left unchecked,
administrators to bedbug populations can grow to many thousands
face the possibility of the in a short period of time.
problem striking their Richard DeShields, director of Residence
campuses. As a result, they Life and New Student Programs at Central
are making plans for Washington University, reports that by the
prevention and fearing the time staff confi rmed that his campus had a
need to eliminate existing bedbug problem, it had grown to a point
infestations. where
Bedbugs are not a it affected an
new problem. They have e n t i r e w i n g of a residence hall. Housing
been documented since the arrangements had
days of Egyptian pharaohs. to be found for 18
T here ha s b ee n students b e fo re
evidence of bedbug th e rooms
infestations in involved could be
Bedbugs start off the size of treated.
Europe and Asia a pencil point, but they can
since the quickly grow into a big problem. The bedbug
Middle Ages. In question foremost
America, bedbugs were a problem until after World in the minds of
War II. At that time, pesticides were utilized to most housing
eliminate the problem. It came at a cost, though, as professionals is, “How do we prevent these nasty little
the pesticides also damaged the environment and critters?” Beth McCuskey, director of Residence Life
were eventually banned. and Dining Services at the University of Wyoming,
The change in pest control practices and the says, “You really can’t prevent them, which can sound
increase in international travel have aided in the very scary. They hitch rides in clothing and luggage
bedbug’s latest revival. The hospitality industry and can hide out at even the swankiest resorts.”
– hotels, resorts, and the like – has been the hardest Bedbug prevention begins with education.
hit. However, due to the severity of the problem and Institutions should provide information to all
the frequency of student travelers, bedbug outbreaks residents about bedbugs and what to look for as
have occurred in residence facilities and likely will they travel around the United States and the world.
continue to occur. Origins of bedbug outbreaks Institutions should explain how bedbugs can be killed
in campus residence facilities have been traced by heat and provide information about laundering
to students’ international jaunts, spring breakers clothing on high heat or using other heat-related
returning to campus, and other associated overnight techniques such as placing luggage in black plastic
stays from campus. bags and then in a hot car for a few days after trips.
So what exactly is a bedbug? Bedbugs are insects Students should be reminded to pull sheets back
that require blood to survive. They have a lifespan
ofabout a year, and they are brown to red in color. The
adults are approximately the size of a pencil eraser.
1 Talking Stick
on hotel beds and inspect mattresses to see if there bedbugs and their eggs.
are any obvious bedbug problems. Residence life
staff should be similarly educated and have access Garcia utilized a slightly different approach at
to information on how to handle complaints within the University of Maryland. Her approach involved
the residence facilities. Early intervention by staff can the mechanical removal of insects and eggs with
prevent the spread of problems to other areas. stiff brushes and vacuums, treating the cracks and
crevices in the room with diatomaceous earth and an
The fi rst indications of a bedbug problem are insect growth regulator and utilizing a pyrethroid to
when residents awake with itchy welts that may treat hiding places in a chair. To prevent the spread of
easily be erroneously diagnosed as fl ea bites on their bedbugs while treating rooms, everything that leaves
bodies. The welts and itching are allergic reactions to the rooms should be in plastic bags or wrapped in
secretions from bedbug salivary glands. The reactions plastic.
differ between individuals in proportion to their
antibodies. Just as no two individuals have the same Bedbugs are not typically eliminated in one
reaction to mosquito bites, no two individuals have treatment. It may require at least two treatments and
the same reaction to bedbug bites. sometimes more depending on how complicated the
situation is. McCuskey and DeShields report that
Another indication that bedbugs may be present the bedbug infestations at their institutions required
is small blood spots on sheets and mattress covers. more than one treatment. DeShields is continuing
Bedbugs can only digest about half of their blood inspections to determine if they have completely
meals. Within the fi rst few hours after eating, eliminated the problem.
bedbugs excrete small drops of blood. Another cause
of blood spotting is that people move around in their The best way to know if bedbugs are eliminated
sleep and squash bedbugs between their bodies and is through follow-up inspections and consultations
the sheets. with residents. Pest control companies that provide
services to the hospitality industry normally require
Christine Garcia, manager of the urban biology treated rooms be unoccupied for at least one week
section in the residential facilities department at the while they continue to inspect and treat. In the
University of Maryland in College Park, says that university setting, that may not be possible, meaning
many sheets and linens that students use today are student reports are even more important. Normally,
colored, making fi nding bedbug blood spots diffi cult. if there are no reoccurrences of bedbugs within six
She states that the most important part of fi nding weeks, indications are that the problem has been
bedbugs is very thorough inspections of bed furniture solved.
and the surrounding areas.
The treatments for removing bedbugs involve At this time, the pest control industry is beginning
a variety of methods, products, and knowledge. bedbug research in order to develop new products
Because the bugs are small and have the ability to and strategies. However, solutions still are a few years
hide in small cracks and spaces, treatment is diffi cult. away. Colleges and universities must review pest
McCuskey explains, “Hiring a pest control specialist control contracts and communicate with pest control
who is skilled in integrated pest management is providers to insure that they are prepared to handle
critical. Someone who has IPM training understands an eventual bedbug problem. It is equally important
how to track to the source of the problem. You’ll never that housing professionals prepare plans for
kill them if you simply blast away at them shotgun how to handle potential bedbug problems in
style. You have to fi nd out where they’re nesting and residence facilities before an infestation occurs.
eradicate them at that spot.” Delays in addressing bedbug problems allo w
situations to grow in magnitude to almost
Every crack and crevice in each piece of furniture unmanageable proportions. Communication is vitally
and every part of the room must be inspected and important. Housing administrators need to
treated. Clothing must be laundered or run through provide training and information to residence life
a dryer cycle to use heat to kill bedbugs in clothes. professionals at all levels, especially those with daily
Bedding must be laundered. The disposal of furniture direct contact with
items, particularly mattresses, becomes necessary as a residents. ts
solution for many infestations.
Products exist for limited treatment of infested
Wayne Walker is the senior pest control technician for
mattresses. In most cases, though, heat is the best
the department of Housing and Residence
solution for treatment. DeShields explains that his Education at the University of Florida in
campus worked with a company that used Gainesville.
equipmentto raise the temperature high enough to kill
May + June 2006 2
