How common are bed bugs in college dorms?

A recent study conducted by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) and the University of Kentucky found that bed bug infestations are on the rise in many types of dwellings, including college settings. In fact, 54 percent of pest professionals surveyed had treated bed bug infestations in college dorms in 2011.

Do college dorms get bed bugs?

Before you know it, you'll have more than a tired, hungry freshman in your home. A college dorm room is a prime breeding ground for bed bugs. Excessive clutter, poor hygiene, and large numbers of people are attractive environments for these opportunistic pests.

How do you check for bed bugs in college?

Properly examine the complete room before unpacking, including sofas/chairs and behind the headboard. If you find anything suspicious, be sure to contact residence life immediately. Leave your bags in the bath tub while inspecting; bed bugs are not likely to reside on cool surfaces.

What are the odds of getting bed bugs?

One out of five Americans has had a bed bug infestation in their home or knows someone who has encountered bed bugs at home or in a hotel.

How likely is it to get bed bugs from school?

Here's the good news: According to the University of Minnesota, “Actual bed bug infestations in schools are uncommon, more often a few bed bugs will hitchhike from an infested home on a student's possessions.” However, that does not mean a bed bug (or several) won't follow your child home, so to speak..

How to Prevent Bed Bugs in Dorms

How do colleges handle bed bugs?

On-campus Housing residents are relocated temporarily to a vacant room or a room with a vacant bed space until a pest management company can eradicate the pests from the infested room. The entire process usually takes 7-10 days before the residents are able to return to their original room.

What happens if you get bed bugs in college?

If you know you have bed bugs, contact a professional immediately or have the building manager/RA contact the right person to properly handle the situation. Lysol and most over-the-counter products do NOT kill bed bugs. Don't throw your mattress away if you think it has bed bugs in it. Get encasements.

How do I stop worrying about bed bugs?

What time of year are bed bugs most common?

While there is no official bed bug season, a recent study published in the Journal of Medical Entomology shows a peak in bed bug activity in August and a low in February. Other studies have shown that peak season for bed bugs runs from June through October.

What state has the most bed bugs?

Chicago tops the list for the fourth year in a row. New York and Philadelphia hung on to spots No. 2 and No. 3, followed by Cleveland, Los Angeles and Detroit for a second year in a row.

How obvious is it when you have bed bugs?

Rusty or reddish stains on bed sheets or mattresses caused by bed bugs being crushed. Dark spots (about this size: ), which are bed bug excrement and may bleed on the fabric like a marker would. Eggs and eggshells, which are tiny (about 1mm) and pale yellow skins that nymphs shed as they grow larger.

Are dorm mattresses clean?

Your predecessor could have left behind everything from dust mites to insect parts, bodily secretions and excretions, fungal spores, and bacteria. Think of all the things that happen on a dorm room bed. Sleeping, yes—the most innocuous, universal example.

How can I test myself for bed bugs?

Are bugs common in dorms?

Bed bugs are quick to hitch rides on secondhand furniture, old rugs, luggage and used textbooks. Bed bugs are all one of the most pervasive pests to infest colleges and universities. Unless you are highly sensitive to insect bites, these pests are relatively harmless but their bites can leave itchy welts behind.

Can bed bugs be on the clothes I'm wearing?

Technically, bed bugs are unlikely to live on the clothes you're wearing, but they can quickly take up residence on items in a suitcase, and even what's in your drawers or on your floor. NO. Bed bugs cannot bite through fabric. But that doesn't mean clothes protect you from bites.

Can you send a student home with bed bugs?

Do not send a child home from school if they are known or suspected to have a bed bug infestation at home. Missed school days have a negative impact on children and it can take many weeks to control a bed bug infestation.

What is the number one cause of bed bugs?

So what is the main cause of bed bugs? Travel is widely recognized as the most common source of bed bug infestations.

How long can a bed bug infestation go unnoticed?

In most cases, a bed bug infestation will go unnoticed for a few months following a bed bug's initial introduction into a home. After an individual female bed bug collects its first blood-meal, she will immediately begin to lay around 3 eggs per day within a home.

How long before I know if I brought bed bugs home?

7 weeks is plenty of time for an infestation to grow if it would. If you dont see evidence of an infestation its likely you didn't carry any bedbugs from your old place to the new. To be sure, check the mattress for signs of a bedbug infestation .

What smell do bed bugs hate the most?

Do I have bed bugs or am I just paranoid?

The best way to confirm whether or not you have bed bugs is to find one. If you can't do that, you have to look for signs they leave behind — extra skin, eggs and feces. So yes, in between biting you and driving you crazy, these little jerks still have time to reproduce and poop in your bed.

What naturally repels bed bugs?

Lemongrass. Lemongrass is an effective home remedy used for keeping bed bugs at bay. The compounds in lemongrass will not only repel bed bugs, but also kills them off by increasing the acidic condition inside the insects. Spray lemongrass in affected areas until your bed bug problem is no more.

Should you go out if you have bed bugs?

In most, but not all situations a victim of a bed bug infestation is better off leaving their home or apartment until the problem is resolved.

Are bed bugs caused by poor hygiene?

Bed bugs are not caused by poor hygiene or bad housekeeping. Bed bugs are not known to spread disease. Adult bed bugs are around 4-7 mm long, about the size of a lady bug. They are gray or brown in color, but turn red after finishing a blood meal.

Does everyone get marks from bed bugs?

Because bed bug bites affect everyone differently, some people may have no reaction and will not develop bite marks or any other visible signs of being bitten.