Pests We Treat Photo Album: Bed bug removal and control in Forked River, NJ
Bed bug evidence in ceiling crack
An individual bed bug produces just a "pepper" speck of fecal matter, so when stains of this magnitude have developed, it indicates an infestation of bed bugs has progressed into the thousands. Needless to say, Cowleys will have its hands full treating this infestation, and we will devote whatever resources are necessary to get it resolved.
Bed bugs on heater in Forked River, NJ
This particular infestation in this tenant's unit was extreme. You don't see such heavy infestations unless its been going on for quite some time. This tenant did not immediately report the problem to management, and instead tried various DIY methods - methods that inevitably fail. All of those home remedies found on the Internet like spraying isopropyl alcohol or sprinkling diatomaceous earth are ineffective and often create harmful inhalation hazards for the occupants. Bed bug over-the-counter products offered at hardware stores and pharmacies are not much better. When attempting to self-treat for bed bugs as a DIY project, the result is usually the same: money is wasted and valuable time is lost. The infestation spreads and becomes even more entrenched.
Bed bugs on wall in Forked River, New Jersey
This particular job was a textbook example of a worst-case scenario when a tenant decides to self-treat for bed bugs instead of calling the property manager and informing them that they have an issue. Usually, the signs of a bed bug infestation are subtle, like finding fecal stains on mattresses, and finding evidence of an infestation requires a thorough infestation, often with a flashlight in hand to inspect all of the possible harborage areas. However, in those unusual cases where an infestation is allowed to progress to extreme levels, like here, evidence of bed bug activity is out in the open for anyone to see.
Bed bugs on molding in Forked River
In this apartment, evidence of bed bug activity was was widespread. The property manager was right. This was a nightmare situation. Bed bugs had coated the apartment with dark stains of fecal matter everywhere - on the door frames leading into the bedroom, around the closet door frames, on the baseboards, and even on the heater (see photos). In the same bedroom, there were fecal stain accumulations around the window frame, and another cluster of deposits to the left of the window frame where curtains had been hung. We will also be inspecting other units to determine whether the infestation has stayed localized to this one unit. We can't ignore the likelihood that the infestation may have spread. One problem in multi-unit dwellings is that bed bugs could have entered common areas like hallways and the laundry room where they could be picked up by an unsuspecting tenant. Everyone in the building will need to be put on alert for possible bed bugs - all because of the negligent actions of a single tenant.