Pests We Treat Photo Album: Bed bug control and removal for senior housing in Barnegat

Cowleys handles all of the pest control needs of numerous senior housing properties, and I was recently dispatched to one of them in Barnegat to resolve a bed bug infestation in a resident’s unit. Unfortunately, bed bug infestations are becoming all too common. High density multi-unit living arrangements like apartment complexes, college dormitories, nursing homes, assisted living centers, and other senior living facilities are especially prone to not only bed bug infestations, but also roaches and other insects. Why? The more people coming and going, the higher the likelihood that someone is carrying in a hitchhiking bed bug, whether a resident, guest, or visiting health care worker. Anyone can be used as an unwitting “mule” to transport bed bugs into a building. These infestations need to be caught in their early stages while still localized. These infestation can spread quite quickly. As the population of bugs grow, they will latch on to more and more tenants. Common areas like hallways, elevators, and shared use rooms for recreation or laundry are all potential areas where bed bugs will find new hosts. Bed bugs are like a virus: Their very nature is spread and infect more people.

Bed bugs on recliner in Barnegat, New Jersey

According to the administrator, the unlucky resident in this facility was being "eaten alive" while sitting in her "favorite chair." Bed bugs choose harborage areas near where the host is resting or sleeping so they have easy access to the host and plenty of time to feed for their blood meal. Many elderly with respiratory problems find it easier to sleep upright in easy chairs and recliners, and bed bugs are happy to join them. This resident's favorite chair soon became the bed bugs' favorite chair!

Bed bugs on curtain in Barnegat, NJ

It is also important to inspect in the immediate vicinity whenever bed bugs are found. I immediately spotted a potential problem: The bedroom curtains were touching the bed. I carefully inspected both sides of the curtains. I was not surprised to find even more live bed bugs on the back of the curtains.

Bed bugs on rail of chair in a home in Barnegat

When I arrived in the unit, I first questioned the tenant about when and where she was sleeping and sitting to help target my inspection. She pointed me to her living room recliner. I grabbed my LED flashlight and began to inspect her favorite chair where she was being used as a bed bug blood bank. It didn't take long to find the little pests. These was significant activity all over! The armrest had Bed bug fecal stains (little pepper-like specks of blood), eggs, and live bed bugs. There was also evidence of bed bug activity in the folds of fabric and the underside metal support rails.

Bed bugs on zipper lock in Barnegat, NJ

Using my Hepa-Vac, I carefully vacuumed up all the live bed bugs and every crack and crevice of the recliner. Bed bugs look for the smallest, tightest areas to hide when they are not feeding. The first rule of bed bug treatment is don't assume anything. Even thought he resident said the recliner was the source of all her problems, that did not mean bed bugs were limited to that one location. I moving my inspection to the bedroom. Sure enough, I easily found activity on both the mattress and boxspring. This mattress had a bed bug encasement and these bugs were actually trying to circumvent the encasement to reach the mattress. There were bed bugs hiding in the encasement's zipper lock.

Bed bugs on mattress encasement in Barnegat.

After vacuuming the curtains, bed frame, and along the baseboard molding, I performed a thorough crack and crevice treatment to all of the potential harborage areas throughout the apartment. I also scheduled a two week follow up where I'll apply additional treatments as necessary. After today's initial treatment, the bed bugs should soon be gone. Finally, after I was done and before was about to leave to help another person with their infestation, the resident thanked me for being so thorough in my inspection and treatment. She was such a nice lady, and it was a pleasure to help her.

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