Bed Bugs and Cockroaches Invade a Family's Home in Asbury Park, NJ
Challenge
A homeowner in Asbury Park, NJ contacted Cowleys terrified that she might have a bed bug problem after finding tiny little bite marks all over her toddler's legs. Once I arrived and was getting ready to start my inspection the homeowner told me that she believed that the bed bugs were only attacking the toddler in the family room. After a thorough inspection was done to all the rooms, I found very minor bed bug activity in the master bedroom. I continued inspecting the living room when I noticed the pack-n-play. I took a closer look and, to my horror, found a massive amount of bed bugs.
Although they are called bed bugs, they don't just reside in a bed. They are found in virtually every place people tend to gather, including residences, hotels, schools, offices, retail stores, and even public transportation. They are expert hitchhikers and will hide in suitcases, boxes, and shoes to be near a food supply. Bed bugs usually require 5-10 minutes to engorge with blood and once they've had their fill, they move to secluded places and hide for 5-10 days. During this time, they do not feed but instead digest their meal, mate, and lay eggs. These bugs had hundreds of places to hide in the pack-n-play and had easy access to the child every time he napped.
As I finished inspecting the pack-n-play, I spotted a German cockroach scurrying underneath the coach. I investigated and found cockroaches on the underside of the living room furniture. The couches were on the wall adjacent to the kitchen with a large hole leading right behind the fridge.
Solution
Since pack-n-plays are a type of furniture that is easier replaced than treated I advised the homeowner to throw it away, to which she did. I also vacuumed up all the bed bugs in the master bedroom and applied a liquid application that eliminates the bed bug. For the cockroaches, first thing I did was repair the hole in the wall. Once completed I vacuumed up all the cockroaches and applied a liquid residual to the underside of the coach. I also treated all the cracks, crevices, and baseboards in the kitchen and the living room.
Even though it was a very thorough treatment, I scheduled a two week to follow up inspection to monitor the activity and apply any additional treatment if needed. The homeowner was thankful that I took care of her bed bug problem and that I was able to remove the cockroaches as well.
