January 27, 2012

Don’t Let the Bed Bugs Bite in Minneapolis Dorms

Posted in Bed Bugs by M. Witham

Jan

Students loading boxes into their college dorm rooms

Bed bugs could be hiding in your dormitory; do you know how to avoid them?

College and traveling go hand in hand. There’s a lot of vacation time, long weekends and semester changes which leave college students in the Minneapolis area with a lot of traveling time throughout the year. This poses a serious risk for bringing bed bugs back to your dorm or other college housing since traveling is the number one way to spread bed bug infestations. To protect your dorm and your entire school for that matter, you want to take all of the preventative measures available during your travels to avoid bringing any bed bugs back from your next break. Plunkett’s Pest Control, the Minneapolis pest control pros, have designed an outline for college students to follow to in order to steer clear of any bed bugs.

What to look for when inspecting for bed bugs:

A light brown colored skin (the size of an apple seed) which bed bugs shed as they grow
Small dark spots, which are the fecal matter left behind after bed bugs feed on human’s blood
Live bugs themselves which can be very small, about the size of a piece of confetti

Inspect the following places on your travels:

Any rooms you stay in: hotels, friend’s homes, even your family’s home
Suitcases, purses and bags
Plane seats

Other tips to prevent a bed bug infestation:

Before bringing your luggage into a room, do a thorough inspection
Bed bugs don’t just live in beds, so check the night stands, headboards, upholstered furniture, behind art work, under carpet, and any other dark places
Wash all of your clothing on the hottest temperature available for the fabric to kill off any bugs or eggs that may have found their way into your luggage
When doing an inspection, use a flashlight since bed bugs are night time creatures, they are usually hiding in dark spaces
Be diligent in your inspections, skipping out on an inspection may lead to a major problem
Remind your roommates to be doing the same. If you are taking the time to avoid bed bugs, you will want those living with you to do the same

By following these guidelines to a bed bug free dorm you should be in the clear. However, if you do happen to find a bed bug that hitched a ride back to your dorm, contact your school immediately so they can get a professional pest control company to eradicate the problem. For more information on bed bugs and any other pests in the Lincoln, Moline, Duluth or other Plunkett’s service areas, contact our friendly pest control experts today.

Tags: Plunkett's Pest Control bed bug prevention tips , Minneapolis pest control , bed bugs in dorms