Bed Bug Awareness Week 2016 - Bed Bugs Are Everywhere!

Most people are unaware of the bed bug risk that is all around them.  Most people know that bed bug are commonly found in hotels/motels, but they don’t know that they could just as easily “pick -up” these blood suckers on their way to work, in their leisure time or in the classroom.  This year for bed bug awareness week we want to shed some light on the places you may find bed bugs in your everyday life.  We also have compiled a few easy steps to identify and protect yourself from these tiny pests.  

Here are some lesser known places that bed bugs like to hide:

School: As students are coming home from colleges and universities around the country, they should consider themselves lucky if they didn’t have a run in with bed bugs during the year.  Bed bugs are living in dorm rooms, class rooms, locker rooms and office settings in almost every college campus.  The McMaster University recently published a student article about the rise in bed bug issues at the school.  They state that it is typical to see bed bugs throughout the school year, but there has been a rise in sightings in the past few months.  College students around the country should be aware of the risk of bed bugs, how to properly identify the bugs, and what to do if bed bugs are sighted on school property.

Public Transit:  if you watch the news or are on social media you may remember the viral photo of the bed bugs found living on the seats of a public bus that circulated over Labor Day weekend in 2015.  The viral photo was shared over 10,000 times raising the awareness that bed bugs can be found just about anywhere.  Furthermore, bugs have been reported on planes, in taxi cabs, in train stations and other public transportation areas as well.  While most public transportation businesses keep a proactive bed bug treatment and cleaning schedule it is becoming more common to find live bed bugs in these locations, regardless of standard treatment methods.  More companies are turning to heat to solve these issues once-and-for-all!

Movie Theaters and Entertainment Locations:  Be careful on your next date night that you don’t bring home some unwanted guests!  Reports of bed bugs in movie theater seats are also on the rise.  A quick google search for “bed bugs in theaters” will bring up 30+ results for bed bug infestations and theater closures due to bed bugs issues.  But what can be done?  The best defense against these bugs is knowledge.  Always bring a flashlight with you to the movies and do a quick inspection of the seats.  Any bed bug evidence should be reported to management right away, and of course don’t sit down if you think there may be bed bugs.  Always get a refund and try somewhere else.

Hospitals and Elderly Care Facilities:  Medical care facilities are known for being safe and clean, but that doesn’t stop bed bugs!  Unfortunately, in the case of senior living, nursing homes and assisted living homes funds can be tight and problems are often left for extended periods of time due to the lack of money for professional bed bug treatments.  It can easily cost $25,000-$50,000 to solve a bed bug problem using traditional methods and multiple applications.  Convectex has been raising awareness of heat treatments for years and encourage any hospital or assisted living facility to purchase a heat package and perform DIY bed bug treatments.  Putting patients and tenants at risk not only allows the bed bug problem to spread, it also opens the business up for potential lawsuits and bad publicity. 

Any Business: Would you expect to find bed bugs in a new (or gently used) car at a dealership?  Most people would answer no….but that is exactly what happened at a Forth Worth car dealer earlier this year. Bed bug were found inside a car on the lot, resulting in terrible new stories and multiple employee coming forward to talk about the issues.  Bed bugs were reported inside cars and inside the office buildings.  Applying a “band aid” type fix for a problem like this only opens the business up for news stories and lawsuits, which is exactly what happened in this instance.  

With the help of Convectex and other proactive pest professionals using heat treatments we will be able reduce the bed bugs population.  By educating people around the country we hope to keep bed bugs from spreading and give people the tools and knowledge to treat these vampire bugs quickly and effectively. 

If you find bed bugs in ANY public location, follow these steps:

1. Identify the bugs – You can find more info about what bed bugs look like at http://convectex.com/blogs/blog/75340805-keeping-bed-bugs-from-invading-your-business
2. Tell Management – Always tell management immediately if bed bug activity is expected. A professional inspection should be completed and a heat treatment applied ASAP to avoid spreading the problem.
3. Don’t stick around – If you see bed bugs, leave the area after alerting management. Get a refund for your movie, room or ticket and go somewhere else.  If you have been at the infested location for very long, inspect your clothes and belonging before returning home.

If you have a business where bed bug were reported, follow these steps:

1. Do a detailed inspection of the area
2. Clear the area of all customers and employees
3. Prep the room for a heat treatment. More info at http://convectex.com/blogs/blog/75453061-hotel-motel-bed-bug-heat-prep-sheet
4. If you don’t have heat equipment purchase a heat packages at http://convectex.com/collections/
5. Follow the simple instructions and complete a training program, available at http://convectex.com/pages/training
6. Heat the room for 6-10 hours using your Convectex bed bug heating system. More info at http://convectex.com/blogs/blog/11070317-best-practices-for-heating-rooms-with-convectex-bed-bug-packages
7. Continue business as usual!

If you have any other questions about bed bugs at your business call us at 877-375-0005.