Bed Bugs
WHAT ARE BED BUGS?
- Bed bugs are small wingless insects that feed solely upon the blood of warm-blooded animals
- Bed bugs seek out people and animals, generally at night while they are asleep
- Bed bugs feed quickly and their bite is painless
- Bed bugs are more abundant in rooms where people sleep, and they generally hide nearest the bed or other furniture used for sleeping. Favored places include the bed frame, mattress and box spring
- Bed bugs are not known to spread diseases to humans, except in rare cases
- Bed bugs reproduce rapidly
BED BUGS CAN EASILY ENTER INTO HOMES OR APARTMENTS
The following can be a source of bed bugs:
- Secondhand beds, bedding, and furniture
- Clothing and baggage of travelers
- Bed bugs can walk from room to room; apartment to apartment very easily
- Items from self storage facilities
- Rented furniture from rental furniture centers
- Items carried in rental, delivery or moving trucks
TRAVEL TIPS
- Select clothes that can be laundered in hot water and withstand 30 minutes in a hot dryer
- Use hard smooth luggage rather then fabric luggage
- Pack plastic bags to seal up purchased items or to isolate items which may become infested
- Keep luggage off the floor and beds and keep luggage closed when not in use. Hang clothes on a shower rail
- Inspect bed area for brown fecal spotting and bugs on mattress seams, headboard, furniture and objects adjacent to the bed
TREATMENT OF HOME INFESTATIONS
- Reduce clutter to limit hiding places for bed bugs
- Thoroughly clean the infested room as well as others in the residence
- Pull the bed frame away from the wall
- Cover mattresses and box springs in special mattress bags or plastic making sure the plastic has no holes and fits snugly around your mattress
- Tuck in sheets and blankets so they don’t contact the floor and place the frame legs into dishes of mineral oil
- Caulk and seal all holes where pipes and wires penetrate walls and floor
- If you own your own residence, contact a licensed pest control operator
- If you are a tenant, contact your property manager or landlord
Connecticut has adopted a new law, as of October 1, 2016, on the rights and responsibilities of property owners and tenants regarding the treatment of bed bug infestations. For more details on the law, see Connecticut House Bill 5335.
CONNECTICUT BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU OFFERS NAMES OF PEST CONTROL COMPANIES ON THE WEBSITE: https://www.bbb.org/us/ct
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON BED BUGS
Go to:
https://ctlawhelp.org/en/bedbugs
https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/CAES/DOCUMENTS/Publications/CCABB/Forum-XI-The-Law-Dicine.pdf
https://portal.ct.gov/CAES/Publications/Publications/Connecticut-Coalition-Against-Bed-Bugs-CCABB-Bed-Bug-Information
https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/bedbugs/
http://www.pestworld.org/all-things-bed-bugs/
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SOURCE: Identify US, LLC ; CDC; Better Business Bureau; Connecticut Legislative Bill
PREPARED BY: 211/mm
CONTENT LAST REVIEWED: August2023