Bedbug infestation is common in schools, colleges and other institutions, with boarding facilities. Bedbugs are mainly found in bedding, beds and clothes. Bedbugs can also be carried by anyone, since they don’t discriminate on age or background.
Bedbug treatment is difficult and costly. However, the sooner the infestation is detected ,the easier to control the infestation. Appearance of bedbugs
Adult bedbugs are oval flattened ,brown and wingless insects, approximately ,five to nine millimeter long. After feeding ,bedbugs change their color from brown to purplish red
Common bedbugs biting places
Bedbugs feed, two –five minutes until full ,then move to hiding. The most common target spots on the body include;
- Head and neck
- bare arms
- hands and legs.
How to detect bed bugs
The best way is to check, where you sleep or rest. Bedbug hiding places, in students cubes are:
- On and around box springs,
- Mattresses and buttons of mattresses,
- bed frames
Bedbugs can also be found in furniture’s such as:desks and chairs Effects of bedbugs
Different people ,react differently to bedbug bites. Some are not affected by bedbug bites ,while others have severe allergic reactions. Some of the effects of bedbugs are:
- Rashes on skins and limbs ,depending on the student’s ,immune response.
- Visible marks and itchiness, which may make the student uncomfortable
- Sleepiness during class-time, due to bed bugs bites during rest.
Measures to control bedbugs
1. In student belongings
- Providing plastic bags or bins to store their belongings.
- Isolation of belongings ,so as to prevent those infested from transferring of bedbugs to others.
- Reduce the number of items transported from home to school and vice versa by a students.
- Regular self and authorities inspection of common problem areas for bedbugs.
- Avoid accumulation of students belongings in one place.
Educating members of school communities,on bedbug control procedures. This can be done by ,provision of materials to staff and parents.
Ensure all school facilities are clean and uncluttered. This will facilitate easy identification of bedbugs, before the infestation gets established. This can be achieved by: regular cleaning of lost and found items, sleeping areas such as dormitories, wall mounted items such as watches and pictures Where possible, storing items such as bedding and clothing ,in clear plastic containers will also help achieve this bedbug control.
Significant methods in the control of bed bugs
The most significant action in the control of bed bugs, is the seeking of assistance from a professional pest control company. Depending on level of infestation, it may involve moving and dis-assembly of furniture and specialist equipment. For effectiveness, it requires careful inspection, in conjunction with an appropriate action plan. Choices range from chemical to non chemical solutions. The non chemical controls include: heat treatments, vacuuming and steam treatments. In addition to that there is insecticide treatment which is a chemical method
- Heat treatment
This is done by use of specialized equipments, in the infested areas. The equipments raise temperature to about 48 degrees Celsius. This controls bedbugs effectively at all stages when properly done. In some minor cases, using of sun light may be helpful in destroying eggs.
Use of insecticides, is another significant method in the control of bedbugs. However, most of the over the counter insecticides are not effective, in controlling bed bugs. It’s therefore advisable to seek the assistance of a professional pest controller. However if need be to do it by yourself, one should carefully read and understand the label before using and follow all the label instructions Other methods include vacuuming of bedbug infested areas and laundering in hot water