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How to Spot Bed Bugs in a College Dorm

Insects seem to be at ease not only in human-inhabited areas. They take the most convenient locations, whether it is a private house or a student dorm. Some of them feed on human blood, while others are interested in the remains of food on the dinner table. Do you know how to detect such parasites and what steps should be taken first to completely remove them?

Living in a college dorm appears to be a dream for many young people because it allows them to become more independent and make new friends. However, after moving, this dream may turn into a nightmare due to the bed bugs who also enjoy living in the dorms.

According to statistics, approximately 45% of college dorms are infested with these insects. As a result, before you move in, it is critical to double-check everything to ensure that the space is safe to live in.

Of course, yes. Bed bugs adore living in dorms because they have access to all the necessary conditions for their continued existence and activity. Here are some of the most common locations:

  • Baseboards. These are the most favorite and secluded places for bugs as students seldom take a look at them or clean them thoroughly. Bugs can also live in electric sockets near the floor;
  • Beds. They do not live in mattresses. Instead, they pick the smallest cracks in the bed frame. Because bed bugs can be so small, they may remind you of pepper grains or apple seeds. Furthermore, you may not even notice them at first;
  • Clothes. If you did not thoroughly clean your dresser, your clothes may become a home for insects. Furthermore, to get rid of the insects completely, you will need to wash them several times or throw them away entirely;
  • Couches, desks, and chairs. These pieces of furniture may also have cracks and bugs. Furthermore, if those items were previously used by other students, they could have gone unnoticed due to many books and printed materials that students used. By visiting WritingJudge, you can avoid document accumulation and receive excellent writing assistance;
  • Dressers. Old dressers are rarely replaced with new ones. As a result, once you have moved into the dorm, you will not be able to store your clothes anywhere else. That is why you should check it more than twice.

How Harmful Are Bed Bugs to Humans?

Bed bugs can be a major source of annoyance in the living environment. Especially if you are a lighthearted person who is accustomed to cleanliness and order. Bed bugs are not generally regarded as dangerous to humans. However, they are capable of causing a wide range of health problems, from minor to life-threatening.

Itching is one of the most common bed bug symptoms. It can last anywhere from a few hours to several weeks. While some people do not react to their bites at all, others may experience allergic reactions. Furthermore, excessive scratching can cause skin damage, which can allow infection to enter the body. That is where the danger lies.

How Do I Know if There Are Bed Bugs in My Bed?

It is possible that a student is not even aware that he has bed bugs in his dorm room. However, you will soon discover it when you start waking up with red spots on your body. However, it is preferable not to do this because it will make disinfection more difficult.

So, if you have some writing tasks, delegate them to professionals from essay review websites such as TrustMyPaper, and prepare a magnifying glass to begin inspecting your bed and bed frame. It is preferable to begin with an examination of the internal surfaces, as it is where insects and their offspring are most likely to be found. What to look out for during the inspection?

  • Numerous small marks-dots of black or brown color. They are traces of insect excrement;
  • Skin fragments lost during molting or the presence of dead insects;
  • Insect eggs resembling clusters of the smallest white grains.

If the bed has armrests, they should be also thoroughly inspected. There are spaces between them and the bed’s base, where insects lay their eggs.

Top Five Places Bed Bugs May Like

Adult insects usually hide in places that are difficult to examine. Here are the five most common places that they choose to live in:

1. Bedding

Bed bugs like beds, mattresses, pillows, and bedding. Examine the mattress’s edges, as well as the folds of the sheets and pillowcases. Look for traces of blood and insect feces on the sheets and mattress. Bed bugs feed for 3-10 minutes per day. You may notice small blood stains from wounds or larger stains from transfused and bursting bugs on the bed.

2. Mattress

Examine the mattress for any remains of eggs or insect skin. Bed bugs, like all other insects, mate, reproduce and molt. During reproduction, bed bugs produce hundreds of offspring, leaving many shells on the surface. In addition, examine the edges of the floor covering.

3. Floor Coverings

Bed bugs prefer to hide in carpets and linoleum. These locations are ideal for insect reproduction. Bend the carpet or linoleum’s edges if it is possible to do so without damaging it. Examine the area for any signs of bed bugs, their shells, or feces with the magnifying glass and flashlight. Examine the joints of the boards or parquet as well.

4. Wallpapers

Check to see if there is any leftover wallpaper or paint in the room. Bed bugs may enjoy this location as well. The wallpaper behind the wall provides a good home for insects, and it is easy to get to the bed from here.

If you cannot find bed bugs anywhere else, look behind the wall for them under the paint or wallpaper. Examine the area with the magnifying glass to see if there are any white larvae. There are also black spots to be found there.

Moreover, always keep in mind that bed bugs are active only at night. Thus, you might not even see them during the day.

How Do I Get Rid of Bugs in My College Dorm?

Keep in mind that it takes approximately two weeks for insects to produce offspring. As a result, inspect your bed thoroughly and keep the room clean. To fight adult bugs and larvae, infected surfaces must be thoroughly disinfected!

Knowing the secrecy of bed bug life, doing this qualitatively and by yourself is difficult. Without special equipment, you will have to disassemble the sofa or bed on screws first, and then process it all with special insecticides. The best way out is to contact specialists who, using special processing equipment, will disinfect the sofa or bed for you.

How Do I Prevent Bed Bugs in My Dorm Room?

If you have found only a few bugs in your college dorm and are unsure whether there are any more, have a pest control specialist inspect your home. You should not relax if the specialist does not find any. You should continue to keep an eye on things. The following are the most common measures that will assist you in preventing the appearance of bed bugs:

  • Check your luggage every time you return to your dorm;
  • When you change the bedding, thoroughly inspect your bed;
  • Wash your travel clothes when you get home;
  • If something cannot be washed, it can be dried in the clothes dryer on the highest heat setting for 20 to 30 minutes;
  • Install small cell grids on ventilation passageways;
  • Treat natural-material surfaces with an antiseptic, rendering the wood unsuitable for eating;
  • When placing furniture in the room, avoid staffing, as it is a major condition for the appearance of bed bugs. Students frequently have many books, documents, and papers that they have used while conducting research. One can significantly reduce their number by using the services of essay writing websites such as BestWritersOnline, which provide high-quality writing in electronic format;
  • Keep the temperature and humidity at a constant level;
  • Ventilate and clean the room regularly;
  • Provide adequate lighting so that you can notice suspicious movement on time;
  • Install mosquito nets on the windows to keep large insects out of your dorm room.

Conclusion

If you have recently found bed bugs, you must act quickly to kill them. The best way out is the chemical treatment of the entire dorm room. If you cannot afford to order it for some reason, you can try it yourself if you have already identified all the places where bed bugs live.

The presence of bed bugs in your home does not imply that it is dirty. Bed bugs are found even in five-star hotels. Just be cautious at all times as they may penetrate your living space from the neighboring dorm room. Have you ever encountered bed bugs in college dorms? What methods did you employ to fight them?

Author’s Bio:

Max Mitchell is the latest alumnus of our content marketing department. He is very passionate about typing, creating complicated spreadsheets, and consuming an inhuman amount of caffeine. Nevertheless, he is also the creative type of individual who will always find a new perspective on topics of interest.

Synergy² Pest Control Jackson MS

If you’re looking for the right team to handle the issue for you, Synergy² is here to help. We provide trusted services throughout the area, so contact us for the best pest control services around.

Feel free to read more about us and decide if Synergy² is the right company for you.  We have over 300 Five-Star Google reviews for pest control service in the Jackson metro area (Jackson/Madison/Brandon/Ridgeland). Check out our newest location reviews for pest control service in Jackson, MS here at Synergy² Jackson Pest Control!

Barry Pitts, Synergy² Owner

Barry Pitts, Synergy² Owner

Pharmacist and Synergy² Pest owner, Barry Pitts, is a long-time Madison, MS resident with a passion for applying advanced scientific pest principles to pest control services in the Jackson metro area.  Combining exceptional customer service with cutting-edge pest control technology allows Synergy² to provide residents of the Jackson metro area with the highest levels of pest control available today.

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