Authors

Rob Cohen
Paul Santucci
Kristy Ganong
Jacqueline Cabral
Jason S. Weissman
Wil Catlin
Admin
Arianne Fitts-Napier
Guest Blogger
Lindsay Guittarr
Genevieve Pane-Joyce

All Posts

Bed Bugs Bite, but in Boston Luxury Buildings?!

Bed bugs are back, and may even be living in Luxury Buildings in Boston!

Bed Bugs are invading luxury city buildings!

You’ve probably been reading a lot in the news about the bed bug infestation taking over New York City recently. Bed bugs have been known human parasites for thousands of years, but were considered largely eradicated in the early 1940s. However, bed bug infestations have increased so dramatically within recent years that New York recently enacted a Bed Bug Disclosure Policy that requires landlords to tell prospective tenants if bed bugs have been a problem within the past year.

Parasites with Expensive Tastes

Commercial properties are at risk too; with the temporary closing of high-end stores like Hollister, Victoria’s Secret, and Niketown, as well as reports of infestations in luxury buildings like the Empire State Building. The notions that bed bugs are only a problem in impoverished areas or are caused by poor hygiene are a real misconception. They are attracted not to dirt, but to exhaled carbon dioxide and feed not off waste, but blood. They are found equally in clean locations and poorly kept conditions.

Bed Bug Causes

An exact cause of the resurgence of these blood-suckers is not clear; but the increase has been blamed on things such as an increase foreign travel, more people utilizing second-hand furniture for their homes, a decrease in bed bug prevention and education due to the false assumption bed bugs were not an issue, the banning of certain harmful pesticides that were used to fight infestations in the past, and even the possibility that bed bugs have grown increasingly resistant to pesticides.

The negative stigma associated with an infestation also adds to the problem, with affected property owners not wanting to notify neighbors and visitors of any infestation- effectively contributing to the spread of the parasites.

New York isn’t the only city to have infestation problems! There have been reports of Boston-area buildings suffering from bed bug infestations. Luckily for Boston residents, our city has not made it to a Top Ten Worst Bed Bug Infested Cities list. However, if you think your building may be infested, a quick response is the best course of action.

How to Spot Them

Newly hatched bed bug “nymphs” will appear translucent and very light in color. As they reach maturity, they will consistently become browner and then molt. Nymphs go through five stages of growth and can range from 1.5 mm to 4.5 mm. Once they reach the peak of their maturity and molt, they will look reddish brown, oval, flat, and wingless. A common bedbug myth is that they are invisible to the naked eye, but adults can grow up to about 5mm and are easily seen.

Bed Bug Prevention & Extermination

Bed bugs are a difficult pest to exterminate once they establish a presence, due to their tiny size and the fact that they feed on sleeping hosts, can survive for over a year without feeding, are resistant to many chemicals, and can hide in hard-to-reach places. As soon as an infestation is suspected, you should contact a licensed exterminator to evaluate the situation and create an extermination plan. If you are a tenant or a guest at a hotel, notify the management or landlord immediately. Aside from bites, other tell-tale signs of an infestation include traces of their fecal matter, which is usually visible as small dark red spots, as well as small sloughed off skin castes. Most cases of infestation require at least 3 extermination treatments, and very rarely is an infestation eradicated in just one.

The City of Boston Housing Division recommends the following steps for a successful extermination:

Receive a thorough inspection by a qualified exterminator, who will confirm the identity of the pest.
Seal cracks & crevices in walls and floors.
Secure loose wallpaper and eliminate other areas of insect harborage.
Properly treat or remove infested furniture.
Mark infested items that are thrown away so others will know not to bring them into their home and spread the infestation further.
Frequent laundering of bedding and clothing during extermination process.
Frequent vacuuming of carpets and steam cleaning of furniture and mattresses during extermination process.

Helpful Tips

Never pick up free roadside furniture (it may be tempting, but it isn’t worth the risk).
When traveling, make sure to keep your clothing in your luggage and your luggage in the bathtub (this may sound strange, but bugs have a hard time crawling up slippery surfaces).
Bed bugs like warmth, they have even been known to enter laptops and DSL ports.
When looking for bed bugs pay more attention to wood and upholstered furniture. Bed bugs seem to prefer wood and fabric over plastic and metal. Pull back the sheets from the mattress and look for bugs along the seams or tiny blood spots on the mattress. Also look along the edges of the box springs and in the seams of the bedding. You might also smell a strong musty smell.
Many pest control services employ the trained nose of a rescue dog (often a beagle) to sniff out live bugs and viable eggs. Make sure that you check out the dog’s credentials, however. There have been a few instances of people trying to pass off the family pet as a super-smeller.
Bed bugs are not known to transmit any infectious disease. The bites look very similar to that of a mosquito or other blood-sucking insect. Some bites may be unnoticeable while others might turn into larger sores.
To treat a bed bug bite, treat the area with antiseptic soap to reduce the infection. Don’t scratch! If it becomes infected, contact your health provider.

For more information and helpful resources, visit the Office of Health and Human Services at Mass.gov

Posted at 12/06/2010 05:11 PM

Comments

My word that is so informative. For once I am glad New York has beaten us in this 'league table'!

Posted at 12/07/2010 07:49 PM by arianne fitts-napier

Back to blog

Company News

Market News

Real Estate 101

Categories

Authors

Bed Bugs Bite, but in Boston Luxury Buildings?!

Comments