Unfortunately, bed bugs have a never ending, one-sided love affair with humans. They especially love places where lots of people interact or live together, like schools, dorms, preschools and auditoriums. With thousands of great places in which to hide, buildings like these present bed bugs with a perpetual fiesta that offers plenty of ‘food’ to feed on.

How a Bed Bug Infestation Starts

Bed bug infestations develop gradually as the initial bed bugs are introduced into an enclosed area, start feeding on blood and reproduce. Although it may seem like an infestation “suddenly” happens, that is only because the few bed bugs present in the beginning evade detection. Additionally, bites from these “first responders” often go overlooked or are blamed on spiders or ants. Unless pest control measures are implemented before the infestation is evident or immediately at the start of the problem, a bed bug population will explode, especially when female bed bugs migrate to other areas in the building to lay eggs because eager-to-mate male bed bugs are driving them away.

Preventing a Bed Bug Infestation in Dorms and Educational Facilities

When thousands of people continuously enter and leave large buildings, it is impossible to prevent a bed bug problem since it takes only one person to inadvertently bring in a few bed bugs to start an infestation. Bed bugs hide in clothes, bookbags, duffel bags, hats, gloves–you name it. They can be picked up while riding on public transportation, in taxis, in someone’s car and so on. The only way to prevent a bed bug infestation is to practice proactive bed bug control.

Get a Jump on Bed Bugs Before They Jump On You

In addition to contacting Assured Environments to find out more about our Integrated Pest Management methods, you can help in preventing bed bug infestations by educating faculty and staff on recognizing signs of bed bugs, keeping the facility as uncluttered and clean as possible and reiterating the importance of washing bed clothes once a week to dormitory students. Also, take advantage of Assured Environments specially trained bed bug canine to sniff out potential infestations before they worsen.