How to Spot Bedbugs
Bedbug bites are being reported across the country, but finding these illusive creatures by day is a challenge. Bed bugs are nocturnal, and very small.
Their shape helps them squeeze into the smallest, darkest crevices in walls, floors, furniture and draperies. To make matters work, they don’t need to eat very often, so they can remain hidden for days, even months. Bed bugs may be able to survive for eighteen months or more without food.
Bedbugs are travelers, often stuck to clothing in suitcases and in second-hand furniture.
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The surest sign of bed bugs is the bite marks – itchy, red swollen marks, often on the victim’s back and shoulders.
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There may be tiny blood spots on bedclothes, or remains of bugs that got squished when the victim rolled over.
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Corresponding black spots on sheets or nearby walls are also an indicator. Occasionally, you can find an entire nest in clutter on the floor.
Bed bugs were a common problem years ago, but the widespread use of DDT kept them at bay. Now, with the frequency of travel, and the popularity of hotels, dorms, and apartments, bed bugs are back, and with a vengeance. New York is one of the worst-hit cities, but bed bugs are showing up everywhere.
As a landlord, you likely have a legal obligation to remove the bedbugs from your units. Click here to find out how to get rid of bedbugs.
Click here to learn more about bedbugs.
Click here for info on natural pest control.
American Apartment Owners Association offers discounts on products and services related to your commercial housing investment, including real estate forms, tenant debt collection, tenant background checks, insurance and financing. Find out more at www.joinaaoa.org.
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