Bed Bugs: What Parents & Students Need to Know

Bed Bugs: What Parents & Students Need to Know

What are bed bugs?

Bed bugs are brown to reddish-brown, flat, oval insects, which feed on the blood of people while sleeping. When the bite occurs it is painless, which occur in a straight line. The area may develop into a large, itchy welt similar to a mosquito bite. Bed bugs do not transmit disease, but can cause anxiety and sleeplessness.

Bed bugs are known as hitchhikers, transferred from one infested environment to another. They travel from one place to another on clothing, bedding, luggage, furniture, backpacks, books and more.

Why bed bugs are on the rise!
Factors contributing to the resurgence of bed bugs:

• Unregulated sale, donation, importation and smuggling of second hand clothing, mattress and furniture.
• More clutter and belonging in which the bugs can hide such as, conducive building, decorating practices and turnover of occupants. 
• Denial/lack of reporting by tenants, workers, landlords, hotels, businesses, universities, etc.
• Economic expansion enabling people to travel.
• Global health officials focusing their efforts on disease vectors rather than bed bugs.
• Changing lifestyle, greater reliance on communal laundries rather than washing items at home.

Avoid getting bed bugs.
To prevent bed bugs from getting into a room, do not bring any used or discarded items into the room. If you think you were somewhere with a bedbug problem, inspect your items. Pay attention to seams, folds, zippers and any other location.

Backpacks, lunchboxes, and other items that travel to and from school should be inspected daily and sealed in plastic containers or plastic bags to prevent bedbugs from getting into them at home. During inspection look for physical bedbugs, black stains created by fecal droppings and eggs which are pearly white and 1mm in length.

Suspect bed bugs.

• Do you wake up with unexplained bug bites on your body?
• Do you see any live bed bugs? 
• Do you see dark brownish black staining on your linens or mattress?

Notify housing immediately if you suspect bed bugs. If you suspect bed bugs at home, call a licensed, trained, BedBugFree professional.

What not to do.

• Do not throw items away or remove them for your room.
• If items are moved correctly, it will prevent the spread in the hallways, other room and areas. You certainly do not want another student picking up the contaminated items and spreading the problem to a greater level.
• Do not attempt to control the bed bugs on your own.
• Contact housing immediately to allow a professional pest management provider who is trained in this area.
• Do not relocate to another room.
• Initially the first thought is to get out of the room. However, in doing so you carry the risk on carrying bed bugs on yourself and your belongings into another room. 

What you should do.

• Notify housing immediately. If home, call a licensed, trained, BedBugFree professional.
• Bed bugs can spread at a rapid rate, do not be embarrassed and notify someone immediately.
• Clean up clothes and general clutter in the room.
• Clutter provides an ideal place for bed bugs to hide and also makes bed bug service difficult.
• Bag laundry and launder in hot water.
• Laundering your clothing will reduce the spread of bed bugs. Place linens and other items in plastic bags and have laundered in hot water. Bed bugs exposure to heat will kill any insects and their eggs. Place in hot dry cycle as well. Throw bags into dumpster and place clean items in clean garbage bags.

I’m going home, what can I do.
Transporting bed bugs is definitely something to be concerned about. Limit what you bring home; bringing home items that can be placed in plastic bags. When you arrive home place items in hot dryer to kill any insects and/or eggs. Leave suitcase in garage and do not bring into home. Do inspect around zipper, folds, etc. before and after your travels.

Again most importantly, if you suspect bed bugs, do not be embarrassed take action NOW, before the problem it out of hand.

We are a licensed and trained in bedbug control and would like the opporunity to protect your health, home and property in the near future. For questions, contact us by phone 800-255-6777, email, twitter or  facebook.



We at Craig Thomas Pest Control, Inc. are grateful to: the National Pest Management Association, University of Florida,  BedBug Central, Bugs without Borders and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for pest information and/or photo images incorporated into this work. 

College Students - Don't bring bed bugs home this Thanksgiving break!

As college students prepare to head home this week for Thanksgiving break, parents may want to think twice before students bring home piles of laundry and other objects. Bed bugs have recently made resurgence across the United States and are even affecting us here, in the lovely Hudson Valley. Not only are bed bugs affecting homeowners, hotels, apartments, hospitals, office buildings, but even college dormitories. A few years ago bed bugs were not as big of a problem, but recently bed bug reports are on the rise. After all, bed bugs are called “hitchhikers.”

Bed Bug Picture credits of Bed Bug Central

Recently, Craig Thomas Pest Control
has become the first pest management firm in the Hudson Valley to be approved for bedbugFREE membership amid escalating reports of bed bug infestations across the state. As a bedbugFREE member Craig Thomas joins an expanding network of companies across the nation committed to guidelines for safe and effective removal of bed bugs established by Bed Bug Central. “Becoming a member of bedbugFREE was an easy decision. Craig Thomas Pest Control prides itself on staying on top of the latest technology in the pest management industry by going above and beyond for our customers,” said Sarah Thomas. “The training, documentation and methodology help us communicate more clearly with our customers, explaining the preparations that need to be performed prior to treatment, the treatment process and what to expect from our company.”

Identification Points from Bed Bug Central
• Eggs are pearly white and & only 1mm in length
• Adult bed bugs are approximately 1/4” in length and are reddish-brown in color
• Bed bugs have not been demonstrated to be effective transmitters of disease
• Not everyone reacts to bed bug bites and some have delayed reactions to the bite
• Bed bug bite symptoms typically appear as red, itchy welts but can vary from one individual to the next
• Bite symptoms often appear in rows of several or more bites in a row

Bed Bugs at College - Must Read Tips for College Parents & Students

If bed bugs become a problem, do not attempt treatment yourself. Bed bugs are a difficult insect to control and require a trained pest control professional to eradicate the problem correctly.

Craig Thomas Pest Control now, bedbugFREE

Craig Thomas Pest Control Prevents Unsafe and Ineffective BedBug Removal
Company becomes qualified to safely remove bed bugs amid infestation endemic.


NEW YORK – November 2, 2009–Craig Thomas Pest Control, of Hyde Park, NY has become the first pest management firm in the Hudson Valley to be approved for bedbugFREE membership amid escalating reports of bed bug infestations across the state.

As a bedbugFREE member Craig Thomas joins an expanding network of companies across the nation committed to guidelines for safe and effective removal of bed bugs established by Bed Bug Central.

Craig Thomas Pest Control services the entire Hudson Valley Region and has been family owned and operated since 1949 under the belief that environmentally responsible pest control can be achieved at a reasonable cost without sacrificing our guaranteed quality.

A survey conducted by University of Kentucky shows that a significant increase of bed bug infestations has made bed bug management difficult. This influx has also opened the door to poor standards and practices as well as unsafe or ineffective treatment.

Bed bugs are small wingless insects that feed on the blood of mammals. Despite their name, bed bugs can be found in a variety of environments outside of bedding such as furniture, walls, office buildings, college dormitories etc.

Craig Thomas turned to Bed Bug Central and sought membership with bedbugFREE to ensure they continue to provide their customers with the safest and most effective strategies for bed bug removal during this increased infestation period.

“Becoming a member of bedbugFREE was an easy decision. Craig Thomas Pest Control prides itself on staying on top of the latest technology in the pest management industry by going above and beyond for our customers,” said Sarah Thomas. “The training, documentation and methodology help us communicate more clearly with our customers, explaining the preparations that need to be performed prior to treatment, the treatment process and what to expect from our company.”

All bedbugFREE companies undergo a rigorous screening process overseen by research entomologists Rick Cooper and Jeff White to ensure they understand and comply with several stringent guidelines.

Some of these guidelines include: educating customers on bed bugs and prevention and using a multidisciplinary approach to bed bug management that include both chemical and non-chemical treatment methods.

Additional guidelines ensure the utilization of various strategies that are specifically geared towards treating bed bug eggs that are difficult to detect and not easily dealt with through chemicals.

Bed bug infestations are more difficult to control than other insects. This is largely because the bed bugs are difficult to detect and can spread to numerous inaccessible areas of the house. They are also adept at migrating.

As the public deals with bed bug infestations it is important that they understand which methods are being utilized by the pest management firm of their choice. Although removing bed bugs yourself can further spread infestation, it is also important for the public to know which do-it-yourself methods and products work and which will likely result in health risks or a needless loss of money.

“The bedbugFREE designation will help us better serve our community and educate the public on bed bug awareness. It also enables us to better protect our clients and educate prospective clients through cutting edge of technology, effective treatment techniques and ongoing education,” said Thomas.

Experts emphasize that public education and individuals educating themselves are an important process in bed bug prevention. More information can be found at www.callcraig.com.

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About Bed Bug Central
Bed Bug Central was developed in part by nationally regarded entomologist Richard Cooper in response to the incorrect information available to individuals faced with bed bug problems. The inconsistent information has also created an environment for conflicting practices with varying levels of success. The Bed Bug Central website serves as an authoritative resource for the public on information concerning bed bugs, health concerns, prevention, and treatment.
More information can be obtained at www.bedbugcentral.com.