Flagship Bed Bug Blog

Do you have unwanted companions in your bed?  They live in your mattress or other hidden areas of your apartment and do not seem to hear you telling them that the party is over and it is time to leave.  They are bed bugs and this past year has seen an explosion in their prevalence

worldwide.  Major cities are reporting large increases in these pests and they are not isolated in apartments.  Major luxury hotels are battling the problem, as are homeowners and even movie theatres.

Having bed bugs is not a reflection of your cleanliness or habits; it means that someone or something has brought them into your living space.  Bed bugs are nocturnal and often bite humans at night.  Although the bites are itchy and awful, these insects do not transmit infection and are overall not dangerous.

What can you do to avoid bed bugs and what can you do if you suspect you have them in your apartment?

·  Do not buy used furniture or mattresses unless you are very careful about inspection and the source of the furniture. 

·  Do not take used furniture from the trash when you do not know why the pieces are being disposed.

·  Tell your superintendent immediately if you suspect you have bed bugs in your apartment.

·  Vacuum all areas where bed bugs and their eggs might be.

·  Wash all linens in hot water and dry on high heat for 20 minutes.

·  Remove clutter.

·  Make your bed an island by using mattress and pillow covers, removing bed skirts, and applying sticky tape to legs of the bed or placing each leg in a empty tin can filled with petroleum jelly. .

Bed bugs can be beaten, but it is not an easy task.  Please be diligent, communicate and cooperate, and together we can lessen the impact of bed bugs in your building.

Buggy Facts:

·  90% of their life is spent hiding as they prefer the dark and are not usually active during the day

·  They do not necessarily feed every night

·  They can migrate from room to room

·  Bed bugs can be seen with the naked eye

·  Bed bugs do not fly or jump

·  They can often be found in the mattress box spring, mattresses, bed frame, under carpet/rugs and in cracks and crevices