Bed Bug Information

• What is a bedbug?
  • A blood sucking insect, most active at night and feeds at night between the hours of 2 a.m. and 4 a.m.

 

• Where do bedbugs come from?
  • Bedbugs originated overseas and came to the states by way of travel.

 

• Do bedbugs transmit disease?
  • Bedbugs do not transmit disease but they cause secondary infection after people scratch their bedbug bits.

 

• Can bedbugs fly or jump?
  • They cannot fly, jump or burrow into your skin, instead they hitch-hike on bags, furniture, wires and pipes.

 

• Where do bedbugs live?
  • Beds, sofas, tables, recliners, picture frames, etc.

 

• How do I check for bedbugs?
  • Inspect the top half or fringe of your mattress for blood spots, which is used blood that the bugs secrete from feeding the night before or bug activity.

 

• Do bedbugs come from clutter?
  • Even if you keep a clean home you can get bedbugs. However, clutter does not help the process but instead makes it more cumbersome in the mission of eradicating the problem.

 

• What can I use to get rid of bedbugs?
  • There is nothing over the counter that you can buy that will eliminate bedbug activity. Only a licensed pest management professional is able to get the products needed to reduce the bedbug population.

 

• What if my furniture needs to be replaced?
  • Please contact your Self-Sufficiency Coordinator for assistance
  • Click here for additional furniture resources

 

• What if my clothing needs to be replaced?
  • Please contact your Self-Sufficiency Coordinator for assistance
  • Click here for additional furniture resources

If you suspect that activity exists, contact your manager immediately.

Bed Bug Announcements

On February 2, 2011, CMHA attended the Second Annual National Bed Bug Summit: Advancing Towards Solutions to the Bed Bug Problem, held by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The meeting focused on what is being done to combat bed bugs, the importance of education, improvements in prevention, controlling bed bugs in schools and public housing, and on the state of bed bug knowledge and future research needs.

CMHA continues to stay informed on this issue and will report the latest research, developments and tactics to combat bed bug activity, as well as keep providing necessary training to educate the community. For more information visit http://www.epa.gov/bedbugs.