Don’t Let the Bed Bugs Bite

By Kayla Hutzler

Web Staff

Are you one of the many students that live in Overlook? Have you recently been waking up with what looks like mosquito bites, but that are in a straight line and starting to scab? If you have, please go to health services immediately and contact Mary Gleason, the area coordinator. Apartments in OV have been infested with bed bugs.

“This is the first incidence of bed bugs at MC, although bed bugs are commonly seen in high-occupancy residences. MC has been fortunate not to have this problem to date,” Jack Gormley, Director of Residence Life, told the Quadrangle.

Apartment 4C first reported the issue to MC on Sept. 10, at which point, the physical plant, health services and an exterminator were contacted, and the bed bugs were confirmed and treated. The exterminator also investigated surrounding apartments, though no bed bugs were reported. The residents found more bites and an actual bed bug on Sept. 15.

Tarah Midy, a resident of one of the infested apartments, told the Quad “When we first found the bed bug we had to catch it in a plastic bag in order to show the school. I find it sad that we had to show solid proof in order for the school to take action.”

The girls have since been relocated to Horan and their room has received additional treatments. This is when the school finally sent out a Jaspernet email to OV residents. The email stated the school “called in an exterminator to aggressively treat the apartment and confirm initial suspicions of bed bugs” and that “A series of treatments is considered normal when dealing with this type of issue.”

The email also said, “Neighboring apartments have also been inspected and no problems have been reported.” A mere five days later, the apartment next door reported bed bugs. This case was also confirmed and the girls were relocated to Horan.

The relocation process was no easy feat either. Midy said, “In order to sleep in a different room and residence hall, I had to explain not once, but twice on why I felt uncomfortable sleeping in the same bed where the bug was found.”

“I know pest control issues can be frustrating, particularly given the fact that multiple treatments are commonly needed to fully eradicate the problem, but we are working with the residents to minimize the impact on their studies and their overall semester,” said Gormley.

According to livestrong.com the bugs spread quickly from room to room through door frames, windows, or holes/cracks in the wall. When asked why the whole building wasn’t being treated, Gormely said, “The problem is only affecting a very small number of OV residents.  We are treating the affected area with a professional pest control company.”

Richard McKeown, director of the MC Physical Plant, who is dealing directly with the exterminating team, replied “Rather then run around spraying everything in-sight the technician will examine the situation and then treat where needed. This approach has proven to be more effective as well as reducing the amount of chemical used.”

However, Gormley also said “It is not uncommon that a pest control issue like bed bugs can impact more than one area, so we are inspecting accordingly and aggressively treating for that.”

The process of treating bed bugs is quite extensive. Richard McKeown, Director of the MC Physical Plant, said each treatments takes about eight hours, although the preparation for the treatment is also quite extensive.

McKeown said that all bed linens, curtains and clothing must be removed, bagged and laundered in hot, soapy water.  If the mattress and box spring are found infested, they must be wrapped in plastic and disposed of. All pictures, mirrors, light fixtures, outlets, switch covers, headboards, etc. must be removed from the walls but left inside. All wall to wall carpets must be pulled back from the tacking strip against the cove base and vacuumed, as does all surface area.

Gormley does not believe that the bed bugs came from the mattresses provided by the school, which are reused from year to year. Gormley said, “If that were the case, we would be seeing many more students affected all across campus.  Bed bugs can travel undetected on luggage and personal belongings; also, they can survive for long periods of time on a small food supply.”

McKeown further explained, “They [bed bugs] are considered “hitchhikers”, typically transported via clothing, beds, furniture, etc. Besides traveling, other high-risk circumstances involve purchasing or using secondhand mattresses, box springs and furniture, and hotels and apartments that rely on constant occupant turnover.”

If students suspect they have bed bugs, they are told to report to health services for the bites to be confirmed as well as inform Mary Gleason, the Area Coordinator for Overlook Manor. At which point the physical plant will be contacted and an exterminator will be employed on the issue.

Students are allowed to bring in their own exterminator if they feel uncomfortable, though Gormley states, “There’s really no need for that.  Actually, in this case I recently learned that some students tried to treat their rooms on their own rather than report the problem and that proved to be inadequate.  Our coordinated response will continue.”