Category Archives: Bed Bugs Maryland

Since the reports of four cases of bed bugs inside a University of Maryland, College Park dormitory surfaced last week, 11 new cases have been made by students living within the building, causing housing management to conduct a building-wide inspection to extinguish the potential threat.

Bed bugs are parasitic insects that feed on blood and are commonly found in dark crevices of beds or couches in order to stay close to humans, causing itching, swelling and skin irritation by eating flesh.

Prior to the fall semester in August, Capstone On-Campus Management, which manages the South Campus Commons on-campus housing through a public-private partnership with UM, conducted inspections throughout all of their buildings using trained canines and did not find any signs of bed bugs. But on Friday, Capstones exterminators confirmed reports of bed bugs in four units inside the South Campus Commons Building 7, according to a Capstone statement sent to SCC student residents.

Management has since been in the process of exterminating the bed bugs in each unit using a series of treatments such as vacuuming, steaming and using liquid chemicals and is remaining in contact with the student residents affected. Students in affected dormitories have not been relocated, but have been given various inspections and exterminator visits to their units, according to property management.

Following the first four cases, 11 additional cases of bed bugs were reported Friday to Capstone, but exterminators found no evidence of the insects. As a precaution, management said a building-wide inspection will be conducted, again using canines to detect potential signs of bedbugs.

Kevin Reilly, 21, a UM senior and economics major, said he lives in the SCC Building 7 next to one of the four units that were infested and said the fact that he lives so close is concerning.

It makes me think its easily possible that we can also get bed bugs, he said.

Jordan Cedarleaf, 21, a UM junior and mechanical engineering major, said he also lives in the affected building, but said theres not much concern and said he doesnt expect it to spread to other units.

It doesnt bother me too much. I think [Capstone] is taking all of the right precautions, he said, noting the several emails the student residents have received from property management.

UM spokeswoman Crystal Brown said the university is aware of the issue and working closely with property management.

See the article here:
Gazette.Net: UM housing staff sniffing out bed bug problems

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (WJZ) Bed bugs invade the University of Maryland at College Park forcing students from their dorms.

Rochelle Ritchie explains why experts say colleges are especially prone to infestations.

These students are having a hard time sleeping at night. One has suffered several bites and it could be months before the bugs are gone.

Building 7 of the South Campus Commons on the University of Maryland, College Park campus has an itchy problem bed bugs.

I found one in my room in the closet and only after I found one they took action, Turna Mekherje, a student who lives in the infested apartment, said.

For months, four roommates have been battling bed bugs, and despite efforts to get them under control, nothing seems to be working.

We pretty much cant sit anywhere in our apartment because we are scared we are going to contract them or something, Aditi Kalotra said.

And they have the bites to prove it.

A video shows how the girls are living. The roommates had to put their belongings in bags, strip their beds down to the mattress and empty their closets in hopes of getting rid of the bugs.

We just have to deal with this because thats how long the treatment process is supposed to take, Raevathi Ramadorai said.

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Bed Bug Infestation Forces Univ. Of Md. College Park Students Out Of Their Apartments

Bed bugs are a problem at this campus housing facility at University of Maryland. (WTOP/Darci Marchese)

Darci Marchese, wtop.com

WASHINGTON - Some area college students are dealing with an unwanted distraction: bed bugs.

Bed bugs are apparently invading some of the housing at the South Campus Commons Buildings at the University of Maryland in College Park.

Students living in building 7 received an email from Capstone On-Campus Management Wednesday night regarding the bed bugs.

It read, in part:

"It is true that we have had a small number of isolated cases of bed bugs reported to us so far this fall, and our maintenance staff and pest control experts have worked aggressively and collaboratively with affected residents to address these issues. If you have reason to suspect any type of pest control issue in your apartment, please submit an online work order at first sign of any potential problem so our maintenance staff can conduct a thorough inspection. We strongly rely on your cooperation in proactively educating our neighbors, hall mates, and apartment mates on methods of identification, prevention, and remediation. We also ask that you review the detailed information contained in the bed bug addendum of your lease."

A University of Maryland spokesman tells WTOP they are very concerned about the student's safety and are working closely with Capstone, who is overseeing the maintenance and extermination of the bugs.

Follow WTOP on Twitter.

(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

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Bed bug complaints at some UMd. buildings

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (WUSA) -- Bedbugs inside a dorm building at the University of Maryland in College Park are keeping students up at night.

The infestation has been documented in 2 apartments inside building 7 at the South Campus Commons.

Capstone is the the company that manages the property, and according to them they are aware of the issue and are working to rid the units of the bedbugs.

Alton Erwin, a spokesman with the company, would not elaborate on the status of the extermination, citing Capstone protocol prohibits that information from being public. However, he did say they were alerted to the issue in late September and described the issue as an "increasing problem."

Turna Mukherje, lives in one of the apartments that has bed bugs and said, "I keep waking up with bites."

9News obtained exclusive video of one of the infested apartments that shows the conditions those who live there have to deal with.

Their clothes and belongings have had to be bagged, and their beds stripped of their bedsheets.

Students said part of their frustration stems from the fact that they feel it took too long for the Commons staff to take action. In fact, one student said she had to actually capture a bedbug to prove the unit was infested and finally get the exterminators to come out.

An email has been sent out to all the students who live at Commons, notifying them about the bedbugs and urging them to submit a work order if they suspect a problem.

Go here to read the rest:
Bedbugs Invade Univ. of Maryland Dorms

Bed bugs are a problem at this campus housing facility at University of Maryland. (WTOP/Darci Marchese)

Darci Marchese, wtop.com

WASHINGTON - Some area college students are dealing with an unwanted distraction: bed bugs.

Bed bugs are apparently invading some of the housing at the South Campus Commons Buildings at the University of Maryland in College Park.

Students living in building 7 received an email from Capstone On-Campus Management Wednesday night regarding the bed bugs.

It read, in part:

"It is true that we have had a small number of isolated cases of bed bugs reported to us so far this fall, and our maintenance staff and pest control experts have worked aggressively and collaboratively with affected residents to address these issues. If you have reason to suspect any type of pest control issue in your apartment, please submit an online work order at first sign of any potential problem so our maintenance staff can conduct a thorough inspection. We strongly rely on your cooperation in proactively educating our neighbors, hall mates, and apartment mates on methods of identification, prevention, and remediation. We also ask that you review the detailed information contained in the bed bug addendum of your lease."

A University of Maryland spokesman tells WTOP they are very concerned about the student's safety and are working closely with Capstone, who is overseeing the maintenance and extermination of the bugs.

Follow WTOP on Twitter.

(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

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Bed bug complants at some UMd. buildings