Category Archives: Bed Bugs New York

On November 16, 2011, HPD along with Council Speaker Quinn and Council Member Brewer announced the acquisition of two male bed bug sniffing dogs in an effort to combat bed bug infestations in residential properties. The beagles, Mickey and Nemo, are available to assist a team of four Code Enforcement Inspectors who have been trained to work with the dogs. The dogs will respond to bed bug complaints where the 311 operator has confirmed that the tenant would like to have the inspection performed by a dog; not every complaint where someone indicates that they are available for a dog will get such an inspection. The dogs were trained at an accredited facility to alert by sitting when they detect live bed bugs or viable eggs. The dogs findings will be confirmed by visual inspection before a violation is issued. Although the dogs cannot respond to all bed bug complaints in residential properties, they will serve as a valuable resource in detecting bed bugs in places that are difficult for people to detect, and in cases where there are a small amount of bed bugs or the bed bugs have not yet matured. For more information on the Bed Bug Canine inspections, click here.

The Department of Health and Mental Hygienes (DOHMH) Bed Bug Website at http://nyc.gov/bedbugs provides detailed information for tenants, property owners/agents and homeowners on how bed bugs thrive, how to recognize and inspect for their presence, steps to take to prevent them from infesting a home, how to safely rid an area of bed bugs if they do occur, and how to select and work with a pest management professional. You can also go to the Department of Housing Preservation and Developments (HPD) e-learning on bedbugs, which provides information on the above topics through an interactive format,using anaudio/ visual format.

Left untreated, bed bugs can spread quickly in multi-dwelling housing. Both the housing and health codes require that property owners address infestations promptly. The surest strategies to keep bed bugs from spreading are prevention, early detection and rapid treatment. As a tenant, the first action you should take if you believe that you have bed bugs is to notify your landlord. As a landlord, the first action you should take is to conduct an inspection of the reported condition. Knowing what to look for is key!

Bed Bug Complaints: Enforcement ProtocolHere is how the Citys enforcement protocols work:

ComplaintsWhen a complaint is made to 311 about bed bugs in a residential building, HPD attempts to notify a property owner/representative at the registered phone number about the complaint (For more information on registration,click here.) A housing inspector from HPD may conduct an inspection. The inspector examines places where bed bugs are commonly found, such as on and around mattresses, beds and head boards, as well as other potentially infested areas as directed by the tenant.

ViolationsIf the HPD inspector finds bed bugs, the property owner is issued an HPD Notice of Violation (NOV)(see Sample A)ordering that the condition be addressed.

When a NOV is issued by HPD, the property owner also receives a DOHMH Order of the Commissioner(see Sample B).The Commissioners order tells property owners in more detail what the requirements for addressing the bed bug problem are, including:

Inspect the apartment(s) cited for bed bugs.

If you find a bed bug infestation in the apartment(s), inspect all units adjacent to, above and below the infested units, as well as all common areas; and retain the services of a pest management professional certified and registered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to take all measures necessary to remove bed bug infestationwhere found.

Keep a record of all actions taken in compliance with the Order.

Excerpt from:
HPD - Bed Bugs

Tiny blood-sucking bedbugs have become an epidemic in New York City. The little pests have invaded even the cleanest and most expensive apartments in neighborhoods around New York. In fact, a councilwoman from the Upper West Side has called for a citywide bedbug task force to address the problem. What Are Bedbugs? A bedbug is a wingless, rust-colored insect about the size of an apple seed. Bedbugs are nocturnal parasites, which means they rest during the day and come out to dine on the blood of humans at night. Bedbugs are attracted by human body heat and typically favor feasting on our shoulders and arms (ewww).

During feeding, the bedbug's proboscis pierces the skin of its victim, injecting bedbug saliva (double ewww). Bedbugs typically feed for five to ten minutes at a time. As the little critter fills with blood, its colouring changes from light brown to rustred.

Experts suggest washing bedbug bites with antiseptic soap to avoid infection. The itching can be treated with calamine lotion or anaesthetic creams.

Aside from those nasty bites, other signs that bedbugs may have moved in include:

They also spread through mattresses. Reconditioned mattresses, which are refurbished old mattresses, often spread bedbugs into stores and homes. In addition, bedbugs can spread when old and new mattresses are transported in the same truck.

Experts say bedbugs have been all but dormant for decades. The recent comeback is said to be primarily the result of increased global travel, along with the banning of potent pesticides like DDT.

Here are some do-it-yourself methods you can try before you call the exterminator:

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Bedbugs Invade New York City -- What are bed bugs and how do ...

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If someone in your building has them, Guess what? So do you. Some female cockroaches mate once and are pregnant for the rest of their lives.

Bed Bugs live everywhere, not just in your mattress, Bed bugs can hide in furniture and behind wall coverings... and you are on the menu.

They love to snack on mammals. That means cats dogs AND people!

Not all Rats are created equal, but we can get rid of ALL of them.

If you think you saw one but aren't sure... then you DID see one.

They cause more damage in U.S. homes than fires. they can live for 15 years. they can lay an egg every 15 seconds

They're the Butterfly's ugly cousin and They'll eat the shirt off your back

Excerpt from:
Bed Bug Exterminator NYC | Bed Bug Treatment | Pest Control ...

The common bed bug (Cimex lectularius) has long been a pest feeding on blood, causing itchy bites and generally irritating their human hosts. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) all consider bed bugs a public health pest. However, unlike most public health pests, bed bugs are not known to transmit or spread disease.

They can, however, cause other public health problems, so its important to pay close attention to preventing and controlling bed bugs.

Experts believe the recent increase in bed bugs in the United States may be due to more travel, lack of knowledge about preventing infestations, increased resistance of bed bugs to pesticides, and ineffective pest control practices.

The good news is that there are ways to control bed bugs. Getting good, solid information is the first step in both prevention and control. While there is no chemical quick fix, there are effective strategies to control bed bugs involving both non-chemical and chemical methods.

On this page;

Bites on the skin are a poor indicator of a bed bug infestation. Bed bug bites can be misidentified, which gives the bed bugs time to spread to other areas of the house. Bed bug bites can look like bites from other insects (such as mosquitoes or spiders), rashes (such as eczema or fungal infections), or even hives. Some people do not react to bed bug bites at all.

A far more accurate way to identify a possible infestation is to look for physical signs of bed bugs. For example, spots on bedding, as described below, are one of the earliest and most accurate methods.

When cleaning, changing bedding, or staying away from home, look for:

If the room is heavily infested, you may find bed bugs in the seams of chairs and couches, between cushions, in the folds of curtains, in drawer joints, in electrical receptacles and appliances, under loose wall paper and wall hangings -- even in the head of a screw. Since bed bugs are only about the width of a credit card, they can squeeze into really small hiding spots. If a crack will hold a credit card, it could hide a bed bug.

Canvas strap of old box spring covering that is housing adults, skin castings, feces, and eggs. (Photo courtesy of Dr. Louis Sorkin)

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Identifying Bed Bug Infestations - Bed Bugs | Pesticides | US EPA

Bed bugs are a big problem in most big cities all over the world. As a traveler to New York City you should have this question on your mind How can I get bed bugs?... So that you can avoid them.

Right from when you arrive at your hotel or your temporary accommodation during your vacation, you will find in this book how to do a quick check and make sure that your immediate environs are bed bug free..., your bed; drawer, closet etc are free of bed bugs.

You will see pictures of bed bugs from different angles so you know exactly what they look like. If in the unfortunate event that you do get bitten and you have to get rid of bed bugs, this book shows you how to begin your bed bug treatment and tackle the bite site and itching that come with it.

This is the bedbug book that not only helps you with fresh bites on you, turns you into an exterminator, provides a step by step guide on how to get rid of bed bugs; it is also a tourist guide!

While visiting the tourist-centric New York City that boosts of more than 40 million visitors each year in the bed bugs get rid mode; at the end of the book, youll learn about interesting places to visit. Iconic places like the Central Park, Statue of Liberty, Broadway shows, Time Square, Empire State Building, Museum of Natural History, New York Public Library etc.

Worried about a bed bug infestation on the property you will be staying at? A chapter here provides a sneaky candid reviews of hotels and restaurants! You type in the address of the location you are going to and get a bed bug update. Its that simple!

Bed bugs will tag along with you. The last thing you want is to bring back any bed bugs to your home and risk starting off an infestation. Protect yourself now! Learn how to identify and kill bed bugs while visiting New York City.

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Bed Bugs: Bed Bugs Treatment & Getting Rid Of Bed Bugs For New ...