NYC Bed Bug Registry Infestation Maps, Residential and Hotel

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Just bed, no bugs. (Getty Images)

Two words strike fear into the hearts of New Yorkers, from Astoria to the Upper East Side and everywhere in-between: bed bugs. These insects may be teeny-tiny, but they can create chaos in your home. If youre feeling itchy or just paranoid! dont panic. This guide to everything you need to know about bed bugs in NYC will help you sleep tight and not let the bed bugs bite.

Bed bugs are about the size of an apple seed. Theyre oval, brown, and relatively flat, especially if the insect hasnt eaten recently, and they look like this:

The most unwelcome kind of houseguest: a bed bug. A dime for scale. (Courtesy of the National Pest Management Association)

According to the EPA, bed bugs can grow up to a quarter-inch long. Their offspring, called nymphs, are much harder to detect because theyre significantly smaller about the size of a poppy seed and nearly translucent.

Its no surprise that bed bugs in NYC can sometimes be mistaken for other creepy crawlies, like young cockroaches or even carpet beetles.They are every bit as unruly as a couple of other urban pests we can think of: namely roaches and of course, resilient New York City rats.

Yorkville

308 East 80th Street

$2,044 No Fee

Yorkville

310 East 89th Street

$2,400 No Fee

Upper West Side

216 West 78th Street

$2,150 No Fee

Lower East Side

91 Clinton Street

$2,800 No Fee

Central Harlem

2308 Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard

$2,364 No Fee

Lenox Hill

265 East 78th Street

$2,650 No Fee

Morningside Heights

3133 Broadway

$2,475 No Fee

West Harlem

49 Saint Nicholas Terrace

$2,600 No Fee

South Harlem

1775 Madison Avenue

$2,000 No Fee

Yorkville

328 East 85th Street

$2,500 No Fee

Central Harlem

1976 Madison Avenue

$2,200 No Fee

South Harlem

2 West 120th Street

$2,000 No Fee

Although we may associate these pests with dirty environments, bed bugs can be found just about anywhere, from a five-star hotel to a nursing home, says Dr. Jim Fredericks, Chief Entomologist for the National Pest Management Association.

They are extremely elusive and adaptable creatures and have been reported in all 50 U.S. states, Dr. Fredericks says. Additionally, bed bugs can live for several months in between blood meals and can even survive temperatures of nearly freezing to 122 degrees Fahrenheit. In other words, these insect vampires are parasites that pack a punch.

Break out your flashlight. Bed bugs can be difficult to spot, as they typically emerge at night to feed, says Dr. Fredericks. Tiny dark fecal spots and shed skins on bedsheets, around the corner crevices of mattresses, and in cracks in bed frames or furniture are tell-tale signs of an infestation. Its worth looking behind any hanging artwork you might have in your bedroom and under your bed skirt, too.

Another tactic? Check your skin for their breakfast, lunch, and dinner three bites in a row. Although bed bug bites can turn into large, raised itchy welts, everyone reacts to bites differently and some people exhibit no reactions at all, says Dr. Fredericks. One other thing to keep in mind: The histamines in bed bug feces have been linked to allergic reactions in humans such as rashes and breathing problems. These chemicals can linger and remain high for months in residences, even after the property has been professionally treated.

If you do think you have bed bugs, dont beat yourself up. Theyre certainly creepy, but they dont carry disease. And youre definitely not alone there are thousands of reported cases of bed bugs in NYC a year. (Want to see the current infestations plotted on a map? Visit the Bedbug Registry, if you dare.) In fact, landlords are required to disclose a units bed bug history to you if there was an infestation within the past year.

Bedford-Stuyvesant

123A Halsey Street

$2,750 No Fee

Stuyvesant Heights

507 Herkimer Street

$2,300 No Fee

Ocean Hill

62 Somers Street

$2,650 No Fee

Stuyvesant Heights

223 Bainbridge Street

$2,200 No Fee

Bay Ridge

7227 Shore Road

$2,100 No Fee

Flatbush

2701 Foster Avenue

$2,000 No Fee

Flatbush

762 East 32nd Street

$2,499 No Fee

Stuyvesant Heights

1875 Atlantic Avenue

$2,613 No Fee

Fort Hamilton

301 100th Street

$1,800 No Fee

Bedford-Stuyvesant

422 1/2 Gates Avenue

$2,768 No Fee

Bushwick

1376 Bushwick Avenue

$2,750 No Fee

Cypress Hills

166 Linwood Street

$2,700 No Fee

Unfortunately, these pests are pervasive. Bed bugs can be found virtually anywhere humans gather, such as residences, hotels, schools, and even public transportation, Dr. Fredericks says. They are skilled hitchhikers, hiding in suitcases and latching onto personal bags in search of a food source. Once brought inside, they can hide behind baseboards and in cracks, crevices, and folded areas of beds, bed frames, bedding, and adjacent furniture, especially mattresses and box springs. Bed bugs can even be found hiding behind electrical switch plates, picture frames, and loose wallpaper. Generally, they take shelter anywhere near a food source, typically hiding out in bedrooms or other places people sleep to feed at night.

No matter how much HGTV you binge-watch, this is not the time to DIY. The internet teems with advice on eradicating bed bugs yourself, but please, do yourself a favor and call your landlord to get it taken care of properly. Tenants in New York City have a right to a bed bugfree environment. Your landlord should also alert your neighbors that there is an infestation in the building. (And you should do the same yourself, as a neighborly courtesy.)

If you own your apartment, Dr. Fredericks says hiring an expert is a must. Bed bugs are not do-it-yourself pests, he says. If you discover or suspect an infestation, contact a licensed pest control professional for assistance.

If the exterminator you call offers a flat fee, thats a red flag. A good pest control professional will inspect your apartment before giving you a price quote and will provide you with an inspection report and action plan. Treatment typically requires two or more visits and a follow-up inspection to confirm theyve been eliminated.

If you see this, call a professional immediately! (Courtesy of the National Pest Management Association)

Youll want to thoroughly treat your linens and textiles to kill off any lingering eggs and nymphs. To offload the chore, services like Bed Bug Laundry NYC will do the work for you (and have five stars on Yelp). Disinfecting surfaces and affected items is vital. Enclose your mattress and box spring for at least a full year, keeping an eye out for any tears in the cover. Or, if youve got the budget, toss them remembering to wrap your mattress in a plastic bag, per NYC law and invest in new ones.

Unfortunately, no high-tech electronic mouse repellent gadget will keep bed bugs at bay. But there is plenty of common-sense advice that can help prevent them from making themselves at home in your home again.

For one thing, all those freebies calling your name from the brownstone stoop are probably a no-no. Never bring second-hand furniture into your home without first examining it for signs of an infestation, says Dr. Fredericks.Another tip: If you have pets, regularly inspect areas where they sleep for signs of bed bugs. Although they are not a preferred host, bed bugs can bite them too. Lastly, especially if youre a renter, you have rights see our guide to the Warranty of Habitability for more intel.

Most importantly, remember that youre a New Yorker: You are tough, and you will survive this!

[This post has been updated and republished.]

Inspired to find your next place in New York? Whether youre looking to rent or to buy, search NYC apartments on StreetEasy.

Read the original:
Bed Bugs in NYC: How to Recognize and Get Rid of Them - StreetEasy

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This entry was posted on Friday, November 1st, 2024 at 2:35 am and is filed under NYC Bed Bugs.You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.