Anna Berry, BCE
In bed bug inspections, our attention naturally gravitates toward the bed and its vicinity in bedrooms or hotel rooms. However, these elusive pests remain hidden until they’re prepared to feed, making their way to the nearest food source, which isn’t always confined to a bed.
Beyond homes and hotels, consider places where people frequently rest. Lounging chairs in coffee shops, waiting areas in hospitals, movie theater seats, and even transportation seats like those on airplanes, trains or cars can become hospitable spots for bed bugs. Therefore, broaden your inspections to encompass any location where an individual spends an extended period, especially in dim or nighttime conditions — the prime feeding time for bed bugs.
Given their transient nature, these pests may appear in unconventional places not commonly associated with bed bugs. As long as there are areas for human rest, bed bugs can thrive. The key is to extend your focus beyond the bed and explore wherever individuals linger for extended periods, as this is when bed bugs become active and feed.
About the Author
Iversen is a technical director at B&G Equipment. Previously, she worked as training manager for McCloud Pest Management Solutions, South Elgin, Ill. She is a Board Certified Entomologist, ServSafe certified and instructor and proctor for the National Restaurant Association and is certified in HACCP. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Oregon and a master’s degree in grain science from Kansas State University.
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