Bed Bugs
- If you think you have bed bugs, do not remove any furniture or other items from your room until your room has been successfully treated or it is confirmed that you do not have bed bugs. This will spread the infestation into the hallway and surrounding areas and likely result in a re-infestation. Items should be left in the room to be treated by pest control.
- You should not sleep elsewhere nor should you have any overnight guests in your room. This will likely spread the bed bugs (and they can be reintroduced after treatment as a result).
- Do not remove or wash your bedding as this will destroy any evidence the inspector can use to determine whether you have bed bugs (and whether your room should be treated).
- Do not attempt to self-treat the room.
- If you see a bug, try to catch it and save it and/or take a picture of it for us to ID.
General Pest Attractions
- Cleaning up after yourself and completing all workshifts assigned to you is super important in order to prevent pest infestations! Report any pest attractions to your unit-level manager team.
- Some pest attractions, harborage, and entry points include:
- Food sources
- Food left out and uncovered food storage
- Food stored that is not stored at least 6” off the ground
- Food scraps/debris on floor, counters, and in floor drains
- Dirty dishes
- Trash, recycling, and compost not covered or stored on ground
- Water sources
- Standing water
- Uncovered drains
- Leaks (including leaky faucets)
- Exterior
- Junk and/or trash stored openly
- Dense vegetation around perimeter and vegetation on structure
- Entry points
- Rats can squeeze through an opening about the size of a quarter and a mouse through an opening the size of a dime!
- Propped doors or doors with a ¼” or more gap
- Holes, cracks, etc. a ¼” or wider
- Windows without screens
For more detailed information on pest control, please email the BSC Operations Assistant (opasst@bsc.coop)