Bed Bug Prevention Playbook: A guide to early detection and treatment

1. A guide to early detection and
treatment
Bed Bug Prevention Playbook

2. Detection: Know What to Look For
• Detection goes hand in hand
with the treatment and
ultimately the prevention of
bed bugs.
• Knowing what bed bugs look
like and the signs of their
presence is key to identifying
these pesky pests.

3. What Do Bed Bugs Look Like?
• Their bodies are of a
flattened oval shape and
reddish brown in color.
• These wingless insects
can grow up to ¼ of an
inch, but are usually about
the size of an apple seed.

4. Signs of a Bed Bug Invasion
• Direct observation of
bed bugs (dead or alive)
• Red or brown colored
stains from droppings
• Eggs attached to
surfaces in or around the
bed area
Colony of bed bugs nestle into
the side of a mattress
Dried blood and fecal matter
left by bed bugs

5. The Next Step: Create a
Bed Bug Protocol
• Implement a system for bed bug
detection to help prevent a building-wide
infestation.
• Incorporate weekly, monthly, and
quarterly inspections into the staff’s
cleaning routine to isolate a bed bug
presence before it spreads.

6. Weekly Checks
• Survey for evidence of
stains or eggs when
changing sheets.
• Inspect the edge of
the mattress and
mattress cover.

7. Monthly Check
• Inspect the box
springs for
discoloration or
clusters of eggs

8. Quarterly Checks
• Thoroughly examine
potential harborage
locations.
• Inspect areas such as:
furniture, sofas, chairs,
headboards, baseboards,
and behind pictures.

9. So You Found a Bed Bug.
What Now?
• Dispose of any items that have harbored bed
bugs by securing them in heavy duty bags
and sealing them with duct tape. Then
adhere to normal waste removal procedures.
• Any items that can be laundered should be
washed with detergent at the highest
temperature setting.
• Dry in the highest heat to kill any lingering
eggs.

10. Treating Bed Bugs
• In some cases, professional help may be
required.
• Pest management professionals can use
special heating and freezing equipment to
eradicate bed bugs in an infested area.

11. Beyond the Bugs
• Although they are not known to transmit
any diseases, their painful bites are
certainly an annoyance.
• In addition to being a nuisance to
guests, they also can have a detrimental
impact on an organization's image.
• Bed bugs are on the rise, and the only way
to beat the bug is to stay two steps ahead
of them.

12. Sources
• “Pulling Back the Sheets on the Bed Beg Controversy:
Research, Prevention and Management in Hospitals &
Long-Term Care Facilities” By Ron
Harrison, Ph.D., B.C.E. and Bill Lawrence, Ph.D., B.C.E.
• “Bed Bug Identification, Control and Prevention:
Recommendations for the Hospitality Industry” the
Vermont Department of Health