Bed Bugs

If you think you have bed bugs, submit a Work Order immediately!

You can submit a Work Order through MyPortal. College of Charleston Facilities Management, Campus Housing and Residence Life are committed to an effective and efficient response to students who suspect they have bed bugs.

FAQs

Read up on bed bugs and how to prevent their spread.

What are bed bugs?

Bed bugs are small nocturnal insects that live by feeding on the blood of humans and other warm-blooded hosts. Bed bugs are generally active between 3 a.m. and 8 a.m., with a peak feeding period about an hour before sunrise. After feeding for about five minutes, the bug returns to its hiding place.
Bites consist of a raised red bump or flat welt and are often accompanied by intense itching. The red bump or welts are the result of an allergic reaction to the anesthetic contained in the bed bug's saliva, which is inserted into the blood of the host. Bed bug bites may appear indistinguishable from other insect bites, though they tend to last longer. Bites may not become immediately visible and can take up to nine days to appear. Bed bug bites tend to not have a red dot in the center, which is characteristic of flea bites. A trait shared with flea bites, however, is tendency towards arrangements of sequential bites. Bites are often aligned three in a row.
Extensive testing has been done in laboratory settings that has concluded that bed bugs are unlikely to pass disease from one person to another. So, while bed bugs can be a nuisance, they are less dangerous than some more common insects such as fleas.
How did we get bed bugs?
What happens when the exterminator comes to my room?

If your room or suite is confirmed to have bed bugs, the College’s exterminator will come to treat your room. Campus Housing will provide detailed instructions for you to properly prepare your space for treatment. If available, an exterminator will be present to answer questions.
A pesticide will be applied to all locations within your room that may harbor the bugs. While this process is taking place (a few hours), you will need to be out of your room. Once you are permitted back in your room, you may bring in your freshly laundered clothing and bedding and un-bag your other items.
What can I do to reduce my risk of bed bugs?

When you travel to a new place, look at the room to seek potential hiding places for bed bugs, such as carpet edges, mattress seams, pillowcase linings, headboards, wall trim or other tiny crack-like places bed bugs might hide. If you see signs of bed bug activity inform management immediately.
Next, look specifically at the mattress seams for signs of bed bug activity: droppings, eggs, bloodstains or even bed bugs themselves – hiding in tiny folds and seam lines.
Never leave your clothing laying on the bed, or any location of possible infestation. Instead, use hangers or hooks capable of keeping all cloth distant from the floor or bed. It’s also not a bad idea to elevate suitcases off the floor on a luggage stand, tabletop or other hard surface.
Close your suitcase or travel bag when you're not using it.
When you return from any travel (especially abroad) it is a good idea to take your suitcase to the laundromat so you can wash ALL items before taking the suitcase to your home, residence hall, etc. If you do your wash in hot water before entering your residence, you will stop the spread of these bugs. It is highly recommended to consider traveling with a bag that can be washed and dried upon your return if possible.
What should I do (or not do) if I believe I have bed bugs?
- Notify Facilities Management ASAP by submitting a Work Order.
- If you see a bug and can trap it, do so by sticking it to a piece of clear tape. That way, the exterminator can see it.
- Do not remove or wash your bedding. The exterminator will need to inspect your space as-is.
- Do not panic! Although bed bugs can be annoying, they can be eradicated successfully if you follow all guidelines given to you by Facilities Management and Campus Housing.
- Do not apply pesticides on your own. The College hires a licensed pest control operator to confirm the infestation and to develop an integrated pest management plan.
- Do not remove or wash any bedding until after your room has been inspected by an exterminator.
- Do not move your mattress or any furniture out of your room. Affected furniture can be cleaned and treated. Placing affected furniture (particularly mattresses) into common areas or on the street may simply help spread bed bugs to the rooms and suites of other students.
- Do not go sleep in a friend’s room or in places off-campus. If you have bed bugs, you will only spread them to others.

Guidelines

For the comfort of all students living in the residence halls and houses, our staff adheres to the following guidelines:

As soon as a student suspects they have bed bugs, they should contact Facilities Management by submitting a Work Order. If possible, students should contact Facilities Management early on a regular business day. The exterminator cannot be dispatched on weekends or holidays.
If another administrator or office learns of a potential bed bug problem, their first call should be to Facilities Management at 843.953.5550.
Generally, Facilities Management will dispatch the College’s exterminator within 24 hours. The exterminator will perform an inspection of the room, which may include taking a DNA swab to verify the presence of bed bugs. DNA testing results take between 24-48 hours to process.
Students who report suspected bed bugs will NOT be granted a temporary room change nor will they be issued a new mattress. This helps prevent the spread of bed bugs and allows the most accurate inspection. The student should not remove or wash their bedding until after the exterminator inspection.
Campus Housing recommends that you do not go sleep in a friend’s room or places off-campus. If you have a confirmed case, you will only spread the issue to others. If you choose to stay at another location temporarily, you must wash (hot water) and dry (high heat) whatever clothing you need to take with you. Each wash/dry cycle should last at least 30 minutes. Upon doing that, you should shower and put on the clean clothes. The clean laundry is the only thing you should take with you to the temporary location.

Exterminator Findings

If the exterminator determines there are no bed bugs present in the student’s room or suite, a general pest control treatment will be conducted. The student will be asked to continue monitoring their living space, and to notify Facilities Management and Campus Housing immediately if there are further problems.
If the exterminator concludes that bed bugs are present in the room or suite, Campus Housing will provide the affected student(s) with a detailed list of instructions for the preparation of the exterminator treatment. The office will not cover the cost of anything a student wishes to dry clean or have laundered by an outside vendor.
Only the College’s exterminator can confirm or deny the presence of bed bugs – NOT an outside person.

Bed bugs can become a serious community issue, and ALL students are expected to comply with all instructions given to them once bed bugs have been confirmed within their living space.