RI, MA EHS Pest Control Blog

Bed Bugs Make Jail An Even More Unpleasant Place To Be

The holding-cell area in the 120th Precinct station on Staten Island has been shut down as officials grapple with a bed bug infestation that has made conditions there unpleasant for prisoners. A defense attorney tells the Staten Island Advance that for months now bed bugs have been a problem in the holding cells, which are notoriously filthy. You may recall this dump from the story about the licensed massage therapist who was arrested and forced to clean an overflowing toilet at the station house before cops let her go without charging her. Looks like cops need to arrest a couple of exterminators now.

"There were some critters found in the area where the cell attendant works," one "NYPD insider" tells the Advance. "They’re trying to process as few people as they can through there," says another source. In a statement issued by the Department of Correction, a spokesperson says, "We are aware of concerns in the Staten Island 120 Precinct regarding bedbugs. DOC will have an exterminator go out tomorrow [Friday] to inspect our Staten Island court facilities [holding pens]. If there is a problem, we will arrange to treat the pens with a combination of steam and chemicals when the pens are empty — over the weekend."

Bedbugs have previously infiltrated the school system, the United Nations, district attorneys offices, and Howard Stern—so it was only a matter of time before they wound up in jail. But we think the city is going about this all wrong; they should be welcoming the bed bugs with open veins! Let them have the jail. Hell, let them have the whole precinct. Pack as many bed bugs in there as possible, then bomb the whole place back to the stone age. True, they'd probably survive that too, but it sure would feel good, wouldn't it?

Source: Gothamist.com

George Williams
General Manager - Staff Entomologist

Pest Control, RI, Pest Control, MA

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We are experts at inspecting & finding things that people would ordinarily ignore or miss. That is the nature of what we do. In this particular case just about anyone would be able to see what is going on. Burrows in the snow are a pretty obvious sign of a pest issue. The burrows you are looking at are rat burrows. They are fresh & active as you can see the tracks & paw prints in the snow as well as the mud staining around the burrow entrance.

Rats can easily burrow through frozen soil & freezing cold snow with no problem at all. Rats are experts at adapting to the conditions in their environment. Typically rat burrows are well hidden because they do not want to be seen by predators but when it is winter they have no choice. It certainly makes exterior inspections easier for me!

Pest Control, MA ,  Pest Control, RI

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The correct terminology is larva or larvae. For all intents & purposes they are MAGGOTS! I happen to snap this picture of something that happens in every city & town and that is flies. What you are looking at is about 2,000 maggots in some stagnant water in a garbage can cover. In about 5-7 days these 2,000 maggots will be 2,000 flies. Those flies will continue to reproduce in alarming volumes and at a very fast pace. In fact that 2,000 flies if uncontrolled & they survive can easily be 100,000 in just 30 days!!!

Most people see a roach or rodent in a restaurant, their business, or their home and they freak out and need something done immediately. It is the fly that should cause this type of reaction in people yet all we do is swat at them & do not give them a 2nd thought. We even joke about them….

Waiter, there is a fly in my soup!
What’s he doing?
I believe it is the backstroke.

Flies are one of the most disgusting insects on the planet and they are capable of transmitting so many diseases through the bacteria they contact. Next time you see a fly take it VERY seriously!

Location = Quincy, MA

My friends & family always as what do you look for when you inspect for bedbugs? Part of this is that they want to know so they can do the same when they travel to hotels. The honest answer is that I look for the insects or their signs. Their signs are blood stains or fecal matter which often are like black ink stains on fabric (blood goes black without oxygen). This is often located where the hosts (people) sleep or rest and this means mattresses, box springs, chairs, & couches get extra special attention. Another sign is cast skins as bedbugs molt to reach the next stage in their development. The last item is live bedbugs in all stages. This is often easier said than done! Bedbug eggs are the size of a pin head and nymphs in stages 1 & 2 are so small they can fit through a zipper + they are opaque in color. Once they reach the 3rd developmental stage they do start to resemble a bedbug.

Picture number one shows a bedbug infested bed skirt and you can see adults, molted skins, stains, and nymphal stages. This is a mature infestation, at least six months old. These are easy to identify visually plus they emit a sweet musty smell like fresh raspberries or almonds. The 2nd picture is bedbug eggs on a mattress. As you can see the eggs are so small they are the size & color of the thread on the mattress. There are adults present but the eggs are so very hard to find.

How do you inspect for bedbugs? You hire EHS!

Matt Lipsett
Inspection Specialist