Pests We Treat - Bed Bugs on American Flag in Brick, NJ

Many people wrongly believe that bed bugs are only found in beds. Nothing can be farther from the truth. Bed bugs migrate toward those places where people nap, rest, or otherwise stay still. They want their host to be stationary when it's time for their blood meal. While beds are a prime location for these bugs since a host will lie still for eight hours or so every night, they are also commonly found in sofas, couches, baby cribs, and Dad’s favorite La-Z-Boy. Also, when bed bugs are not feeding, they like to keep a low profile, hiding and breeding in the smallest spaces that they can find out of the light and out of view, usually tucked away in hiding places nearby where they feed. Sometimes they bury themselves into the crevices and stitching of the mattress or chair. Other times, they venture to a nearby location. During my inspections, the places I’ve found them amazes even me. After I think a bed bug would never be hiding in there, I’ve found them! I’ve found bed bugs in slippers, dentures, nightstands, picture frames, the spines of books, reading glass cases, and even in the cutest stuffed animals. For bed bugs, no place is off limits. In this particular bed bug infestation, I found a cluster of bed bugs, of all places, on an American flag hanging right above the couch in the living room. The couch was heavily infested, and a number of the bed bugs sought harborage behind the flag. Hiding behind our great American Flag! Bed bugs truly have no shame.

Unfortunately, the tenants who lived in this apartment in Brick, NJ were visually impaired, and could not see the bed bug activity. It did not come to light until they complained to the manager’s office that they were being bitten by something in the apartment. There was an entrenched infestation by the time I was called to deal with the problem. 

I did not want to apply any chemical to the flag and risk damaging it. The American flag is one of those special items that I will do anything to protect. Rather than applying treatment to the cloth and risk discoloration or damage, I carefully, but thoroughly vacuumed it with a high-powered HEPA vac. I then steamed the flag in order to kill any eggs. Bed bug eggs have a glue-like sticky surface enabling them to attach, and I wanted to make sure each and every egg was removed from the flag. Finally, before moving the flag to a safe location away from the couch, I inspected every square inch of it to make sure there was not a single bed bug or egg remaining on it. I am always very careful with personal belongings during a bed bug treatment and pay careful attention to delicate or sentimental items. For this particular infestation, I made sure to give the American flag the special treatment that it deserved.