The Racquette

Issue date: 9/19/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Doug Campbell The bedbug problem in Bowman South was quickly resolved last week. Inset: The bedbug, like a mosquito, feeds on blood. Its presence can be determined by blood spots on sheets or an unexplained rash.

An infestation of bedbugs was discovered and quickly contained on the fifth floor of Bowman South last week.

"Honestly, I didn't really care," said freshman secondary education major and neighbor Maria Rotondo. "I didn't lose any sleep over it."

Rotondo lives on the fifth floor of Bowman South, down the hall from the room where the bedbugs were discovered. According to Rotondo, the bedbug situation was quickly resolved. Rotondo was understanding of the situation.

"It was bad luck and bad timing," Rotondo said. "I knew those girls, and they're nice. And clean."

Eric Duchscherer, Director of Residence Life, sent an e-mail to residential students the evening of the discovery, Tuesday September 9.

"We have quickly taken action to address the situation. Both mattresses, beds and sets of linens from from the room have been removed and destroyed. An exterminator has inspected the room and sprayed to kill any remaining bugs," stated Duchscherer.

Rooms in the nearby rooms and adjacent floors were inspected on Wednesday, September 10. No more bedbugs were found.

Duchscherer's e-mail to students contained detailed information on bedbugs and avoiding bedbug outbreaks.

"Bedbugs are small, flat, oval, wingless insects (about one-fifth of an inch in length) that are visible to the naked eye. They crawl at a steady rate. Like mosquitoes, they bite humans to feed on blood, but unlike mosquitoes, they do not transmit disease," Duchscherer said.

One week later, life on the fifth floor of Bowman South seemed like business as usual.

"I said, 'bedbugs have been going on since the turn of the century,'" said resident Matt Reason when asked about his initial reaction to the bedbugs.

Rotondo was grateful to her RA for his handling of the situation.

"Brian, our RA, is the man," said Rotondo.

Students with any questions are encouraged to contact the Residence Life office at ext. 2350.

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