City officials say Allston-Brighton is at the epicenter of a city-wide bedbug infestation, though few cases have surfaced at Boston University, where officials have contracted an outside firm to handle pest control.
According to Dion Irish, housing director of the Boston Inspectional Services Department, the small, reddish-brown and oval insects are “in a different category than the typical pest infestation” because they spread so rapidly
“Bedbugs are a new phenomenon,” he said. “We have had about 400 cases in the past four years . . . 70 percent of those cases are in the Allston-Brighton area.”
On BU’s campus, only one bedbug case has been reported in the past year, according to Office of Residence Life Assistant Director Dwight Atherton. The problem, he said, is off-campus apartments.
“The number of incidents involving bedbug infestation in nearby communities has dramatically increased during recent months,” he said in an email. “Given the size of the university’s student housing inventory and its urban location, there are relatively few reported pest control concerns.”
Atherton said his office can do little for students living off campus.
“Off-campus housing concerns are beyond the preview of the Office of Residence Life,” he said. “Generally speaking, I would advise [off-campus students] to seek the immediate assistance of a licensed pest control professional. The best method of retaining those services would depend upon their living situations.”
College of Arts and Sciences sophomore Juliane Codd said her Allston apartment experienced a “light” case of bedbug infestation after she bought a used mattress on Craigslist.com, a popular community posting site. Her landlord contacted a licensed exterminator, but it took several weeks to eliminate the insects.
Codd said off-campus students are at a potentially higher risk for bedbug infestation because they tend to purchase used furniture.
“It has nothing to do with how clean [an] apartment is,” she said. “You’re more at risk to get them off-campus because [students are] more likely to buy used things.”
All-Star Pest Services has worked with Boston University since January 2005. According to owner and operator Dallas Filipi, the university has dealt with all types of pest control cases, and bedbugs, although rare in BU housing, are still a major concern, especially if a student has to deal with an infestation.
“There is a lot of work involved,” he said. “The student has to literally have their belongings wrapped.”
Filipi said there is “no environment conducive to bedbugs,” and unlike other pests that may infest a residency, bedbugs move mostly due to airplane travel, making the university’s 10,781 on-campus residents particularly susceptible.
“We deal with a number of BU students who travel abroad,” he said, “and to have only one incident occur, that’s very minimal.”
Atherton said although the pests do not have a presence on-campus, bedbugs emerging from airplane travel are a concern for students, including those living in the large residence halls, brownstones and on-campus apartments.
“The challenge of keeping pests out of our residences is daunting given the frequency with which students travel,” he said. “The university has therefore established aggressive protocols to immediately eradicate the pests from any residence in which they are found.”
According to Students Off-Campus Treasurer Andrew Masnyj, approximately 4,000 BU undergraduate students live off-campus. Although students have not contacted the office with bedbug concerns, if there were a concern, Masnyj said the organization would assist in providing information.
“We’re definitely an outlet for students who live off-campus,” the CAS junior said, “and we’re a good place for information.”
Filipi said All-Star is sometimes called in for bedbug false alarms. He said a range of factors may cause skin irritation, often similar to bedbug symptoms, from allergies to a change of soap. He said the process of checking for a false case of bedbugs creates a situation where there is “a massive circle, and it’s nothing.”
“Check first before you start panicking,” he said. “[Residents] assume they have bedbugs, and they don’t.”
According to Atherton, residents experiencing pest problems should contact their individual ORL. Those concerns will then immediately be forwarded to Facilities Management ‘ Planning before All-Star treats them.
Filipi said the most important step both on- and off-campus students can take is keeping informed of the insects and their increasing presence in the city.
“Be careful,” he said. “Do an inspection of your belongings . . . just be aware of the situation.”