MENU
Student Services
Residence and Housing
Search

Bed bugs

Bed bugs are small insects that are typically brown in colour and are about the size and shape of an apple seed. Bed bugs can only crawl and do not fly.  They are also nocturnal and will try to get away if exposed to light.  These tiny insects are not a health threat to humans and have not been shown to spread disease.  However, they will bite and can become quite a problem if they aren’t dealt with properly.  

Historically, SFU Residence & Housing has had a low rate of bed bug incidents, which means that the chances of you getting bed bugs in your room are quite minimal.  However, you should remain vigilant and if you see any possible signs of bed bug infestation, please report it immediately. Residence & Housing works with a contractor to do periodic room checks for bed bugs using a Inspection Dog trained to identify live bed bugs or larve.

Some signs of bed bugs in your room

Here are a few things you should look for if you think you have bed bugs

  • Bite marks that are in rows and clusters. Usually, they are in exposed areas of the body
  • Blood spots on your bed sheets & linen
  • Dead bugs, molting, eggs or fecal matter on your bed and floor
  • Living bed bugs. An adult bed bug is visible to the naked eye and is approximately the size of an apple seed

Report suspected cases of bed bugs

Please log in to MyPlace@SFU account to submit a request or, you can email us at resfixit@sfu.ca

If at any time you have questions and/or concerns about reporting a possible case of bed bugs and/or about our bed bug treatment methodology, please stop by the Residence & Housing Office to speak with one of our staff or contact housing@sfu.ca

How bed bugs are treated

SFU Residence & Housing takes all potential cases of bed bugs very seriously. We are committed to eliminating all cases of bed bugs so that students are safe and comfortable while living in our community.

Any report of a potential case of bed bugs will go through the following process:

  • Residence and Housing staff will contact the student & arrange a time for a K9 inspection of his/her unit
  • Should the K9 positively identify the presence of bed bugs and treatment is recommended, our staff will arrange for a time for the treatment to occur as soon as possible

Please note that students are not assessed any financial charges for either a K-9 inspection or the cost of treatment. As such, you should never hesitate to report a suspected case if you see signs of bed bugs in your unit. 

Additional resource information on bed bugs

Search
Search
close