South Orange Library Finds Bed Bugs In Furniture

South Orange, NJ – Throughout the years, many a South Orange resident has been bitten by the reading bug at their local library. But this week, the municipal library received a visit from a different sort of bug… cimex lectularius.

On Tuesday, after receiving a complaint from a patron about “bug bites,” the South Orange Library announced that they were closing the building due to the presence of bed bugs (cimex lectularius).

During a Wednesday inspection, a licensed extermination company found bed bugs in some of the upholstered furniture at the library, South Orange Village officials stated on the municipal website.

The bugs were found only in some upholstered furniture in the adult department, library staff stated in a Facebook post.

Extermination treatment is being arranged for June 29 to July 1, town officials announced.

The library was already scheduled to be closed July 2 to 4 for the holiday, and will re-open at normal hours on Tuesday, July 5, officials stated.

“The village apologizes for any inconvenience caused by the library closure and is diligently working to have the situation remediated by licensed professionals as soon as possible,” officials wrote.

Town officials referred to a Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) bulletin about bed bugs, which states:

“Bed bugs are small, flat, parasitic insects that feed solely on the blood of people and animals while they sleep… Although the presence of bed bugs has traditionally been seen as a problem in developing countries, it has recently been spreading rapidly in parts of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and other parts of Europe. Bed bugs have been found in five-star hotels and resorts and their presence is not determined by the cleanliness of the living conditions where they are found.”

• See related article: Bed Bugs Discovered in Unlikely Place
• See related article: Bed Bugs Force Closure of Palo Alto Library

“Bed bugs should not be considered as a medical or public health hazard. Bed bugs are not known to spread disease,” the CDC states. “A bed bug bite affects each person differently. Bite responses can range from an absence of any physical signs of the bite, to a small bite mark, to a serious allergic reaction. Bed bugs are not considered to be dangerous; however, an allergic reaction to several bites may need medical attention.”

According to the CDC, bed bugs are usually transported from place to place as people travel.

“Most people do not realize they are transporting stow-away bed bugs as they travel from location to location, infecting areas as they go,” the CDC writes.

• See related article: Extermination Company Shares Tips to Avoid Bed Bug Bites

Sign up for Patch NJ email newsletters here.