More bed bugs have been found at provincial court.
Orkin Canada’s K-9 Unit and technicians began an extensive fumigation process on the fourth floor of Atlantic Place on the weekend. The floor includes provincial court and related offices.
All areas of the court were inspected, steamed and vacuumed, Chief Judge Mark Pike said in a statement. The common area outside the court was also inspected, steamed and vacuumed.
The K-9 Unit led the way as the dog sniffed for evidence of the bed bugs. Two technicians followed and steamed and vacuumed each area.
The K-9 alerts to live bed bugs, eggs and larvae by sitting and scratching at the area, Pike said. This is known as a hit.
The areas treated after bed bugs were found were the Legal Aid Commission of NL lawyers' interview room outside the new entrance to Courtroom 7 where the K-9 indicated a hit on one chair; a waiting room designated for vulnerable witnesses and victim services outside courtrooms eight and nine, where hits were indicated on two chairs and a suitcase; a waiting room designated for vulnerable witnesses and victim services outside courtrooms two and three; and an area of baseboard in the lobby outside the former entrance to court room 7. The K-9 alerted the handler to the latter area and upon close inspection, bed bug eggs and two dead bed bugs were identified.
Removal of the baseboard revealed evidence of bedbug activity including bug feces. The area was steamed, vacuumed and treated as well, Pike said.
All areas of the court have now been treated and a regular K-9 inspection and treatment as necessary will continue beginning next week.
Inspection and treatment began for the remainder of the fourth floor by mid-Sunday morning.
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Blow diatomaceous earth into cracks and crevices. It stays for the life of the structure and gets what the steam misses. Dormant bed bugs in the structure will have a much lower survival rate. This is advice from a hands on experenced eco-entomologist.