Bed Bug Spotted For Second Time In Two Months At Montclair High School

In recent months, the bed bug has re-emerged as an irksome bother in homes, hotels, and schools around the country. Now the blood-sucking critter has been spotted for the second time in two months at Montclair High School.

Principal James Earle contacted parents on March 11 to say that an insect was found in the same area as the one found in February.

"We have followed the same procedure of isolating the room and removing the students to another location," Earle said. "Pest Control has been alerted and will be treating this location over the weekend.

"Once again Pest Control agents and Montclair High School custodial staff will perform a thorough and lengthy inspection of the room, furniture, supplies and materials, of the room," he said. "We are also investigating possible root causes by soliciting information from parents and students."

Earle said that the room will continue to be closed and an environmentally safe pest control treatment will be administered. Other areas of the school also are being inspected as a preventative measure.

Bob Zeitlinger, who works with Bell Environmental Services of Parsippany, said that bed bugs are a tough insect to get rid of.

"The only problem is that bed bugs, because they have flat bodies, can hide in the smallest of cracks and crevices," he said. "They even have been known to hide in electrical outlets.

"I can tell you from my experience with them that rarely is there just one bed bug," he said.

Bed bugs have no wings, are reddish in color, vary in size, have six legs, and are visible to the eye.

On Feb. 16, a Montclair High School staff member also found a bed bug on a classroom bookshelf, leading to a lengthy inspection of the room, supplies, materials, and furniture. At the time, the inspection deteremined there were no other insects in the room or in the area around the bookshelf.