Hotels, schools, and a Valley coffee shop are some of the locations that have had to deal with bed bugs so far this year.
While the Maricopa County Department of Environmental Services receives hundreds of complaints each year, a smaller portion of those complaints are verified to have bed bugs.
There have been a total of 81 "verified" complaints in the county so far this year, in which the department has confirmed bed bugs to be at the complaint's locations.
Of those 81 verified complaints, 16 were at public Valley locations, including FireSky Resort & Spa, the Alta E Butler School, and Urban Beans.
Department officials say all of these incidents are considered "closed" at this time, which means they were subsequently cleared after the complaint was verified.
The number of complaints for bed bugs has decreased over the last five years, with a total of 444 complaints in 2013 and a total of 343 complaints in 2016. It should be noted that a total of 246 complaints have been received this year, as of November 7.
To check for bed bugs in your own home, the department recommends keeping an eye on cracks and crevices around sleeping areas. This flyeron their website offers more detailed information about prevention and awareness.
If you do find bed bugs, contact the property manager or file a complaint with the environmental services department.
