Bed bugs have infiltrated Metro's downtown headquarters, The Washington Examiner has learned.
Exterminators were brought in after bed bugs were found two weeks ago on the third floor of the building on Fifth Street Northwest, in an area that employees say houses information technology offices but no actual beds or sleeping areas.
It was not clear how extensively the persistent pests have dug in at the agency. Metro initially said it found one bed bug, but memos to workers discussed multiple bugs.
| The hardy, hitchhiking bed bug |
| Don't be fooled by the name. Bed bugs do not live only in beds. The insects, which are the size and color of a flat apple seed, will hide in suitcases, boxes, behind baseboards, electrical switch plates, picture frames, wallpaper, upholstery and furniture crevices. |
| Though the bugs are nocturnal and prefer to feed at night, they are opportunistic, according to the National Pest Management Association. They will travel widely in search of blood by hitchhiking on people's belongings or clothing. |
| They can survive for several months without eating, reproducing during that time. And they withstand a wide range of temperatures, from nearly freezing to 122 degrees Fahrenheit. |
Some employees are frustrated that more information about the pests wasn't distributed sooner -- and that more wasn't done to prevent the pests from invading.
