Bed bugs force closure of Westmount Public Library

The Westmount Public Library has been temporarily closed to allow for the extermination of bed bugs.

“This measure is intended to ensure a thorough treatment of the entire premises,” library officials state. “Patrons are asked to keep their borrowed items for the time being.”

The closure comes after a March 6 inspection of the site found evidence of bed bugs in some areas.

A secondary inspection on Monday, “unfortunately, revealed evidence of bed bugs in other areas of the public library, beyond those initially found in the adult computer section.”

Library officials note that inspections at Victoria Hall and the Heritage Greenhouses have revealed no evidence of bedbugs, and both buildings are expected to remain open to the public.

“The city is aware of the inconvenience caused and thanks citizens for their patience while the necessary measures are deployed to ensure a healthy and welcoming environment at the library,” officials add.

The library’s closure does not affect its digital collection, including e-books and online databases.

Bed bugs

Bed bugs are tiny creatures that can wreak havoc on people’s health and quality of life.

Knowing how to spot them allows you to act quickly to prevent and control an infestation, according to the Government of Quebec.

“Bed bugs are most active at night,” the government notes. “They avoid light, seeking shelter in dark, narrow and inaccessible places.”

Bed bugs have the following characteristics:

• They are visible to the naked eye.
• Adult bed bugs are usually brown. When filled with blood, their colour ranges from red to dark brown.
• They are oval in shape and about the size of a flattened apple seed, 4 to 7 mm in length.
• They neither jump nor fly.
• They move at the speed of an ant.
• They have a lifespan of five to six months, but can live for more than a year without feeding when dormant.

Bed bug eggs have the following characteristics:

• They are whitish in colour.
• They are the size of a pinhead.
• They are laid in clusters and attach to various small, tight spaces.
• They hatch 10 to 14 days after being laid.

Clues on the skin:

Bites that are:

• Similar to mosquitoes.
• Can be itchy.
• Appear on parts of the body not covered during sleep.
• Clustered at first before spreading to your whole body (if the infestation is not controlled).

Clues on the bed:

• Small black spots on sheets, mattresses or bedsprings, which are bed bug excrement.
• Presence of live or dead bed bugs, skin and eggs.