Facts about bedbugs According to CU’s Facilities Management: • Bedbugs are found all around the world and their presence is not determined by the cleanliness of where they are found • Bedbugs are not known to spread disease, but their bites can cause allergic reactions • Bedbugs are increasingly resistant to chemical treatments • Students can report bedbug sightings to CU’s pest management team

The University of Colorado closed off part of the Leeds School of Business’ library this week following the discovery of a single bedbug in the library’s lounge.

On Wednesday morning, a scent-detecting dog was brought into the north lounge of the William H. White Library to search for the presence of bedbugs. It identified the potential presence of insects, or perhaps their eggs, according to campus officials.

The closure and investigation, first reported by the CU Independent, were conducted after a student captured an insect in the lounge on Tuesday. It was later confirmed to be a bedbug.

CU’s Facilities Management sent an email to students in the business school and other Leeds affiliates on Wednesday to keep them updated on the status of the investigation.

The north lounge, located on the business school’s second floor, is bound in caution tape and closed off with plastic tarps in preparation for thermal treatment on Thursday. The nearby Excel Help Desk is also closed and will undergo treatment, according to the email.

Thermal treatment involves heating the affected space to 130 degrees so that any insects or eggs are killed. No chemicals are used in the process, according to CU Facilities Management.

The rest of the second floor, including the east lounges, printer stations and Method Roasters Cafe, also was swept with the canine and determined to be clear. Those facilities remain open, according to the email.

Students in the library on Wednesday did not appear to be impacted by the closure of the lounge, but mentioned that bedbugs had been found in Koelbel Building, which houses the Leeds School of Business, in the past.

The lounge is planned to reopen on Friday, according to the email.