Hi,
I'll try to keep this brief. Like everyone else obsessively checking through this forum, I know that there are bed bugs in my parents house (where I'm currently living), and for various reasons (mostly money), they're delaying getting professional treatment, despite my very helpful (read: probably annoying) habit of sending them articles about the misery and difficulty of battling infestations especially after trying to treat it yourself. We have an old semi-detached home, filled with 30 years of clutter. It's going to be a big job when it does happen, but I'm getting out! I'm moving in with my boyfriend and have ordered a ZappBug to treat any items that can't be washed and dried, and am not bringing any furniture with me.
The thing I'm concerned about, and I've tried to find information on this specific possibility and haven't quite. I know bed bugs can harbour in laptops, I have an ancient old macbook that's likely infested, but I'm not going to bring with me because I was planning on getting a new laptop anyway.
But what about iPhones or e-readers? I used a sleep app to monitor my sleep and part of that was keeping my iphone next to my pillow (kicking myself now, of course). But it was next to my head, all warm and probably a cozy little platform for the bugs to descend onto me and ravage my body for nourishment...for months. How likely is it that a bed bug could be hanging out IN my phone? Ditto for my e-reader, though this one I'm less worried about, it's a newer model and is usually sealed.. it's dustproof, so I hope that means it's also bed bug proof. But it lived mostly on my side table next to my head. These two items were often moved around during the day, but stationary at night.
I want to be completely vigilant about moving my stuff, because my boyfriends house is brand new, never lived in, and I would be devastated if we brought an infestation with us.
What can I do to treat my phone, if it seems plausible bugs could live in it? I don't really want to to put it in the ZappBug because I am already spending a lot of money to move and get my stuff treated, and I can't afford a new phone if the heat ruins it (since I'm planning on a new laptop). I have heard of the rag-in-a-bag, which I'm willing to do if i can find it on an upcoming trip to the states (don't sell in Canada) but would it be necessary to have my phone out of commission for 2 WEEKS in case of eggs? Failing my quest for Proof, I will try no pest strips, but same scenario.
If this kind of thing has already been answered (though the standard is 'They aren't in electronics, unless it's by your bed...and in this case, as noted, my electronics most CERTAINLY were), please just direct me to it, but I'd appreciate any insight.