Saturday, December 22, 2007

Face Bedbugs head on with Policy

Bedbugs are becoming increasingly harder to control which is becoming a problem for apartment dwellers, group homes, hotels, and any other building that houses more than one person.
Developing a solid policy to deal with bed bugs is something that the government should start to think about implementing to help stop the spread of these bugs. Bed bugs are in fact an epidemic at this point and it should be treated as such. It is too easy for someone who contracts a bed bug problem in an apartment setting to leave that unit and move into another apartment building. These folks think they are escaping the problem, which is a blatant ignorance of the problem, when in fact they are spreading the problem to a new building. The government needs to go full force into an add campaign to educate the public and start to face this problem head on.

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Fantastic Bedbug Control

One of the best tools int he control of bedbugs that will eliminate a good percentage from you home immediately would be a vacuum. An efficient hand held vacuum can do wonders for the control of bed bugs when used correctly. Start by identifying the area where the bedbugs are being seem the most. Now it is time to start by going from one side of the room inspecting every nook and cranny, vacuuming as you go any bedbug you come across. Behind picture frames, in drawers, in cracks and crevices, in the mattress tufts and buttons, under the bed frame, on the bed frame. When you are finished with your inspection there should be no live bedbugs to be found. Now take your vacuum and puff some talc powder and suck the powder up to clog the pours of the bedbugs and kill what you can in the bag. Now take the vacuum bag and throw it away. After this procedure a good chemical application will give you a good one two punch and give you some decent control over this horrible problem.

Friday, November 23, 2007

Bedbug bites or Flea bites?

The biggest mistake pest control technicians make is to try to determine if a client has bed bug bites or flea bites. This is by all means a job for a doctor. The only one who can determine bite marks would be to have your doctor or dermatologist to have a look. If you think you have bedbugs or fleas then your pest control person would do better trying to find the insect itself rather than try to figure out what kind of bites the person has on them.

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

How to eliminate bed bugs

Eliminating bed bugs can be as easy as one two three, in the world of your dreams! Bed bugs have become one of the toughest pests to fight in the pest control industry. Bedbugs are closing ocean front hotels, hospitals, dorm rooms, cruise ships. They are incredibly durable. I would recommend a good mail order flame thrower, if that is out of your price range than the products you can buy online at a good do it yourself pest control product superstore will help you at least keep them under control until they find something that works!

Saturday, October 27, 2007

Are bedbugs really that bad?

Just how bad are bed bugs? If you were able to at least get the problem under control and were not over run with them, could it be acceptable? People have all kinds of bugs that are nasty like fleas, roaches, stored product pests. Fleas will bite. What if we just learned to live with them? Ok...that is a crazy question and an insane thought.

Monday, October 1, 2007

Raising bedbug awareness

The importance of raising bedbug awareness should be rated very high among college dormitories and multi-family dwellings. The problem is that bed bugs can spread like wild fire in these living quarters and if the folks that live in these kinds of residences were made aware of what to look for and how to avoid becoming a victim of these bedbugs then I think the problem of spreading them would be diminished enormously. Bed bugs should not be a taboo subject, it should be spoken of as matter of fact as how to avoid the flu and how to avoid spreading a cold. A bedbug is just as covert as the flu bug and should be spoken about openly so we could start to get this problem under control. Just a thought for the evening.

Saturday, September 29, 2007

Flea or bed bug bite

FLEA BITES
BEDBUG BITES

The most frustrating thing it seems when faced with a possible bedbug infestation is determining if the bites you are experiencing are in fact bed bug or flea bites. Without actually seeing either bug it is tough to tell the difference between a bedbug bite and a flea bite, but there are some characteristics to look at to try to help with the diagnosis. For one, bedbug bites are often in a row. It looks like the bedbugs were marching along the bed and stumbled upon your body and just started feeding. Flea bites are often sporadic and most times are on the leg. I have found that fleas are easy to see and you usually can tell if you have a flea problem because the fleas present themselves pretty regularly. Bedbugs can be more elusive and without seeing them first it is hard to tell you have them. The best thing to do is get your doctor involved.

We all hate bedbugs

The title of this post is so true on so many levels. Bedbugs are becoming public enemy number one faster than a pig runs to eat. So how do you avoid becoming prey to these bugs that infest beds? Your first defense is knowledge. Learn as much as you can about the bug and the way to control them. Research, research, research. Then become proactive. If you are traveling be sure to inspect the room before you bring your bags in and accept the room as ok. Inspect the bedding thoroughly. If you have a child in school then check out the schoolbag every day. Do not buy used bedding of any kind, in fact, do not buy any kind of used bedroom furniture. I would even go so far as to say do not buy any used furniture at all. This is a very common way to invite bedbugs into your home! If you get a delivery of bedding, ask to check out the mattress or box spring before they bring it in. If you think you see anything that might resemble a bedbug then refuse the delivery. It's easier to fix a delivery problem then it is to fix a bedbug infestation. Being diligent and knowledgeable will cut the chances of become a victim in half, so start your research and become empowered!

Saturday, September 22, 2007

Bed Bugs Close Pediatric Rooms

How about them apples. You can't even escape them in the hospital. It turns out that three rooms in the pediatric area of a hospital in Canada had bedbugs infesting chairs that family members sleep in while waiting for their children. When will the insanity end? Why is it that we can travel to the moon, have televisions that hang on the wall, can grow organs in laboratories, but can't find an effective treatment for bed bugs? We have growth regulators for other insects. Why not bedbugs? I know the pest control industry will come up with an answer before long, the only question is when.

Monday, September 17, 2007

Even rock stars can have bedbugs


Collaborating on a farm, bedbugs attacked the singer Miles Kane of the band the Arctic Monkeys as they slept. This goes to show that bedbugs have no preference and will attack street people or rock stars. Hopefully soon we will find a cure for this dilemma, as for now it is just a wait and see attitude and a search and destroy mission when people go and travel. Happy hunting!

Sunday, September 16, 2007

Bed bug spray and lawsuits

Bed bugs are no doubt a horrible problem and it has become evident that they are not easy to get rid of. With the problem of bed bugs being so bad it is easy to over treat or over spray for the problem. Whether the over spraying is being done by the consumer or the professional, it is still a very real problem that has to be monitored. The case of the WSU student who developed tumors on the lungs is thought to be as a result of over spraying for bed bugs. This has yet to be proven, but it is easy to do when faced with bugs that such the blood from your body and leave welts on the body. The point is that there is a procedure to follow when treating for bed bugs and it is important to always follow the label when using any kind of chemicals, whether they be consumer products or professional. Use caution.

Saturday, September 15, 2007

Bed Bug Blogs

Bed bug Blogs have become all the rage in today's epidemic. It's a great resource for public to get information about bedbugs and their control. Bedbug blogs are also a great way for the public to have a voice in this war. Home owners and apartment tenants who have bed bug problems can voice their misery and network as a support group through these blogs. Bed bugs have become such a hot topic that if you Google bed bugs you get a ton of hits and there are just as many blogs that have been popping up as well.

Thursday, September 13, 2007

bedbug treatments and sprays

There are plenty of products out there that claim to treat bed bug problems. The following is a list of bed bug treatments and sprays that have made their way to the market.
  1. Bedlam
  2. Eaton's Bedbug Spray
  3. Suspend & Kicker
  4. Sterifab
  5. Thwart
  6. Phantom
  7. Mattress Covers
  8. P800-HTR (Heat treatment for bed bugs)

This is just a short list of bed bug treatments available on the market today. The fact is there are no real sure shot treatments yet. With a combination of bed bug sprays and other treatments integrated in I think that success can be had in treating a home or apartment for bedbugs.

Friday, September 7, 2007

My Bed Bug List

Planes, trains, and automobiles. Bedbugs are everywhere. Dorm rooms, hotel rooms, motel rooms, school rooms, bedrooms, hospital rooms, cabins, cruise ship cabins, expensive hotels, cheap motels, resorts and group homes. They can be found in movie theaters, plane seats, train seats, rental cars, mattress delivery trucks, used furniture, flea market products, televisions, radios, sofas, chairs, shoes, socks, and tables. This is a list of bed bug locations and it brings one thing to light if anything. There is no place you can hide.

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Disposable Mattress Cover for Travel

There is a new tool for the traveler who worries about bringing bed bugs home from a trip. It's a disposable mattress cover by a company called Muse International. They sell a product called Sleep-Safe Disposable Travel Bed Sheets and Pillow Cases. When you buy them you get two pillow cases and two sheets sent in a shrink wrapped twelve by seven inch package that is perfect for travel. I think this is a fantastic idea for the traveler and for fourteen bucks you can't beat it.

Monday, September 3, 2007

Buy Bed Bug Control Spray

You hear about all these great products that people are trying out to control their bed bug problem, but where can you buy products like Suspend or Phantom? The following are some do it yourself websites that can help you in your journey to a bed bug free existence.
  1. diypcstore
  2. pestmall
  3. pestsupplycentral
  4. diypesticides
  5. doyourownpestcontrol

Check out these online stores for the product of your choice to start on the path to a restful night sleep without any bed bugs!

Sunday, September 2, 2007

Mattress Covers

There are a variety of mattress cover companies out there with stories of success against bed bugs. The facts are that mattress covers can be a great tool in bed bug control. It doesn't matter if you buy one from allergy cover only or the Allergy Store. What does matter is that you cover both your mattress and the box spring to get the best results. The reason behind these products is that you eliminate alot of the areas these bed bugs can hide by encasing the mattress, also it will starve any bed bugs you've missed in your initial treatment by shutting them out from the rest of the world.

Saturday, September 1, 2007

P800-HTR Heat Treatment Chamber


We're looking again at heat for the control of bedbugs. The P800-HTR is a system that converts any 20 to 40 foot insulated container into a heat treatment chamber to treat such things as furniture and mattresses to kill off bed bugs. It brings the temperature up to over 120 degrees and this will kill off all the life cycles of the bed bugs using non chemical methods. Should be an interesting treatment option.

Friday, August 31, 2007

Get rid of bed bugs

Will we ever get rid of bed bugs? Why is it so hard to get these critters under control? I think it is mostly because of the fact that we have become such a chemical paranoid society. These days exterminators use IPM. They flash their flash lights and put out their glue traps and monitor their monitors. Hardly any chemical is used. So why are they so resistant to our chemicals? These are battle worn bugs that have been around for a trillion years. They aren't going to go without a battle, and that is just what we are trying to give them. Hopefully we will come up with a proven battle plan to rid our beds of these bugs that seen to have taken over.

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Bed Bug Help

Is there any place people can go for bed bug help? It seems like a select few pest control companies have decided to tackle the problem, but I wouldn't call your neighborhood bug man to come out and treat for bed bugs. Don't get me wrong, there are some one man operations who may be very knowledgeable on the topic and can help you with your bed bug problem, but chances are they will not have the time to dedicate to a proper treatment. I have heard how some pest controllers are sub contracting out the work to larger companies simply because they don't want to deal with the headaches. The problem is new and fast spreading and it is because of this that people from New York City to the farms of Nebraska are searching for help in their battle with bed bugs. The do it yourself products are even a hit or miss deal. So what's a person to do? First thing I recommend is educate yourself. Then make bedbugs your hobby. Learn everything there is to learn about them and follow other people's blogs. See how they are getting help with the problem, if any at all. Get the Google news stories about bed bugs, they will even send the stories right to your inbox if you want them to. Eventually the scientists will come up with a solution for bed bugs. The bedbug help everyone is so desperately seeking will appear and the problem will become as simple as a flea infestation with am easy fix. We'll look back on this dilemma and hopefully learn one important lesson that we should have already learned. History repeats itself, it's only a matter of when!

Monday, August 27, 2007

Effective Bed Bug Control? Best Yet?

Is there finally a product that will be effective in the control of bed bugs? According to Cedarcide industries, the makers of a product called Best Yet, they have found the diamond in the rough when it comes to bed bug control. Up until now treating for bedbugs have been hit or miss at best, with many bed bugs showing resistance to the products on the market today. This product is made out of the cedar oil of the Texas Red Cedar and a carrier created from liquid quartz. Best Yet sounds like it can be a useful tool in the control of bed bugs, among other insects. As more information comes across my desk I will be sure to report on it. Best Yet bed bug control could be the panacea we are all looking for. It's worth a try.

Saturday, August 25, 2007

Some Q&A about bedbugs!

There are a million websites out there with articles about bedbugs. Whether it be bedbug lawsuits, bed bug control, or which hotel chain has the little blood suckers, they all cover one topic in detail and that is the topic of bedbugs! So if you have stumbled upon this blog or if you visit on a regular basis I have some questions.
When did you first learn you had bedbugs?
Where do you think you picked them up from ?
What control measures have you tried?
Which control tactics worked or didn't?
Have you hired a pest control company and did they eliminate your problem?

Time to vent people!

Comment and discuss.

Killing bed bugs with heat and cold

Can you kill bed bugs with heat? According to a company called ThemaPureHeat, it is possible and it is just what they do. By venting in hot air to your home and raising the temperature to 150 degrees, they are able to kill of all stages of bedbugs. The heat is pumped in for an hour heating up and penetrating the areas and things that bed bugs live in.
Cold will also kill bedbugs, but it needs to be below 32 degrees and for a period of two weeks or more, so it is not very practical and there are stories of bedbugs surviving cold winters in the mountains and when the campers return in the spring they get eaten alive by very hungry bedbugs. Looks like heat might be your best try. I can't say for sure heat works, there are different opinions and schools of thought, but at least there is another option.

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Bedbugs and dogs

Has anyone actually had a bed bug sniffing dog come through their apartment or home, or has any pest control operator used one for this task? Just curious to see how well they work.

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

You want them dead...not to spread!

How does the spread of bed bugs become so rampant? Let's look at this scenario. Let's say that you have an infested mattress and you decide to get rid of it and have your house treated and then buy a new one. You go to the store and pick out your mattress and they deliver your new one and take the old one. Now the truck that picked up your old mattress is infested with bedbugs, and the new bed that they are delivering to the folks later that afternoon will get infested. So they then sue the mattress store who in turn replaces that infested mattress and in the mean time they throw away the old one. Along comes a guy who sees a new bed and mattress in the trash and throws it in the back of his truck and takes it home. Now that poor guy has been infested. All the time the children of these three families are going to school with bedbugs in their schoolbags and transferring them to the locker area where other children's schoolbags are infested. It's a vicious cycle that needs to be broken.

Sunday, August 19, 2007

Bed bug spray reveiw

Since the beginning of the resurgence of the bed bug epidemic, enterprising individuals have been marketing bed bug sprays to the do it yourself consumer. The following gives a little information about which ones are out there. The first one that comes to mind is a product called Eaton Kills Bedbugs spray is a pyrethrin spray that comes in several sizes and can be used on mattresses as well as other areas in the home. This product is also backed by a solid company that has been a pest control industry partner for a long time. The next product I came across was Thwart Bedbug Control which has alot of positive feedback on it's website but I couldn't find ingredients or labels to see what it was made of which is a red flag in my opinion. Another one that can be found is Diatect Bedbug Killer that can be used as a dust or a wettable powder and is being marketed as a natural and non-toxic product. You are able to research the MSDS sheet and ingredients on their website which is a good thing. Another company is touting this product called PuraCleenRx™ Environmental Bed Bug Spray and they also have a dust product. I can't find any labels or msds sheets but it looks like they have a pretty comprehensive site about bedbug control. Another product that is in the professional realm and can also be obtained in the consumer market is Bedlam insecticide. This product comes with a full label and MSDS sheet and has had some good feedback as of late. As far as the success of any of these products is yet to be seen. If anyone has used them or if anyone has an opinion about these products please leave a comment in the comment area.

Saturday, August 18, 2007

My bed bug update

As I perused the bedbug news sites I came across some interesting articles. This one from the Village Voice offered some interesting perspective on where the story of bed bugs has been and where it is going. It makes me wonder where we can go to be safe as I read an article about how bedbugs were found on train sleeper cars from CNN.com. Over at CBS.com they report of a person who bought a nightstand from a flea market that was infested with bedbugs, they must not have read my earlier post called Bedbugs and Used Furniture. Yes, it is true we are in a war against these critters, problem is, a wooden stake through the heart won't kill these vampire, if it was only that easy.

Bed bugs in perspective

The word bedbug has become a buzz word in recent years with people going nuts over these vampires. People are using all kinds of home remedies and mixtures to kill them off, others are going sue happy slapping lawsuits on apartment building management and hotel chains. It's an epidemic that is spreading like wildfire. Dorm rooms, hotel rooms, cruise ships, apartments, train sleeper cars, airplanes, row homes, single homes, mansions, shacks, hospitals and churches. It doesn't matter who you are, how rich or poor you are, or where you live, because these bugs don't care how rich or poor your blood tastes, so long as it is blood. So do we just throw our hands up in the air and surrender, maybe learn to live with these buggers, learn to manage them instead of try to eliminate them? Maybe we fight them with words and education, teaching people how to avoid them or what to look for so as not to bring them home. The problem with this idea is how do you inspect your movie theater seat? How do you know that the guy before you, whose apartment is so infested with bedbugs that he is carrying tens of thousands of them in his shoes, didn't just see the movie that afternoon as you sit down in the same seat for the twilight show? It's a scary world. The pest control industry is working hard for a solution, and I believe they will come up with one, but until then we will just have to keep checking under our covers at night and not let the bed bugs bite!

How to treat for Bedbugs.

Treating for Bed Bugs can be as exhausting as the problem itself. You need to be thorough and precise, because if you are not you will fail. Preparation is the key, finding the right product is a close runner up. There are numerous DIY products out there for bedbugs, and the professional pest control market is adding products on a regular basis, but which ones work? Depending on how bad the problem is and if there is any resistance involved, it could be a hit and miss proposition. Whitmire has a boat load of can prays that could be useful in a crack and crevice situation and the professional residual products like the suspend and kicker combo or Phantom will be a good start as well. Other products like Bedlam and Eaton's Bedbug are good contact killers. Another good product is Sterifab for contact kill. It's an absolute must to get the cooperation of the person getting treated or for you to do the prep work if you are treating yourself. The best place to get the professional products is online websites that offer do it yourself pest control products for bedbugs. You can also get some DIY products at certain pest control companies who offer over the counter products. It's a good idea to have a team to treat. One person should strip all the beds and take the bedding to a laundry mat to wash in hot water and dry in a hot dryer in one bag. Throw that bag out and repack the clean bedding in a clean bag. You may also have to do this for your clothing depending on how bad the infestation is. With a team of two you should empty all contents from all drawers and take the beds apart. Treat the underside of the bed box spring, the mattress tufts and buttons with a product that is labeled, and the frame of the bed. Treat crack and crevice in all drawers and the inside and outside crack and crevices of the outside of the chest of drawers. Treat all cracks and crevices from the wall-floor seams to the door jambs and moldings. Treat behind any peeling wall paper and pull back carpeting. Treat all furniture and whatever else may have activity. BE sure closets are cleaned out as well and you treat them just as good. Detail is the key. It should take you a full day if done correctly, and unfortunately, it might require a follow up treatment or two.

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Bedbugs are back!

Are you the kind of vacationer who bursts into their hotel room, cranks up the air conditioning, and plops their bags on the bed before running down tot he pool before dinner? If you are you are only asking for trouble. I advise you to leave your bags outside your room and do an inspection of your beds and surrounding pieces of furniture. Bedbugs can infest your belongs way before they start biting you at night so it would be smart to investigate before you take them home with you! Start by taking the covers down and look on the sheets. If there is what looks to be blood spots then you may have a problem. now pull back the sheets and the mattress cover to reveal the mattress itself. Pull back the tufts and look in the buttons of the mattress. Are their any black spots or moving bugs. They are bedbugs. Run out of the room! Others places to look would be around the head board, the bed tables and in the drawers of the furniture. Look around the floor of the bed where the wall meets the carpet. It only takes a few minutes to prevent this problem at home via your vacation. BE aware that even the closest examination might miss these critters. If you awake with welts of blood spots on your bed then they may be bedbug bites. This is not a post to scare you, but it is important to be aware. You can get bedbugs from a 5 star hotel, a cruise ship, or a flea bag motel. Keep a sharp eye. Bedbugs are back!

Sunday, July 29, 2007

Get ready for a bedbug treatment

The most important thing to remember with regards to bedbug work is preparation! You can treat until the cows come home for bed bugs, but if you have a poorly prepared home then it is futile to even try. So how do you get an A+ in preparation 101? It's not easy, but anyone can do it. Here's how.Start with a thorough vacuuming of any live bedbugs. If you have them so bad that they are crawling up the wall of you know that they are concentrated in a certain corner of your bed, whatever the case might be, then vacuum them up. Vacuum along the seams of the mattress and box spring, tear the back of the box spring off and vacuum in there. Vacuum inside drawers and closets, furniture, everywhere. Now sprinkle some baking or talc powder and suck it up in your vacuum and now throw out the bag. Next you will want to gather all bedding and get it laundered in hot water and dried in a hot dryer. If you are planning on taking them to a laundry mat then be sure to have another means to carry your cloths back home. Do not use the same bag to transport them back to your house. All clothing in closets and drawers need to be treated the same way and anything that needs to be dry cleaned will have to be sent to the cleaners. Now keep the drawers and closets empty. All things out from under the bed and all things out of the closets and drawers. Ideally you will want to take out all dresser drawers for the treatment company and take apart all beds exposing the frame work. Be aware that the treatment company may be tearing back carpeting from the walls so ask them this in advance and also they may be treating behind picture frames so anything valuable needs to be marked as so. Be sure to throw away old magazines and newspapers. Take down curtains or drapes and launder or dry clean these as well and keep them down for the treatment company. Unscrew and take off any light switch plates or outlet plates in all rooms. Now start from the top and go to the next room. All rooms will need to be treated. It's a process, no doubt, but well worth it in the long run.

Friday, July 6, 2007

Bedbugs and Used Furniture

Yard sales, thrift shops, and garage sales are great for getting bargains. You can find great pieces of furniture or clothing, but be careful that is not all you are finding. If those items were in a home with bedbugs then the fact is that those items could very well come with bedbugs! I would recommend never ever to buy bedding or mattresses or beds in general from a thrift shop or yard sale unless you are certain there are no bed bug issues with that item. This is an easy way to introduce an infestation into your home without you even knowing about it until it is too late. Be careful is the phrase of the day!

Friday, June 29, 2007

Mattress Covers

The debate is raging over the use of mattress covers in bed bug control. I think there is no doubt about it with regards to the fact that mattress covers can eliminate about ninety percent of the hiding places where bed bugs would infest. The whole concept is to keep the bedbugs from infesting the tufts, buttons, and creases in your mattress and also from infesting the box spring which has about a million spots to hide. If you worry about bringing bedbugs home because you travel often or are in a business where there may be infestations then I would recommend both your mattress and box spring to be covered. Bed bugs will stay as close to the food as possible, and you are the food. With a mattress cover you eliminate that area and make the treatment go a lot more smoothly. It also helps in active infestations because you can treat the mattress and box spring and cover them and the ones already embedded in the mattress and box spring will be trapped and will not be able to come out to feed on you. Do yourself a favor. Wrap up the mattress and box spring.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Bed Bug Seminar

August 7th will bring two of the industry leading experts in the pest control field together at New York's Park Central to discuss the nations Bed Bug problem. Rick Cooper and Doctor Mike Potter will hold an all day seminar about the topic that is on every one's mind these days, and that topic is bed bug elimination. Interested pest control professionals can follow the link to Pest Control Technology to find out more.

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Bed Bug Job Cost

What should a bedbug job cost if done by a professional? When you consider the time and energy that needs to go into a bedbug job, I would not bat an eye at upwards of five hundred dollars. If you have a room that is infested then it is imperative that you treat all rooms on all sides of the infested room. That would be above, below, and all sides. The treatment is a crack and crevice treatment in many areas and there is moving mattresses and box springs and other furniture. The job itself could take up to six or more hours, in some cases days if apartments are involved. So be prepared to pay for a thorough and quality job and be prepared to work and cooperate with your pest control professional.

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Bed bug control products

These days people are willing to do anything to get rid of bedbugs. They are so desperate that they are willing to do it themselves which might not be the best course of action in some cases, but if they decide to try to control the bedbugs themselves then there are alot of resources to choose from. The information about bed bug control is so vast on the Internet these days and it is here on the Internet where most people will find the products they will use in the control of the bed bugs. DIY pest control websites have popped up all over the Internet and they offer products and kits to control bedbugs as well as advice on how to apply the products. Do it yourself pest control is nothing new, but the problem that is being presented by bedbugs is. That us part of the reason why the DIY pest control websites are gaining even more popularity. If you decide to try to exterminate the bedbugs yourself it is important to follow all directions and follow the label of the product you are using. It is easy to want to "over kill" by using more product, but this is not necessary and often times can be dangerous. If you decide to use an online pest control products store then make sure you read all their policies and don't be afraid to ask for help. Good luck!

Thursday, June 7, 2007

Should we do regular inspections for Bed Bugs?

We inspect yearly for termites and we have a pest control person come out once a month for service, why not start to inspect monthly for bedbugs? You don't have to be a world traveler to pick up bedbugs these days. You can pick them up in a movie theater, on an airplane, on a train, your child can bring them home from school or daycare. They can be picked up anyplace and anytime. IN these days and times it is not a bad idea to educate yourself and be aware of what to look for in regards to bedbug bites and what the bedbug itself looks like. Check for signs in your bed like blood spots. It wouldn't hurt to have a regular perimeter spray in your house on a monthly basis to keep a chemical barrier down just in case. Skip this point if you are sensitive to chemicals. With education and awareness we can start to get this problem under control.

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Suspend + Kicker = Deadly combination

It seems there is a bit of a buzz these days when it comes to some effective bedbug control. The battle and struggle for any kind of effective control has been going on since bedbugs have been reintroduced into our society some years back. Pest control operators and entomologists alike have been scratching their heads trying to come up with a real solution to the bedbug epidemic that has been plaguing us for a while now. I have been hearing through the grape vine that combining suspend sc and kicker, both Bayer products, has been getting some really good results. Both of these products can be used on the mattress in areas where the bedbugs hide like the tufts and the buttons, etc. So at least that is some good news in the battle of the bug.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Gianaris bill passes 134-0

The bill that state Assemblyman proposed to help battle bedbugs with knowledge and communication has passed unopposed on May 8, 2007! It required the Schools in Queens to notify parents of any outbreaks of bedbugs in schools which would allow other parents to keep their eyes open for any potential bugs that may be brought back home inadvertently. It would also offer parents prevention techniques and treatment options to help in the battle. This is a fantastic idea that the nation should adopt. Without education and communication, the bedbug problem that is already out of control will continue to flourish.

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

Bedbug K-9

Dogs can sniff out bombs, drugs, termites, and now bed bugs! Dogs are being trained to sniff out these hated insects as a tool for inspections of hotel rooms and house holds. Bedbugs are very elusive because of their size and their behavior of hiding until hungry. There can be hundreds or thousands of bedbugs hiding on the head of a screw! It's easy to see how important a dog that could sniff out these pest in the early stages of the infestation could be to their control.

Sunday, April 29, 2007

Gianaris' Bedbug Legislation should be looked at Nationwide!

Can you believe that in New York City in the past 3 months there has been 72 cases of bedbug problems in 43 schools! Right now the schools handle each case on a per case basis. Gianari's bill proposes into law that the schools in New York would be required to inform the parents of an infested school that there is a problem and offer information on prevention techniques. This goes hand in hand with a previous post of mine where i say that one of our best tools in the battle of bedbugs will be education and communication. We can't hide the problems and have to take action to inform the public! Silence is how the problem got out of hand int he first place!

Friday, April 27, 2007

A QUICK BED BUG FACT

A FEMALE BED BUG CAN LAY UP TO FIVE HUNDRED EGGS IN HER LIFETIME! NOW TIMES THAT BY TEN FEMALES. THAT IS FIFTY THOUSAND EGGS! THAT'S NO JOKE!

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Avoiding Bed Bug Lawsuits

In 2003 a motel chain was successfully sued for 382,000 dollars because of bed bugs. It can happen and if you Google bed bug lawsuits you will see that there are a whole lot more out there. SO how can you decrease your chances of being sued if you are a landlord or a motel/hotel manager?
  1. Train your employees on what to look for if it is brought to your attention that there are bed bugs in a unit. If your housekeeping or maintenance staff knows what to look for it will be better is you are proactive instead of reactive.
  2. Don't take a complaint from a tenant or guest lightly. Treat it with urgency and attention.
  3. Being proactive is important. Use mattress covers on your mattresses and box springs if you have a hotel/motel and maybe send out a flier to your tenants in an apartment building educating them on what to look for with regards to bed bugs and bed bug bites. It may spark a mass hysteria and you will need to inspect and investigate all calls, but at least you will be able to cross off the false alarms and maybe find units that really have the to get the ball rolling on eliminating the problem.
  4. Don't handle it yourself and don't let your tenants handle it. Call a professional. You can wind up infesting the entire building by treating the problem incorrectly!
  5. Don't delay. It will be expensive and time consuming to get treated but it will be cheaper that a lawsuit in the long run.

Bed Bug Bites or Flea Bites?

How do you know if you are getting bitten by bedbugs or fleas? Usually with flea bites the majority of the bites will be on the feet, ankle, and leg region. With bed bugs you are usually looking at bites on the torso and they may be clustered together in a line. Bed bug bites usually don't have a red area in the center of the bite like flea bites have. Bedbug bites are itchy and are commonly mistaken for flea bites. If you suspect you are being bitten by bedbugs it is important to go see your doctor to determine if they are and proceed from there. Here is a good resource to look at bites.

For a great resource for home owners to get rid of bed bugs and to learn more about these bugs..
Click Here!

Saturday, April 21, 2007

Bedbugs and lawsuits

With the resurgence of bedbugs becoming such a hot topic, it is clear to see why their is so many lawsuits being filed with regards to bed bugs and hotel rooms and apartment buildings. Over the next few weeks I will be researching bedbugs and lawsuits and offering insight into the laws affecting bed bug problems and what recourse people have in dealing with land lords and businesses that are not doing their part in eliminating problems in their buildings.

Friday, April 13, 2007

Bed Bug Education is Key

One of the strongest tools we are going to have against the bedbug epidemic we are experiencing is education. We as consumers need to educate ourselves on everything there is to know about bed bugs. We can't count on government, we can't count on our pest control companies, we have to count on ourselves. We need to know that when we travel and walk into a hotel room that you must first check the room over. You need to know where to look and what to do if you find them. You need to know how to know the difference between flea bites and bedbug bites. We need to know to check out children's schoolbags to make sure we are not bringing them into our home from school. We need to be aware of laundry mats and the possibility of bringing them home from there. We need to know that even new mattresses can be plagued, after all these companies usually pick up your old mattress and chances are they might have picked up a mattress that was infested at one time. Educate yourselves because knowledge is power.

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Where to look for bed bugs




Bedbugs hide in the smallest of areas. They will be found in the mattress areas in the creases and tufts of your bed. The cracks and crevices of the box spring. Your bed frame. End table. End table drawer. Table lamp. Alarm clocks. Under carpets. In areas as little as a screw head you will find them hiding. Hollow curtain rods. Popcorn ceiling nooks and crannies. Furniture. Closets. Luggage. Closet racks. Behind mirrors and picture frames. Behind peeling wallpaper. Behind the molding of your door frames and the wood trim of your walls. In keyholes. In electronic devices. In old boxes. The fact is. Bedbugs have more places to hide than we would ever expect to look

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Bed Bug Service

So just what should a bedbug service involve?
Let me start out by saying that if a pest control technician comes into your house and takes a half an hour to walk through your house and spray. Fire him or her! A bed bug will take most pest control operators at least a minimum of five hours or an entire day depending on the infestation. The PCO should first do a thorough inspection to determine that you, in fact, have bedbugs. Then the treatment should start with a consultation where he or she tells you what to do on your part. If you have a closet full of junk and drawers that can hardly close then the clutter needs to be under control. Next you should take most of your clothing and get them washed and/or dry cleaned and when you return keep them in separate bags or bins for a while. Then the PCO should start in one room at one corner and use a vacuum to suck up any live adults that they come across. Bedbugs get into everything and the PCO should take off the electrical plates for plugs ans switches. Drawers should be taken out and the drawers and the whole piece of furniture should be treated. Box spring and mattress needs to be treated. Curtain rods, behind pictures, behind walls. If there is a drop ceiling then above the drop ceiling. Carpets should be pulled back to treat the space between the tacking and the wall. Every inch needs to be treated in one way or another with a vacuum and insecticide. The process is very involved, very time consuming, and very expensive. Again...if your pest control company is in and out in a few minutes or only charges you 30 bucks to treat for bedbugs then I suggest you find someone who knows what they are doing. Getting rid of a bed bug infestation will be a team effort between you and your pest control company and it will take several follow up visits to to the job correctly. It is costly, but right now it is the only way to get the job done.

Monday, April 9, 2007

Do it yourself?

I won't lie to you. There are a truck load of do it yourself products on the market right now and all of them are marketing them as being able to rid you of your bedbugs. If it were as easy as going on the Internet and buying some product then the problem would be more contained and not such a big deal. The facts are that bed bugs infestations are being reported at alarming rates. The problem is increasing instead of decreasing, and no do it yourself product on the market is going to eliminate a problem as big as this is becoming. Having said that I won't dismiss them all together. I would have to guess that these products can help and be used as tools if they are applied properly and you are so inclined to do so. You can't expect the problem to go away because you sprinkled some dust in a corner because the bottled said BED BUG KILLER on it. Bedbug control is a very involved and detailed in it's application and there is no doubt you will need the assistance of professionals to help in the elimination of these pests. Until then I'm sure things like mattress covers, dusts, and contact killers that are labeled for bedbugs will assist in this process. Be sure to always read the label before applying any kind of chemical and use extreme caution around children, pets, and the elderly. Don't let the all natural label fool you either.

Thursday, April 5, 2007

Fogging for Bed Bugs

It is often asked if fogging or "bombing" for bedbugs will get rid of them? The short answer is no. People often confuse fogging with fumigation and that is where the problem is. Fumigation penetrates the pours of everything killing everything that comes in contact with it. Fog is a space treatment that often times will not penetrate the areas that bedbugs hide. It will kill off the ones that are exposed to the fog in theory, but it will not eliminate or get rid of the problem outright.

Wednesday, April 4, 2007

Bed Bugs in the Schools!

Bedbugs are crafty critters. They get around by hitching a ride and it's just these mode of transportation that spreads them from place to place. It's because of this fact that school systems need to raise awareness about bedbugs and also make the parents aware of any bedbug problems that arise in their schools. The nurses need to know how to at least identify the signs of bedbug bites and when that is noticed they should let the parents know to keep an eye on their child's school bags and clothing. If a child whose home or apartment is infested with bed bugs brings a school bag to school and hangs it in his or her locker, those bed bugs will spread to other lockers and other students school bags! Lunchboxes that children carry to daycare and nursery school who put them in cubbys can spread them. Once the bedbugs are mobile and out in the open they will travel and the chance of bringing home bedbugs from school is a very real possibility. Check you bags!

Some Bed Bug Stats

  1. Bed Bug females lay between 200 - 500 eggs in her lifetime
  2. Eggs will hatch in 17 days under the right conditions
  3. Bedbugs can live 10 months or more without food!
  4. bed bug nymphs molt 6 times before adulthood
  5. Adult bedbugs will travel 15 -20 feet in any direction from their harborage nest
  6. Bedbugs have a sweet smell
  7. Their bites will itch

Tuesday, April 3, 2007

Mattress covers and bed bugs

Will a mattress cover help with bed bugs?
The point behind a mattress cover in regards to bedbugs is to eliminate all the cracks and crevices that are available for the bedbugs to hide in within a mattress and box spring. With an existing bedbug infestation the mattress cover would help to keep any new bedbugs from re-infesting your mattresses and box spring areas and any bedbugs that were missed in the treatment will die of starvation. So many people throw away their beds when a bedbug problem turns up and it becomes an even greater expense. A mattress cover is cheaper. They also help to keep the bed bugs out of other beds. For instance if you have one bedroom that is in bad shape, then along with covering that bed, you should also cover the beds in all the bedrooms to keep them from getting into these beds. Again, this is only a tool. Bedbugs get into every crack and crevice they can find, so this will only help with the bed. When you buy the mattress covers be sure to buy enough for both the mattress and the box spring. Seek the advice of a pest control operator if needed.

Monday, April 2, 2007

Bed bugs and hotels

So should you be afraid to go on vacation this year for fear of bringing home bedbugs? Unfortunately it is a possibility to bring home bedbugs from a visit to a hotel room and it is very important to check your room thoroughly before proceeding to bring in your luggage. This is not being paranoid. Go in and look at the bed itself. Pull the mattress sheets off and look at the bare mattress. Now look in between the tufts and around the buttons for signs of live bugs. Check the cracks and crevices of the bed post and have a look around the end table and drawers. If you suspect bedbugs then simply ask for another room. If you feel safe then bring your luggage in. If you wake up the next morning and see any kind of red specks or smears or you are experiencing bite marks then the room almost definitely has bed bugs and you should proceed to speak with the management. Don't be to paranoid to the point of not enjoying your vacation, but use caution and common sense. Bedbugs have been found on cruise ships, airplanes, and the finest hotels. Don't think you are exempt from them. Check your room first.

Bedbugs and the state of the industry

So where do we stand right now with regards to the bed bug epidemic that is spreading across the country at an alarming rate? Not a whole lot. I can say that there are entomologists who are hard at work and back in the labs studying bedbugs and better ways to get these bugs under control. The problem is this, up until about 5-10 years ago, we hadn't heard that much if anything about bed bugs. They had successfully been licked. With world wide travel it seems, the bedbugs have been reintroduced back into our society. So far the pest control industry is finding resistance to the insecticides we have available. I'm not saying that every bedbug is immune to our chemicals, but there are strains of bedbugs that are showing resistance. The treatment method that should be followed is one of thoroughness. Work with your pest control person and be sure to follow his or her advice. If they ask you to clean all the junk from your closets and empty all your drawers or whatever the case might be. The do it. The pest control person is not trying to give you extra work, but it is a team effort to get any bit of control we are going to get. Until the scientists can get a better idea on how to treat bedbugs and what is going to successfully control the bed bugs then we are going to be playing a game of try this and that. We do know that vacuuming and mattress covers are working and they should be kept in the "tool box". Another thing that works is fumigation. Problem with this is that it is very expensive and isn't logical to use in every situation. Have no doubt that the battle will be won, but it will be a process of elimination to get there.

About

The Bedbug resource was started as a place for people who are being plagued by these horrible creatures to come and get insight, information and support. I am a licensed pest control operator who knows the horror stories first hand and know that this is only going to get worse before it gets better. I hope you can come away from this blog with a little more knowledge than what you came here with and I hope that each day gets better in your battle against bedbugs. Feel free to tell us your story via the comment section or via the email link.