The Dangers of Do-It-Yourself Bed Bug Products

pest control workerBed bugs are everywhere in the news and consumers are looking for solutions. They’re searching the internet for that magic bullet. Of course the internet is full of answers, but doesn’t distinguish between good and bad choices. The bed bug pandemic is a perfect opportunity for scam artists to take advantage of people who are desperate for help. So keep these tips in mind for when you can’t sleep tight.

Ordering pesticides off the internet is a bad idea. DON’T DO IT!
◦You have no way of knowing what you are really buying.
◦Pesticides banned in the US are often still available in other countries.
◦Sellers may intentionally misrepresent their products as bed bug solutions, when in fact; they are worthless in controlling bed bugs.
◦Some products should not be used indoors or around people or pets.
◦At one time, DDT was effective at killing bed bugs, but now DDT is ineffective against many of the current bed bug strains.
◦Most insecticides are not effective at killing bed bugs, or they kill bed bugs very slowly.

If you do choose to try an over-the-counter pesticide for bed bugs, or any other insect, please remember…the label is the law and the label matters. The label is there to ensure your health and safety.
◦If the product is not labeled for bed bugs or not labeled for the treatment area, do not use it. Doing so puts people and pests at risk.
◦Over-application or misapplications are real problems. Follow the label exactly. More is not always better.

There are safe and effective ways to eliminate bed bugs. We encourage you to contact a pest management professional in your area who will outline all the options available to you.

Why Should I Use a Bed Bug Detection Dog?

fleasAs the bed bug epidemic continues to grow, bed bug detection dogs will begin to play a larger role in bed bug detection and elimination. So what makes these dogs so special and why would you want to use one?

•A Powerful Nose – A dog’s nose generally has between 125 and 220 million smell-sensitive receptors making their nose nearly 100 million times more powerful than the human nose. Dogs can be trained to detect just about anything including explosives, blood, plants, produce, currency, cancer, mold, and even insects.

•Speed – Because a dog’s nose is so powerful, they can search a small apartment for bed bugs in a just a few short minutes. If a human were to inspect the same apartment for bed bugs, it could take 1 to 2 hours, depending on the thoroughness of the inspection.

•Accuracy – Bed bugs are small and can hide anywhere, even in electrical outlets. Humans are known to be only about 30-35% accurate in finding bed bugs during an inspection. However, well trained bed bug detection dogs are between 90% and 95% accurate in finding bed bugs. In addition, they can pinpoint the exact location of the bugs.

Got Bed Bugs?

Don’t Throw Your Belongings Away!

If you think you have bed bugs, you do NOT need to throw out your furniture, mattresses, clothing or bedding. Unfortunately, this family threw out nearly all of their belongings and now are dealing with the idea of trying to replace everything. Of course doing so will be quite expensive, and does NOT solve the problem. Bed bugs are very good at hiding and will still live in the walls, under the carpet, in electrical outlets, etc. Getting rid of them entirely will take a professional heat or chemical treatment.

We, along with much of the pest control industry and university researchers, are big believers in using extreme heat to kill bed bugs. It works. We use specially designed heaters to raise the temperature of the home to 130 degrees and keep it there for about 3 hours. This dehydrates the bed bugs in all stages of development and they die. By heating at such a high temperature, we are able to save the vast majority of furniture and belongings. Unfortunately, it is expensive and many people cannot afford to heat their home, but they also many not be able to afford to buy all new belongings either.

However, these people missed an opportunity to save some of their clothes, blankets, pillows, stuffed animals, etc. by using a simple, common tool. A clothes dryer. By putting items in a clothes dryer and running it for 30 minutes on high heat, you can kill the bed bugs on the items. When you put them in the dryer, be sure to not overload it. The hot air must be able to circulate around the items. This simple trick can help you save money and your kids favorite blanket or stuffed animal.