Posted on February 21, 2012 with No Comments
The problems with bedbugs at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is only getting worse, and officials said Monday seven more dorms were confirmed with bed bugs, bringing the total to 124 rooms. Treatment for each dorm costs about $1,000, and the university said it is only a third of the way through inspections.
The University is posting daily updates on their main website, called University Bed Bug Update, including details about what is being done and when the bed bug dog inspections are being conducted. Monday’s update stated:
“On Monday, we continued our inspection of Harper Hall, floors 8 through 10 as well as floors 2 and 3. Four rooms were identified positive on the 10th floor, one room on the 3rd floor, and five rooms on the 2nd floor. The dogs also indicated positive in a facilities staff storage closet on the 8th floor. We also inspected floors two through five at Smith Hall and found one room on the 5th floor, one room on the 4th floor, one room on the 3rd floor and four rooms on the 2nd floor. The dogs also indicated positive on two vacuum cleaners stationed on the 2nd floor. All together, a total of 17 rooms and two other areas were identified as possible bedbug issues.
Our plan for the rest of the week is to go through Neihardt Halls (Piper, Raymond, Heppner and Love), then finish Smith Hall, followed by Pound Hall and Cather Hall. Next, we will go through the Village, then Kaufmann, then Courtyards and Knoll. Finally, we will go through Burr, Fedde, Love Memorial and Husker Halls. Our goal is to finish going through all of our rooms by March 9, but we may need to adjust the schedule depending on how quickly we are able to proceed through the halls. We will continue to meet with students a few days in advance of beginning inspection of their respective hall. At those meetings we provide information on how to prepare the room for the inspection process, as well as what to expect if the dog indicates bedbugs are present. Sue Gildersleeve, Director, University Housing.”
Read more: http://www.ketv.com/health/30502945/detail.html#ixzz1n2M8Suqy
Posted on February 20, 2012 with No Comments
Insect foggers provide very little control of bed bugs and may even cause the bed bug population to disperse, making remediation even more difficult. Insect foggers do not effectively control bed bugs. Insect foggers are dangerous in that they can leave unwanted residue throughout the treated area. Most insect foggers contain a flammable propellant and some have been associated with a number of fires. According to the EPA, foggers and bug bombs should not be used as the only method to attempt to control bed bugs.
If you are using insect foggers, the EPA has a list of fogger and bug bomb safety precautions that should be followed.
Posted on February 20, 2012 with No Comments
Certified bed bug encasements will help prevent a mattress or box spring from becoming infested and once installed will make it easier to identify signs of a bed bug infestation. When used alone bed bugs can still find their way onto a bed. Bed bugs cannot live in a mattress or box springs once they are encased, but they will find other nearby harborage locations.
It is important to make sure that the encasement that you purchase is certified bed bug bite proof, that the zipper has a locking mechanism and that the encasement fits securely.
The best approach in bed bug treatment is an integrated pest management approach, including installing mattress and box spring encasements, bed isolation and both pesticide and non-pesticide applications.
Encasements are a good tool, but are not sufficient to prevent or treat an infestation.
If you reside in New York, New Jersey or Connecticut and would like more information regarding mattress and box spring encasements or bed bug pest control, contact JP McHale Pest Management.
Posted on February 20, 2012 with No Comments
Bed bugs only bite in the dark.
False. Although bed bugs tend to be more active at night, they can bite at any time.
Only dirty, cluttered homes get bed bugs.
False. Anyone can get bed bugs. Bed bugs have been found in the homes of the wealthy and poor. Unsanitary conditions will not cause bed bugs but getting rid of clutter will help to reduce the number of places bed bugs can live and hide.
Bed bugs cannot be seen with the naked eye.
False. Bed bugs are small but can be seen with the naked eye. A magnifying glass will help. Young bed bugs are about the size of a poppy seed and mature ones are about the size of an apple seed.
If I see bite marks I have bed bugs.
False. Other insect bites may resemble that of bed bugs. Presence of live bed bugs or their eggs will confirm their infestation in an area.
If you have bed bugs you need to get rid of infested clothing and furniture.
False. Clothing can be laundered to get rid of bed bugs. In most cases furniture can be treated and should only be discarded if there are no acceptable treatments that can rid them of bed bugs.
Bed bugs are not known to cause or spread diseases.
True. Bed bugs have not been shown to cause or spread diseases. Some people will react to bed bugs bites and excessive scratching can lead to secondary infections.
Bed bugs cannot fly and will not jump from the floor to the bed.
True. Bed bugs have no wings and cannot fly, jump or hop.
Bed bugs are only found on the bed.
False. Although they are called bed bugs they are not only confined to the bed. Bed bugs are commonly found in beds, on sofas, in chairs and areas near where people sleep or lounge.
Some people are not affected by bed bugs.
True. Some people do not have a reaction to bed bug bites and may be unaware that bed bugs are in their home until they actually see them.
Bed bugs can live for many months without feeding.
True. Bed bugs can live for many months without feeding.
If you suspect you have bed bugs, contact your local New York Pest Control Company.
Posted on February 16, 2012 with No Comments
Do you use social media? Do you use twitter? Why not join the other 1,322 followers that we have on Twitter! Sign up to follow JP McHale Pest Management on Twitter by searching for JP McHale Pest Mgmt., NYPestControl or just follow us on Twitter here.
Posted on February 16, 2012 with 1 Comment
JP McHale Pest Management has a New York Pest Control Blog that is updated regularly with news, tips and information for consumers and for those in the pest control industry. You can view topics ranging from bed bugs, New York bed bug dog inspections, butterflies, garden insects, termites and termite inspections, lawn care and rodents.
For more detailed information on a specific pest, please be sure to visit our New York Pest Identification Center where you will find information on stinging insects, invasive pests, disease carrying pests, rodents, stored product pests, wood destroying organisms and other occasional invaders.
Posted on February 15, 2012 with 1 Comment
February 2012 is starting out to be another good month for bed bugs. Bed bugs are making headlines across the country as bed bug public awareness is increasing, more and more people are bringing their bed bug incidences to the news media and social networking sites. Individuals who have an encounter with bed bugs are notably fed up and want answers and action taken.
The California Department of Public Health has even added a printable Bed Bug Wallet Card to its website which informs hotel visitors how to inspect their rooms for bed bugs.
No establishment is immune from bed bugs. It is very important for all businesses, hotels, motels, universities, assisted living facilities, school districts, group homes or any establishment where people visit to create a bed bug response plan. A Bed Bug Response Plan is required so that if an establishment has a bed bug complaint, you are prepared to take action.
Staff training is essential. Learning about bed bug biology should be included in staff training as your staff can be a first defense when it comes to bed bugs. Knowledge and proper training is a key component to a bed bug response plan. Your staff and maintenance personnel should know exactly what to do once a bed bug is found or suspected. A relationship should be formed with an pest control company that is knowledgeable in all aspects of bed bug management, including inspections.
Posted on February 14, 2012 with No Comments
What’s the Latest Development?
A team of MIT researchers who recently examined spider webs says the amazing work of nature could improve various human systems, including Internet security and how buildings are designed. Pound-for-pound, the silk which spiders spin is stronger than steel yet it retains a flexibility that is very ‘flaw-tolerant’. If one section of the web malfunctions, i.e. is torn away by a bug, the larger integrity of the structure remains. This may help encourage engineers to examine the use of more complex materials when making new designs.
What’s the Big Idea?
Spider web research may affect real world systems such as how buildings are constructed in earthquake zones. Current designs seek to preserve the structural integrity of the entire building, meaning it must be razed and rebuilt if damaged, but a building of the future may collapse one vulnerable area to preserve the rest. These ‘sacrificial elements’ could also benefit networking systems. Were a computer to contract a virus, for example, the affected area could shut down immediately before infecting the rest of the network.
Spider Webs in Your Residence?
Of course the fact that spider webs may inspire new technology is amazing, but if you have spiders in your Westchester County residence they can be annoying and often even dangerous. Just call JP McHale Pest Management to find out about of Home Pest Prevention Program.
Posted on February 13, 2012 with No Comments
So how do you know if you have bed bugs or chimney swift bugs? Cimexopsis Nyctalis, also known as chimney swift bugs, are found in chimney’s. This insect, a relative of the human bed bug, is an obligate temporary ecto-parasite of birds. It is not common in Connecticut but have recently been found in Greenwich. Chimney swift bugs have been known to feed on humans, but will not live on people as does the common bed bug, Cimex Lectularius. The chimney swift bug is small, and can be easily mistaken for a common bed bug nymph.
Cimexopsis nyctalis is a common pest of chimney swifts (Chaetura pelagica), a native bird species in North America. Thus there are wildlife health and conservation issues associated with the species. It also may incidentally enters building upon which chimney swifts nest and bites of humans, although rare, are reported. Furthermore the increased attention given to the closely related bed bug has increased need to provide established common names that can clearly define discussion of all the commonly encountered North American cimicidae family.
Chimney swift bugs are typically associated with birds, it is essential to divert birds from entering and nesting in your chimney by having Envirocare Air Quality Restoration install chimney guards or chimney caps in your Westchester, Connecticut or New Jersey residence or business.
If you are unsure whether you are dealing with bed bugs or chimney swift bugs, contact JP McHale Pest Management for proper identification before initiating a bed bug elimination plan.
Posted on February 10, 2012 with 3 Comments
The following information and bed bug pictures are the property of Lou Sorkin and have some rights reserved.
Bed bug, Cimex lectularius, and also the human body louse, Pediculus humanus humanus feeding. Red skin area is a nevus flammeus (birthmark) and not a result of insect feeding. The October meeting of The New York Entomological Society featured Dale Clayton and his research on the Lousebuster system for head louse management. Dale is at the University of Utah. Technically the human head louse is a different sub species from that pictured, but the one pictured is useful for this presentation. The body lice pictured above are from a colony sent by John Clark from the University of Massachusetts where they are fed on a mechanized system developed in his lab and are not from a wild caught population for those of you who wonder about such things!!
credits: lou-sorkin-bed-bug-human-louse
P=Pediculus (louse)
C=Cimex (bed bug)
credits: lou sorkin body louse bed bugs
Notice that the smallest louse is smaller than a first instar bed bug nymph.
Also a louse in the group on the left middle area of picture is defecating, a behavior that contributes to it being an important insect vector for louse borne diseases. Defecation on the host and the host scratching introduces the disease organism into the excoriated skin.
The problems with bedbugs at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is only getting worse, and officials said Monday seven more dorms were confirmed with bed bugs, bringing the total to 124 rooms. Treatment for each dorm costs about $1,000, and the university said it is only a third of the way through inspections.
