Sunday, April 26, 2009

Bed bug Dogs

Bedbug sniffing dogs are the way to go it seems if you need to find out for sure whether you have a bedbug problem or if a problem has been resolved. They can be extremely useful as a proactive measure in hotels to catch an bed bug problem early, which is your best bet for elimination, and can also be very useful in situations where you just can't be sure. I can see a future where bed bug inspection reports will need to be completed before buying a home or apartment, much like the modern day termite inspection. A bedbug dog would be the best use in this case. Cost is an issue, but this can come down if there is steady work. The dogs are expensive because there are only a few trusted schools that train these dogs, so be careful and ask that question if you hire a dog inspection service.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

EPA Bedbug Summit

What a fantastic two days I had early this week at the EPA sponsored bed bug summit. The best brains in the pest control industry were there along with representation from industry across the board. As we all know bed bugs can become a problem for any industry, not just housing, and we all put our heads together to offer our best recommendations to the EPA. The biggest issue that came up was funding, no one wants to pay for research and no manufacturer is interested in new chemistry. The EPA is not interested in bringing back old chemistry that worked, and the chemicals we have today barely work at full strength being sprayed on the bug, but not so much when the chemical is dry and left as residual. So what are we to do? As I always say...education is the key, and this seemed to be the consensus of the group. Public awareness is also a big recommendation. Bedbugs need to become as common as socks and shoes. Raising awareness and education is our best bet for now, catching the bed bugs early is our best bet for control. So go spread the word.