Bed bugs in Halifax, Nova Scotia — Got bed bugs? Bedbugger.com

Nova Scotia is fighting bed bugs.

The Daily News of Halifax, NS reports on the bed bug epidemic there. This is a fairly informative, if brief, article. A few things are of interest.

First, the reporter says that

Pest control sevices provide efficient ways to deal with bedbugs. They dust and spray for bedbugs, and inspect residences for sign of the bugs.

But if all PCOs provide such efficient control, why do most people need more three or more treatments (as reported widely elsewhere)?

And if theyre treated so easily, why are they spreading so easily? If controlled easily and quickly, we could wipe them out. In fact, theyre quite difficult to treat (and this is because of the limited efficacy of the pesticides legal for treatment), and are spreading rapidly:

In the past two years, there has been a significant bedbug increase, says John Zinck, the district manager of Orkin Pest Control.

Currently, were doing about 20 calls a week on average. Weve done at least 1,000 to 1,500 residential units this year in Halifax, he says.

Let me highlight that statement, Orkin alone have treated at least 1000 to 1500 residences for bed bugs in Halifax this year.

Halifax has a population of 380,000. Lets say they live in homes of approximately 3.5 people each. Thats 108,571 residential units. Lets say Orkin has treated 1500 residences, and other pest control operators have treated the same number combined (a conservative estimate, if Halifax has as many PCOs as other towns, and at least one other major chain besides Orkin). That would be 3000 residences. If 3000 residences in Halifax had bed bugs this year, thats 2.7% of the homes. Depending on the business other PCOs are getting in the area, of course, the numbers could be much higher.

Excerpt from:
Bed bugs in Halifax, Nova Scotia — Got bed bugs? Bedbugger.com