Category Archives: Bed Bugs New Mexico

If you think you may have bed bugs, these are the essential dos and donts. Make sure you also look at the photos of bed bugs (and signs of bed bugs) and photos of bed bug bites, and the FAQ on detecting whether your problem is bed bugs, or something else.If you suspect there are bed bugs where you sleep, dont begin sleeping in another bed, on the sofa. Do not go to stay with someone else. The bugs may follow you to your guest room or sofa, and then it will be much harder to get rid of them. They may hitch a ride to your relatives home, and you can cause them to become infested. (All of these situations have happened to Bedbuggers we know.) Also, staying outside of your home means the bugs may become dormant. Were told they may live without feeding for up to 18 months. When you come back, they can begin biting you again. So staying in your home during treatment, and sleeping in your usual bed, is the way to kill bed bugs. Read our FAQs and sleep there while youre getting a Pest Control Operator (PCO) to treat your home. Once you are being treated, you must remain in the bedyou are the bait, attracting bugs to the poison and their deaths. If you isolate the bed, they need not bite you. (The FAQ on isolating the bed talks about the pros and cons of doing that).

Do save any bed bugs you find. Do not part with these you may need to show them to landlords, pest control professionals, and so on. Entomologists at colleges or science museums in your town may identify these, and a pest control company can too. Pick it up with clear packing tape, and tape it to an index card. Or put it in a clear sealed ziplock or jar in the freezer. Dont assume youll see lots of them, some people dont.

Do rule out other possible conditions, like folliculitis, scabies, and bites from other insects. Suspected bed bug bites sometimes turn out to be one of these other conditions. Doctors cannot diagnose bed bug bites with any certainty. The FAQs may help. Be warned, though, that many of us are told by doctors that we do or do not have bed bugs, and later find they are wrong.

Dont assume you are the only one being bitten. Remember that some people do not react to bed bug bites at all. Bed bug bites are an allergic reaction, and reactions vary from nothing to serious allergic reactions. Research released in 2010 by Dr. Michael Potter suggests 70% of people do react, and 30% of people do not react to bed bug bites.

Dont start throwing your bed and other furniture out. As per the FAQs, you can cover and isolate the bed. (You may wish to wait until a PCO has started treating before covering the mattress in an encasement.) Most furniture, including mattresses and sofas, can be treated by a PCO, and you can ask the PCO if throwing them out is necessary. It usually isnt necessary or recommended because tossing furniture and other items out can just lead to spreading bed bugs as well as emptying your home of furnishings. If there is a good reason to get rid of something, your pest management professional can help you do it safely, so as not to spread the bugs around your home or building, and so that others do not pick up infested items.

Dont start buying a load of chemicals and treating yourself. We have FAQs about choosing a good pest control firm and about why doing your own pest control in lieu of a PCO is not a good idea. Yes, sometimes supplementing a PCOs work makes sense, but only if they are fully on board with what youre doing. Remember, pesticides have different qualities (repellents, contact killers, residual killers, growth regulators, etc.) Bed bugs are probably the most complicated pests youve ever encountered at home. If you start spraying pesticides, you may disperse the bugs, and the professionals may have trouble treating them. You may spread them around your home. Get good professional help and follow instructions. Some pros wont treat a home if you have already done so.

Do not, absolutely do not release a fogger or bug bomb. Do not allow your landlord to do so. Do not allow a so-called exterminator to do so. Bug bombs / foggers do not work for bed bugs, and in fact, will spread them. Your problem will be magnified. Trust me!

Dont start bagging everything you own. With the exception of washed and dried clothing (according to specific instructions your PCO gives you), do not seal up everything you own in bags. Some PCOs will want you to inspect, vacuum, and seal all your possessions in bags. Most wont. Following their advice is crucial, since they know what theyre using on your problem. If you decide to bag things, you may be sealing away bed bugs and this is only a way of dealing with the problem if you put these items in storage for 18 months, unopened. Instead, most PCOs will vigorously fight your problem, and bed bugs will be attracted out of your possessions and towards poisons which will kill them. We have a FAQ on this also: How do I prepare for pest control treatment? Should I put everything in bags?

Do start dealing with your clothing and linens if the PCO requires this. Though you should not simply seal your possessions in bags (as above), it is probably a good idea to start working on clothing and bedding, if the PCO instructs you to do this. Note that some reputable pest control operators do not require most clients to treat all their clothing and linens. If your PCO does not require it, then I would skip it. You should take clothing and other items, wash on hot and and dry them on hot. Remember, driers vary as to their strength and how long they take with what size of load. Dont stuff the machines. My personal method is that items should at least be dried on hot for 20 minutes after they appear to be fully dry and very hot. Note that if you start with clean items, you only need to dry them on hot: this is a huge savings to time and energy. Starting with clean, dry items, running the hot dryer for 20 minutes should suffice. (You PCO may not be aware of research proving that a hot dryer alone is enough.) Keep in mind that pillows, comforters, down coats, and other thick items may take longer to dry. Heres the key: after washing and drying, bag items in sealed, airtight bags, and do not remove them until use. Our FAQs give more explicit suggestions. Dry cleaning is theoretically a bed bug killer, but impractical since most dry cleaners may not be equipped to deal with bed bugs, and you have to disclose that the items have been exposed to bed bugs.

Dont assume bed bugs are only in your bed. While bed frames and mattresses and headboards are the most likely location for bed bugs, they can and do often hide out in sofas and other soft furniture, electrical sockets (behind plates), light fixtures, baseboards, floor crevices, and other crevices in the bedroom and living room. Bed bugs are occasionally found in kitchens and bathrooms. This should not make you panic: most cases, especially smaller ones, are quite concentrated, usually 10-20 feet from where people sleep (or where they sit for extended periods). However, if a PCO tells you bed bugs are not found in living rooms, realize that many Bedbuggers have infested sofas, computer chairs, and so on. Dont believe that bed bugs only bite at night. They prefer a sleeping, stationary host who is fast asleep. But if theyre hungry, theyll take what they can get. You can be bitten while in a chair, awake.

Once you get a PCO treating your place, dont assume this will be solved overnight. If your PCO treats and you are still being bitten, this is normal. The bites should decrease and eventually disappear. If you see bed bugs or are bitten, do have another treatment about two weeks after the first. Do insist the PCO repeat treatment every two weeks until you see no new signs of bed bugs (like bed bug feces stains in the bed). Do not assume youve got a bad PCO because it takes three treatments to solve your problem. This, unfortunately, is common, even if you follow all the advice. However, do ask questions, from the first treatment on, and take notes: what is the PCO using? What does each substance do? Make a note of where each substance is applied, and how long the process takes. If a few treatments go by and you are suspicious, post a question in our forums with these details experienced Bedbuggers and reputable PCOs read this site and may be able to offer advice as to whether youre getting good service or not. Stay on top of whats happening, but be honest with the PCO about what youre doing, and ask what you can do to support treatment. If they are good, they will welcome your involvement. Vacuuming every day in some cases is a good idea, in others, it may sabotage the work of certain substances left down to kill bed bugs. The same is true of bagging everything you own, as above. Never assume that you should do what someone online is doing, since they may be working with a different pest control protocol.

Do use bed bug monitors to try and determine if bed bugs are present initially and after treatment. We have a FAQ on bed bug monitors. The beenfit to monitors is that youre more likely to catch a sample or see signs if you are using monitors.

Last updated 3/16/2015.

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Think you have bed bugs? Some dos and donts

NEW YORK, July 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Bed bugs are back. Since 2000, bed bug infestations have risen 81 percent, according to The National Pest Management Association. This resurgence has consumers nationwide on high alert, seeking information on the pests and how they can protect themselves.

Gail Getty, a noted entomologist at the University of California Berkley, explains, "Bed bugs and their habits are actually very simple to understand. For the unassuming public, though, differentiating between fact and fiction is becoming ever so difficult with the amount of information available. Understanding the basics is the first line of defense a consumer has against the unwelcomed critters, which can take a toll both financially and emotionally on a victim."

Confirmed Facts

Myths Debunked

ABOUT ALLERGY LUXE BED BUG BARRIER BEDDING COLLECTION

The entomologist-tested AllergyLuxe Bed Bug Barrier line features reinforced seams and micro-zipper technology that guarantee the most secure encasement and protection from bed bug infestations. Additionally, the line features ARM & HAMMER odor neutralizing technology; an innovative antimicrobial shield which helps prevent mold, mildew and bacteria to effectively reduce odors. The line includes mattress protectors, pillow protectors, and box spring protectors. The AllergyLuxe Bed Bug Barrier line is available at Bed Bath and Beyond stores nationwide and at http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com

ABOUT LONDON LUXURY LLC

London Luxury LLC is one of the nation's leading manufacturers of innovative and premium textile products for the home. The company is based in New Rochelle, New York, with a showroom in New York City. For more information please visit http://www.londonlux.com.

ARM & HAMMER is a trademark of Church & Dwight Co., Inc. and is used under license by London Luxury LLC.

Media Contacts: Emily Peckkwittken + company646.747.7149epeck@kwitco.com

SOURCE London Luxury LLC

Originally posted here:
The Real Truth About Bed Bugs - prnewswire.com

You may think the best way to deal with a bed bug problem is to only use insecticides. But many people often overlook the importance of using non-chemical methods and, more importantly, preventing the bugs in the first place. This is particularly critical in multi-unit housing buildings where bed bugs are very difficult to eliminate.

Alvaro Romero, from New Mexico State Universitys College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, is working with other researchers to educate the public about preventing bed bugs.

Although many fieldwork studies have been completed in multi-unit housing in the last decade, Romero said researchers have seen that treatments often fail to completely eradicate infestation from these environments. This has led researchers on a different path of improving the approach to dealing with these pests.

We went from only using insecticides heavily in the very beginning, to incorporating multiple tactics in order to make this program more effective, he said. Its what we call integrated pest management.

An assistant professor of urban entomology in NMSUs Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Weed Science, Romero is the lead author on a report published May 31 in the Entomological Society of Americas Journal of Integrated Pest Management.

This report is part of collaborative efforts of researchers from eight western states funded through a grant from the Western Integrated Pest Management Center, National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Romero said.

The first phase of our project was to identify the prevalence of pest management practices for bed bugs among tenants, landlords, managers and pest management professionals in the West. This information has served as baseline data to identify knowledge gaps and problems that help to define applied research goals for regional bed bug management. The next phase is to develop, compile and disseminate educational resources for multi-family housing and other built environments.

The report titled Bed Bugs: Proactive Pest Management Critical in Multi-Unit Housing describes several approaches to managing bed bugs, including detection and monitoring, which is the most important component of successful integrated pest management programs. The report also describes the use of a variety of non-chemical methods, such as:

Clutter reduction Interceptors, or bed bug traps Placing encasements in mattresses and box springs Laundering Steam treatment Vacuuming

Its difficult almost impossible to eradicate bed bug infestations in these particular environments, Romero said. A further step to manage bed bug problems is to have more involvement from the public, including residents, staff and managers.

Romero said early detection is the key. And because many people in assisted living centers may be disabled, blind or wheelchair-bound, cooperation from staff is necessary to implement effective integrated pest management programs.

In addition to cooperation, education is vital in addressing the bed bug problem. Through outreach efforts, Romero and his collaborators plan to inform the public how to identify bed bugs and prevent infestations.

We want to make available many documents that we consider extremely necessary, because education is a key point to bed bug management, he said.

Romero said social behavior among humans is an important factor as well.

Clutter, books under the bed all those locations represent potential living areas for bed bugs, he said. And the most common way to transport bed bugs from one place to another is through the exchange of second-hand furniture.

While people may balk at the cost and labor associated with integrated pest management programs, addressing infestations at early stages is actually less expensive and more economically viable in the long term, as it requires fewer insecticides and treatments, as with a reactive approach.

Were going to see the benefits of these programs in the long term, Romero said. If you effectively deal with bed bugs today in multi-unit housing, for example the next year youre most likely going to see fewer cases of bed bugs.

Romero said there is an abundance of information available to educate the public, especially on university websites.

The NMSU Cooperative Extension Service publication Sleep Tight! Dont let the Bed Bugs Bite! Practical Information for Dealing With and Eliminating Bed Bugs is availableHERE.

Virginia Tech has information available specific to the hotel industry, to the multi-unit housing industry and to schools. Click HEREfor more information.

To view the Entomological Society of Americas Journal of Integrated Pest Management report by Romero and his colleagues in its entirety, click HERE.

Author: Kristie Garcia NMSU

Excerpt from:
NMSU Researcher Aims to Educate Public about Bed Bug Prevention - El Paso Herald-Post (press release) (registration) (blog)

Kristie Garcia, For the Sun-News 12:21 p.m. MT June 3, 2017

New Mexico State University(Photo: Courtesy)

LAS CRUCES - You may think the best way to deal with a bed bug problem is to only use insecticides. But many people often overlook the importance of using non-chemical methods and, more importantly, preventing the bugs in the first place. This is particularly critical in multi-unit housing buildings where bed bugs are very difficult to eliminate. Alvaro Romero, from New Mexico State Universitys College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, is working with other researchers to educate the public about preventing bed bugs. Although many fieldwork studies have been completed in multi-unit housing in the last decade, Romero said researchers have seen that treatments often fail to completely eradicate infestation from these environments. This has led researchers on a different path of improving the approach to dealing with these pests. We went from only using insecticides heavily in the very beginning, to incorporating multiple tactics in order to make this program more effective, he said. Its what we call integrated pest management. An assistant professor of urban entomology in NMSUs Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Weed Science, Romero is the lead author on a report published May 31 in the Entomological Society of Americas Journal of Integrated Pest Management. This report is part of collaborative efforts of researchers from eight western states funded through a grant from the Western Integrated Pest Management Center, National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Romero said. The first phase of our project was to identify the prevalence of pest management practices for bed bugs among tenants, landlords, managers and pest management professionals in the West. This information has served as baseline data to identify knowledge gaps and problems that help to define applied research goals for regional bed bug management. The next phase is to develop, compile and disseminate educational resources for multi-family housing and other built environments. The report titled Bed Bugs: Proactive Pest Management Critical in Multi-Unit Housing describes several approaches to managing bed bugs, including detection and monitoring, which is the most important component of successful integrated pest management programs. The report also describes the use of a variety of non-chemical methods, such as:

Its difficult almost impossible to eradicate bed bug infestations in these particular environments, Romero said. A further step to manage bed bug problems is to have more involvement from the public, including residents, staff and managers. Romero said early detection is the key. And because many people in assisted living centers may be disabled, blind or wheelchair-bound, cooperation from staff is necessary to implement effective integrated pest management programs.

In addition to cooperation, education is vital in addressing the bed bug problem. Through outreach efforts, Romero and his collaborators plan to inform the public how to identify bed bugs and prevent infestations. We want to make available many documents that we consider extremely necessary, because education is a key point to bed bug management, he said. Romero said social behavior among humans is an important factor as well. Clutter, books under the bed all those locations represent potential living areas for bed bugs, he said. And the most common way to transport bed bugs from one place to another is through the exchange of second-hand furniture. While people may balk at the cost and labor associated with integrated pest management programs, addressing infestations at early stages is actually less expensive and more economically viable in the long term, as it requires fewer insecticides and treatments, as with a reactive approach. Were going to see the benefits of these programs in the long term, Romero said. If you effectively deal with bed bugs today in multi-unit housing, for example the next year youre most likely going to see fewer cases of bed bugs. Romero said there is an abundance of information available to educate the public, especially on university websites. The NMSU Cooperative Extension Service publication Sleep Tight! Dont let the Bed Bugs Bite! Practical Information for Dealing With and Eliminating Bed Bugs is available at http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_g/G324.pdf. Virginia Tech has information available specific to the hotel industry, to the multi-unit housing industry and to schools. Visit http://www.bedbuginfocenter.ento.vt.edu/bedbugs.html for more information. To view the Entomological Society of Americas Journal of Integrated Pest Management report by Romero and his colleagues in its entirety, visit https://doi.org/10.1093/jipm/pmx009.

Read or Share this story: http://www.lcsun-news.com/story/news/education/nmsu/2017/06/03/nmsu-researcher-aims-educate-public-bed-bugs/366909001/

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NMSU researcher aims to educate public about bed bugs - Las Cruces Sun-News

Baltimore Holds Top Spot on Bed Bugs Cities List

ATLANTA (January 3, 2017) Baltimore tops this years Top 50 Bed Bug Cities list, released today by pest control leader Orkin. In the six years Orkin has released the bed bug city rankings, this is the first time Baltimore has made the top five, moving up nine spots since last year. Four metro regions Las Vegas, Portland, Salt Lake City and Greensboro-High Point-Winston Salem made the list for the first time this year.

The list is based on treatment data from the metro areas where Orkin performed the most bed bug treatments from December 1, 2015 November 30, 2016. This ranking includes both residential and commercial treatments.

We have more people affected by bed bugs in the United States now than ever before, says Orkin Entomologist and Director of Technical Services Ron Harrison, Ph.D., adding that bed bugs are a growing issue. They were virtually unheard of in the U.S. 10 years ago, he says.

According to a 2015 Bugs without Borders Survey by the National Pest Management Association, nearly all (99.6 percent) of pest professionals nationwide have treated bed bugs in the past year, up from five, 10 and 15 years ago.

Bed bugs are great hitchhikers because they travel from place to place with ease, including luggage, purses and other belongings. Bed bugs can be found anywhere, from single family homes, apartments and hotel, to public places like movie theaters, public transit and libraries and offices.

Anyone can get bed bugs in their home. They are not a sign of uncleanliness. Bed bugs only need blood to survive. We have treated for bed bugs in everything from million dollar homes to public housing, Harrison says.

Bed bugs can be difficult to detect and treat because of their small size and ability to survive up to a year without feeding. They are about the size of an apple seed when fully grown, and can hide around seams of a mattress, behind headboards and in cracks and crevices, usually within a five-foot radius of the bed. The first signs of a bed bug infestation are often the bed bugs themselves or small dark stains bed bugs can leave behind.

People may have bed bugs and not know it, because many people have no physical reaction to bed bug bites, Harrison says. Thats why its important for people everywhere to inspect for bed bugs regularly.

While the 50 metro areas listed above required the most treatments for bed bugs in 2016, Orkin has treated for bed bugs in all 50 states and around the world. To help detect and prevent bed bugs, Orkin recommends homeowners and travelers do the following:

At Home:

During travel, remember the acronym S.L.E.E.P to inspect for bed bugs:

Bed bugs can quickly become a major problem, as they can spread from room to room if undetected and allowed to multiply. Anyone who suspects a bed bug infestation should contact a pest management professional immediately.

For more information about bed bug detection and prevention, visit Orkin.com. You can also find 100 facts about bed bugs in Orkins new bed bug e-book.

About Orkin, LLC

Founded in 1901, Atlanta-based Orkin is an industry leader in essential pest control services and protection against termite damage, rodents and insects. The company operates more than 400 locations with almost 8,000 employees. Using a proprietary, three-step approach, Orkin provides customized services to approximately 1.7 million homeowners and businesses in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, South America, Central America, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Asia, the Mediterranean and Africa. Orkin is committed to studying pest biology and applying scientifically proven methods. The company collaborates with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and eight major universities to conduct research and helps educate consumers and businesses on pest-related health threats. Learn more about Orkin at Orkin.com. Orkin is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Rollins Inc. (NYSE: ROL). Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

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Dont Let the Bed Bugs Bite: Orkin Releases New Top 50 ...