Posts Tagged ‘blood’

In the old days these would have been gone in 2 shakes… but not now!

I remember those days as if they were only a year or so ago, wait they were. This Bed Bug problem in continuing and doesn’t look like it is going to let up very soon. These little biters are showing up in houses across the U.S. at alarming rates and the controversy continues on repellency against pyrethrins. No more are people grabbing up old mattresses from the curbside and many places are requiring mattresses to be marked and encased before going to the curb. These mattresses have been here for 3 days and it doesn’t look like they are going anywhere except the dump.

Is the IRS the bloodsuckers they are made out to be?

So today is Tax Day, the day most of us dread because we have to pay the taxes we owe. The Tax Man Cometh! So you know we always talk about Bed Bugs, Ticks, Fleas or Assassin Bugs because we know for sure that they truly do suck our blood.

Now I’ll admit that I think it is important to pay our fair share, I don’t have any children but I still think it is important to make sure schools are funded. I also think that I want Police and the Fire Departments available.

I do have one pet peeve, you should never get back more than you paid. So pay your fair share and it all works, right? Well I hope it works but we will see.

Have you ever wondered why fleas can jump so far?

They can jump due to their very strong back legs and from pads of a rubber-like protein called resilin. Some fleas can jump up to 150 times their own body length. What would that be to a human – a 100 story building.

Fleas caused the Bubonic Plague back in 1358 and are found throughout the U.S. We normally don’t have much of a problem here in Arizona, I think mainly due to the lack of humidity.

Flea control is really a four-step process: Stop wild animals from coming into your yards and absolutely making sure they cannot get into your home, the pet should be treated, indoor and outdoor control. This process can also be used on ticks, which we do have issues with in Arizona. Don’t confuse Ticks with Bed Bugs.

Are head lice a thing that pest control companies handle?

Head lice are often associated with school children or children in general. There is a big difference between Bed Bugs and head lice.

Here are some recommendations concerning Head Lice control

• Use a product from a pharmacy recommended for head lice. Seek the advice of the Pharmacist.
• Wash hair and comb out the head lice with a lice/nit comb.
• Head lice do not transmit any diseases.
• Wash bedding in very hot water and hot cycle for drier.

If you encounter Bed Bugs then seek a Pest Management Professional at http://www.pestworld.org but Head Lice can be handled by medications and a little work of your own. By the way don’t use kerosene, gasoline or anything else you might have laying around your home – somebody can get hurt.

   Arizona Bed Bug Laws

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1.  Title 9, chapter 4, article 8, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 9-500.30, to read:

9-500.30. Prohibition on adopting landlord tenant bedbug control requirements

A.  Except as provided in subsection B of this section, a city or town shall not adopt requirements by ordinance or otherwise for landlords or tenants that relate to the control of bedbugs as defined in section 33-1319, other than the requirements prescribed by section 33-1319.

B.  A city or town may adopt requirements relating to the proper disposal of items that are infested with bedbugs.

Sec. 2.  Title 11, chapter 2, article 4, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 11-269.10, to read:

11-269.10. Prohibition on adopting landlord tenant bedbug control requirements

A.  Except as provided in subsection B of this section the board of supervisors and any other person under the authority of the board of supervisors shall not adopt requirements by ordinance or otherwise for landlords or tenants that relate to the control of bedbugs as defined in section 33-1319, other than the requirements prescribed by section 33-1319.

B.  The board of supervisors or a person under the authority of the board of supervisors may adopt requirements relating to the proper disposal of items that are infested with bedbugs.

Sec. 3.  Title 33, chapter 10, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 33-1319, to read:

33-1319. Bedbug control; landlord and tenant obligations; definitions

A.  A landlord has the following obligations with respect to a bedbug infestation:

1.  As a portion of its obligations under section 33-1324, the landlord shall maintain the dwelling unit free of an infestation of bedbugs.

2.  The landlord shall provide existing tenants with a copy of this section on or before September 1, 2011 by personal delivery or first class mail and shall provide new tenants with a copy of this section on commencement of a new lease.  The landlord also shall provide educational materials to existing and new tenants.  Educational materials may include:

(a)  A description of measures that may be taken to prevent and control bedbugs.

(b)  Information about bedbugs, including a description of their appearance.

(c)  A description of behaviors that are risk factors for attracting bedbugs such as purchasing renovated mattresses, using discarded mattresses and furniture, using used or leased furniture, purchasing pre-owned clothing and traveling without proper precautions.

(d)  Information provided by the United States centers for disease control and prevention and other federal, state or local health agencies.

(e)  Information provided by federal, state or local housing agencies.

(f)  Information provided by nonprofit housing organizations.

3.  The landlord shall not enter into any lease agreement with a tenant for a dwelling unit that the landlord knows to have a current bedbug infestation.

4.  Within seven business days after receiving written or electronic notice of a possible bedbug infestation from a tenant, the landlord or the landlord’s licensed pest control applicator shall visually inspect the dwelling unit for bedbugs.  Within seven business days after finding evidence that a bedbug infestation exists in the dwelling unit, the landlord shall start the process of mitigation of the bedbugs in the dwelling unit.

5.  Unless the landlord is a licensed applicator, the landlord shall not use any pest control techniques that constitute mitigation and shall use for mitigation a pest control applicator who is licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter 22.

6.  The landlord shall provide the tenant with written notice of the bedbug mitigation treatment protocol at least three business days before the initial treatment.  Notice shall be deemed received by the tenant on the date the notice is personally delivered or mailed first class.

7.  Unless otherwise provided in this section, the landlord is responsible for the bedbug mitigation expenses for the dwelling unit and any surrounding units that are infested.

B.  A tenant has the following obligations with respect to a bedbug infestation:

1.  As a portion of the tenant’s obligations under section 33-1341, the tenant shall maintain the dwelling unit free of an infestation of bedbugs.

2.  The tenant shall not move materials into a dwelling unit that are infested with bedbugs.

3.  A tenant who knows of the presence of bedbugs shall provide the landlord written or electronic notification of the presence of bedbugs in the dwelling unit within three business days.  Notice that is provided by the tenant pursuant to this paragraph constitutes permission to the landlord to enter the dwelling unit for the sole purpose of inspecting for or mitigation of bedbugs.

4.  After receiving notice from the landlord of a bedbug inspection or mitigation as provided in subsection a of this section, the tenant shall allow the landlord and the landlord’s licensed pest control applicator access to the dwelling unit.

5.  The tenant shall comply with the bedbug mitigation protocol established by the licensed applicator, which may include pretreatment activities, temporary evacuation of the dwelling unit, posttreatment activities and an obligation to report the ineffective treatment or reinfestation to the landlord within three business days.

6.  The tenant shall not apply or permit any unlicensed person to apply any bedbug control techniques that constitute mitigation.

7.  If a landlord fails to inspect and, if necessary, mitigate a bedbug infestation within the time prescribed in subsection A of this section, the tenant shall provide written notice to the landlord of the tenant’s intention to correct the condition at the landlord’s expense.  If the landlord fails to correct the condition within ten days after being notified by the tenant in writing, the tenant may cause the work to be done by a licensed pest control applicator, submit to the landlord an itemized statement for the pest control services and deduct from any rent due the actual and reasonable cost of the pest control treatment not to exceed five hundred dollars or one‑half of the monthly rent, whichever is greater.

8.  If the tenant fails to comply with any of the obligations prescribed in this section, the tenant may be held financially responsible for bedbug mitigation expenses for the dwelling unit and surrounding units that are infested.

C.  The landlord and tenant of a single family residence may agree that the tenant is responsible for bedbug mitigation as provided in section 33‑1324, subsection c.

D.  A landlord is deemed to have successfully mitigated a bedbug infestation on completion of bedbug treatment by a licensed pest control applicator.

E.  This section does not limit the landlord’s or tenant’s rights and obligations under this chapter.

F.  Except as specifically provided in this section, this section does not create a cause of action against:

1.  A landlord or a landlord’s employees, officers, agents and directors by a tenant or a tenant’s guests for any damages caused by bedbugs.

2.  A tenant by a landlord for any damages caused by bedbugs.

G.  For the purposes of this section:

1.  ”Bedbug mitigation expenses” means the reasonable and necessary cost of the pest control treatment or treatments and may include the cleaning, removal and replacement of flooring if reasonably required by the degree of infestation.

2.  ”Bedbugs” means any insect in the genus cimex and its eggs.

3.  ”Infestation” or “infested” means that the presence of bedbugs is sufficient to materially affect the health and safety of tenants and their guests.

4.  ”Mitigation” means the process undertaken by a pest control applicator who is licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter 22 to attempt to eliminate or manage the infestation of bedbugs by poisoning, spraying, fumigating, trapping or any other recognized and lawful pest control method, including repeated applications of any treatment, particularly to areas where bedbugs are likely to congregate.

5.  ”Surrounding unit” means a dwelling unit that shares a common wall with, or that is directly above or below, another dwelling unit.