All posts in “drapes”

News we didn’t need to hear about

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News about Bed bugs and pesticides

News is showing research that bed bugs are adapting to pesticide usage and they might be thickening their skins to avoid the pesticide. Every day we are learning more and more about what is happening in the way of bedbugs, some cities are

“Bed bugs are becoming resistant to some Insecticides”

or “Cuticle Thickening in a Pyrethroid-Resistant strain of Common Bed Bug”

The EPA is deciding on reducing pesticide usage, what and if they decide to reduce some pesticides can influence what is used and when. It may be that in the future we will be limited to newer products.

Photo by PPMA

Are head lice a thing that pest control companies handle?

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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.

Bed Bugs versus Head Lice
Bed Bugs don’t live on the host.	Head Lice die after 24 -478 hours after falling off host.
Small, reddish brown insects no wings	Head Lice look like small grains of rice
Hide and come out to feed at night	Oval bugs attach themselves to the hair in order to feed
Hitch a ride on furniture	Spread through contact
Live anywhere, beds, cracks, etc	Live on hair not scalp
Professional Pest Control	Lice treatment at pharmacy

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.

Bed Bugs are just GROSS!

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Bed Bugs are just GROSS!

“the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray” Robert Burns

The jest of the saying is to always expect the unexpected, in other words, just because you think you’ve done all you can for something to go right….something can still get messed up (always have a plan B). So when traveling prepare to encounter Bed Bugs and take action before the trip and the return. Our technicians are always on the lookout so that they don’t bring bugs back home, if we do a Bed Bug job that day we inspect our clothes to prevent accidental infestation.

200x’s the sniffer – Bed Bug Dogs

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200x’s the sniffer – Bed Bug Dogs

I’m all about efficiency but the Bed Bug dogs got it going on. I had this school that thought they might have an issue with Bed Bugs and I thought WOW just how many places could a Bed Bug hide. Well I can now tell you – thousands maybe tens of thousands. From carpet tack strips to electrical outlets, from back packs and wall paintings to – well you get the picture right – anyplace where there is a crack or crevice. It only takes a small space ——————————– maybe that line right there to hide something like a Bed Bug. That dog Olivia was amazing, she went around the room with her handler and sniffed and sniffed, this would have taken me hours and I might have missed something.

Come on look at that face – only a Bed Bug should be scared!

FTC Consumer Alert

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FTC Consumer Alert

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt194.shtm and this article on deceptive claims on advertisement “FTC Takes Action“. I constantly hear people say things that are just not true or factual. Bed Bugs do not jump, I don’t care what you have heard they cannot jump. They may be able to fall into cuffs of pants or onto clothes and hitchhike in a lot of different ways. The biggest item is that you must throw away everything, not true use common sense just like the article above suggests. It isn’t always necessary to throw away mattresses or dressers, they may be old and you may want to discard them but in 99% of the cases a Pest Management Professional can treat and eliminate the Bed Bugs without damaging the article.

These sites listed above can be a valuable tool in getting rid of Bed Bugs and that Creep Factor associated with them.

Got Bed Bugs – Call ProBest Pest Management!

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The Verifi™ bed bug detector offers homeowners and property manager’s huge new advantages over traditional detection methods. Not only is Verifi a more affordable, more discreet way to determine if a bed bug infestation is present, it works around the clock to help give you continuous peace of mind.

Featuring replaceable attractants, the Verifi bed bug detector is the first device to provide ongoing detection for up to 90 days at a time. Your pest management professional can quickly and easily replace the attractants on a regular basis for year-round monitoring. Designed to fit behind beds and other furnishings and operate silently, the Verifi bed bug detector won’t disturb occupants in a room.

Even if you don’t currently have bed bugs, the continuous detection of the Verifi bed bug detector helps alert you to any newly-introduced bed bug populations at an earlier stage. Early detection of bed bugs can increase the success and decrease the cost of your treatment program.

Check out our website for further details https://callprobest.com/bedbugs

Bedbugs Put Police Cars Out of Service – Bed Bugs showing up in weird places…

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Bedbugs Put Police Cars Out of Service

I think it is amazing where we are finding Bed Bugs, they are showing up in ambulances, movie theaters and now police cruisers. So if you’re a police officer, EMT or just a regular citizen take care when and where you take a ride.

A FEW FACTS

Bed bugs get their name because they are commonly found in beds, but can also be found in other places. Dressers, baseboards, clothes, drapes, bed frames, wall mounted devices, tack strips/carpets, behind cracked paint or wallpaper.
Bed bugs feed on the blood of any warm-blooded animal.
They can ingest up to 7 times their weight.
A severe infestation can result in over 500 bites in a single night.
Bed Bugs are able to live up to 12 months without a meal, this is debatable in Arizona because of the lack of humidity.
They are immune to many of today’s insecticides, generally permethrins.
Many people can live with them without even knowing they’re there.
Their eggs hatch within 10 days and only take 30 days to become fully grown.
Females can lay up to 500 eggs over their lifetime.
Reported cases have increased over 500% the past few years.
Bed bug infestations are a traumatic experience for those attacked including increased stress, anxiety and insomnia – I call this the CREEP FACTOR.

A personal experience with bed bugs by Dr. Mike Merchant

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A personal experience with bed bugs by Dr. Mike Merchant (re-home seal)

His daughter called , a visit to her apartment the next day revealed 200 to 300 bed bugs happily tucked away in the corners of the fitted sheets, dust ruffle and box spring cover of her bed.

Often times when we talk about an infestation we are talking about the issues involved with a customer perspective in mind. Mike recently had a Bed Bug issue of his own, so please take a moment to see how he dealt with the problems “A personal experience with bed bugs” and gain his insights into the mind of someone who has to deal with Bed Bugs in their home.

Just the facts please…. provide info to expedite the treatment!

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Just the facts please…. provide info to expedite the treatment!

Today I received a new lead from an online referral site and I’ll tell you I love getting referrals but I need more information. So here is a list of things to tell the bug guy when they show up at your home.

When you call the office please tell the receptionist what you’re experiencing, for example are you being bitten. It is really important to answer the questions like Who, what, where, when, why and how. To me its almost like being a detective, we need all the information so that we can make an intelligent recommendation on treatment.
After receiving the information the technician comes up with the treatment plan and discusses this with the homeowner.
We have talked about this before but before the technician arrives please reduce clutter and vacuum the area (if you have a bag vacuum please throw it away). I remember years ago in Florida, someone had vacuumed and put the entire vacuum with bag into the closet. I was amazed at the numbers of fleas in the closet and elsewhere in the home, but they were concentrated within that closet.
A lot of the treatment plans may include a followup visit – remember this occurrence took time to build up and probably will take time to completely solve it. Don’t think for one minute that we are magicians and can make this outbreak disappear overnight, won’t happen…. This usually surprises me the most, even after discussing this with some customers they are upset that they still might see the occasional roach or two. I learned many years ago, we attempt to eradicate at least 97% on the first visit to get control but depending on a variety of circumstances this number may change. Sanitation is a leading cause of failure, if the place has grease or oil everywhere all the pesticide in the world won’t change the outcome. The pesticide will lose it efficacy and the roaches will have plenty to eat and not be affected by the product.
Work with the technician and follow any advice, he has probably seen it all so it won’t be a big surprise to him. Clean behind the stove and refrigerator yearly, pay particular attention to the fan motor (warm and probably close to the overflow pan).

I can’t believe I’m re-posting this home seal entry! Not for all viewers….

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I can’t believe I’m re-posting this home seal entry! Not for all viewers….

“I Can’t Think About Sex Without Thinking About Bugs”

Now just for the record I’m not promoting her home seal, Rachel Krantz is a freelance writer living in New York City, I just found this one home seal to be insightful yet disgusting in some ways. I guess I just don’t think bout sleeping in other beds and if I go to a hotel I always check my room bed and sofa.

So take a chance an use caution but its worth the read.