Redwine Pest Control Blog

Even though my company does not provide heat control for the treatment of bed bugs (due mostly to the high investment cost and the cost to the customer), I have been a proponent of the method.  A heat treatment can, if done properly, eliminate bed bugs in a single application.  A couple drawbacks to heat treatment:

• If bed bugs are re-introduced to a home even immediately following the treatment, the heat that was applied earlier obviously has no residual effect, allowing for re-infestation.
• The cost for treatment is typically high, usually in excess of $1200 for a normal size home

In many situations, however, it is a good treatment alternative.  There are ways in which a heat treat will work best, and ways in which a treatment may not work, according to Mark Sheperdigian, in his article, The Heat is On.

Heat treatments, according to Sheperdigian, works because there is little preparation involved, compared to the preparation involved in preparing for a conventional treatment. The heat can penetrate into fabrics and cluttered house conditions.  However, the heat treatment may not be fully effective as, “If there is too much clutter in the environment to allow air movement, there will be cool spots where bed bugs can survive.”

Furthermore, the treatment can be ineffective as “cold exterior walls, especially in cold weather, may provide a haven for the bugs.  A concrete slab on grade is extremely difficult to heat up, and a concrete basement can be a heat treatment nightmare.”

Sheperdigian concludes by noting that in most situations, the heat treatment generally has a high success rate.

Many have heard the news that insecticides used for treating bed bugs have resulted in sickness, and in one case, death.

The news can be quite alarming, prompting some to call for bans on insecticides used to treat the blood suckers.  However, what many do not realize is that the reason for the sickness and the one case of death, is due to people using the chemicals themselves instead of calling a professional pest control professional.

The Center for Disease Control suggests that people first try “to rid their homes of bedbugs should first thoroughly vacuum all floors and furniture and wash linens.”  If that does not work, then call a professional. Read more here.

The Arizona legislature is considering a bill that would require landlords to inform prospective tenants of prior bed bug infestations.  Is this a good idea, and would it really be necessary to do so as long as the property had been properly treated for bed bugs?  Read the story or watch a video here.

The University of Minnesota has a web site and hotline for those who battle with bed bugs.  Anyone can call 1-855-644-2200 for helpful information or visit the web here.   Additionally, there is information for students and travelers as well as a collection of bed bug videos. One interesting video shows a bed bug finishing a meal.

Other bed bug news:

• US Researchers Study Bed Bug Resistance
• Bed Bugs and 1 in 5 Americans. . .
• CDC:  No DIY for bed bugs

We have seen in the industry that bed bugs are developing resistance to chemicals.  Therefore, it is important to have a pest control operator who rotates chemical types in order to be more effective when treating.  Heat treatments are usually very effective, but also very expensive.  Another control method, however, is both effective and cost-effective:  steam.

A good commercial steamer that pumps out wet, 180 degree steam is quite effective on bed bugs.  While the bed bugs enjoy a nice, warm-blooded, 98.6 degree human for a feast of blood, when temperatures reach around 104 degrees, they start to become “uncomfortable.”

According to this article, there are university studies showing that “104 degrees of dry heat will kill bed bugs within 24 hours, 113 degrees takes only 1 hour, and a clothes dryer at 175 degrees does them in within 5 minutes. We take advantage of this susceptibility to heat with heat chambers, steam, washer and dryer, and now whole-house heating.”  The author cites Dr. Michael potter, who encourages pest control professionals to use steamers as part of a bed bug control program:  ”a good quality steamer will push 180 degree steam (wet heat) 6 inches into crevices and will kill all bugs and their eggs instantly at that temperature. So, please do not stop using a steamer. It has some excellent uses and advantages.”

Stink bugs have invaded the United States, destroying crops and annoying home owners.  Here’s an update on the stinky insects.

What would you rather have:  Stink bugs, or bed bugs?  The EPA will not approve Propoxur for use in eradicating bed bugs, but the agency has approved a pesticide for use in controlling stink bugs. See the article at NVDaily.

Information on controlling stink bugs can be gained from Cincinnati’s own Ask the Exterminator here.

To learn more about stink bugs, see Penn State’s article, Brown Marmorated Stink Bug.  The Ohio State University has an informative article in PDF format: Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Fact Sheet.

In other news:

• A survey concerning bed bugs was conducted by Cincinnati’s health department, citing that “18 percent homeowners in the Queen City had problems with the pesky insects as recently as last year.  Read more.
• The Asian Long-Horned Beetle has been found in southern Ohio.  The potential for the beetle being more devastating than the emerald ash borer is great.  There is hope in controlling them, according to this article.
• PCOs may be interested in the new release of Mallis’ Handbook of Pest Control.

A topic of concern in southern Ohio for those who love their trees is the problem of the Asian Longhorn beetle. The emerald ash borer is bad news, but now the Asian Longhorn Beetle threatens a larger variety of trees.  The ALB was found in Clermont County in June.

For more information:

• The ArborDoctor Blog
• Asian Longhorn Beetle Found in Ohio – OSU
• Joe Boggs’ Bug Bites: Asian Longhorned Beetles

I’ve seen pictures before, but this was the first time I saw “termite stalactites” (or “termactites” as a colleague coined them) this big in person. I took this picture with my camera phone in a house in Forest park (Cincinnati), Ohio last week. The troubling thing about this termite wonder is that the picture taken was hanging from the ceiling in the middle of the basement, having traveled several feet from the exterior wall, across the ceiling, and through the dry wall. These termites spent quite a long time without being detected. The photo contains two of the termite stalactites, the larger being about a foot long.

Carpenter bees are active this time of the year, buzzing around, searching for a place to lay eggs.  The females search for wood, such as decks and wooden play sets.  The bore a dime-sized hole in the wood, often times boring up an inch, and then over a few inches, where they lay eggs and store pollen.  The eggs will overwinter and emerge in the spring time.  Meanwhile, the males protect the nest from other male carpenter bees.

Some other interesting facts about carpenter bees:

• Only the females can sting; the males do not have stingers.
• While the carpenter bees prefer bare wood, they will also bore into painted and stained wood

For more information:

Carpenter Bees, University of Kentucky, and the Ohio State University Fact Sheet.

We’re number 2 again! Cincinnati is the second most infested city in the United States, just behind New York City. Escaping to nearby cities will not help much, since Columbus is #11 and Dayton is #12. Read more here.

Can this device sniff out bed bugs?

“One of the first studies to take a detailed look at the psychiatric implications of bed bugs shows the havoc these insects wreak may be much more than skin deep. . . ” Because of the major undertaking of  treating bed bugs due to the preparation and stress involved, this article shows that “psychological impact has been underappreciated.”

Pest Control operators have the backing of some local politicians, petitioning the EPA to approve the use of Propoxur for the treatment of bed bugs.  Among the politicians voicing concerns are Jean Schmidt and Dale Mallory.  Read the story here, or learn more about Propoxur.