I’m sure most of you have heard or read about the resurgence of bed bugs in the United States over the past few years. Bed bugs had been nearly eliminated back in the 1940s and 1950s, and were considered history until they reared their tiny (and I mean tiny!) bodies back into our homes and businesses.
Their presence is even being felt in the halls of Congress. I recently returned from the National Pest Management Association’s 25th Legislative Day event where several hundred of my pest management peers and I visited with elected officials to explain the important role our industry plays in protecting the public from such nasty pests like bed bugs.
There is a bill (H.R. 967) before Congress which calls for resuming funding for important bed bug research efforts and requirements for efficacy testing on bed bug products to protect consumers. You see bed bugs were not on the R&D radar screen, and this new resurgence has caught everyone by surprise.
It’s a good thing that these blood-feeding pests are making their mark in some powerful places for as technology and regulations have changed, so have the tools we use to fight these blood thirsty bugs!
At Western Exterminator we have developed inspection and treatment strategies that can be counted on to eliminate bed bugs from your home or business. Helping our bed bug specialists lead the way in this newest battle is Honey, our four-legged bed bug expert. That’s right; man’s best friend is the best tool to help us find these elusive critters.
Honey has successfully sniffed out bed bugs in structures from Phoenix to Las Vegas to Sacramento. With 220 million olfactory receptors in her nose, Honey certainly has the nose that knows if you get my drift!
Since bed bugs are highly mobile, getting an accurate fix on their location and making a proper identification can be a challenge. This is where Honey’s highly trained nose comes in handy. You see, they can’t escape from ‘the nose!’
Bed bugs are adept at hiding in cracks and crevices, and since they are so small it’s very difficult to see them with the naked eye; tracking them by smell has proven to be the most accurate means of detection.
When Honey finishes a bed bug inspection you can be assured that if bed bugs are present, Honey will let you know!
Honey is eager to share her knowledge of bed bugs and here are Honey’s Tips for signs of a possible infestation:
- Blood stains from crushed bugs or by rusty (sometimes dark) spots of excrement on sheets and mattresses, bed clothes, walls, and furniture.
- Fecal spots, egg cases, and shed skins in the vicinity of possible hiding places.
- Use a flashlight to inspect hidden cracks and crevices for signs of bed bugs.
It takes a true bed bug specialist like Honey and her colleagues at Western Exterminator to properly identify and design a control program for bed bugs. For more information on bed bugs, visit our website at www.WesternExterminator.com
If you have questions on bed bugs or Honey (she likes fan mail!), send me an e-mail at AskMrLittle@WesternExterminator.com. I’ll be sure to get back to you right away with an answer.
Until next time, thanks for making Western Exterminator Company “The Final Word in Pest Control®”
Have a pest free day.
