Kudzu bugs are a relatively new sight in the south, arriving on the scene less than a year ago. As colder weather arrives, these pests are beginning to head indoors in search of warmth. It is important to remember, though, that the bugs should not be feared. They will not cause harm to either you or your property, although they do release a smell if they are stepped on, and their remains could leave a stain on your floor or countertops. If your home is showing signs of a kudzu bug infestation, the following information will help you manage your problem.

Complete a visual inspection of your property

You will not be able to entirely prevent kudzu bugs from congregating around your property. However, there are things that you can do to help. Spend an afternoon thoroughly examining the outer perimeter of your home. Look for cracks or crevices where the bugs could squeeze in; sealing up these holes should make a substantial difference in your infestation.

Consider the pros and cons of pesticide spray

Be aware that spraying pesticides is unlikely to be effective. Of course, spraying chemicals directly on the bugs will kill them, but the population is typically so large that simply spraying a few will not make a big difference in the grand scheme of things. You can spray around your door frames and windows if you would like, although it may be hard to target the right areas if you don’t have professional pest control knowledge.

If you do need to get rid of a few bugs quickly and you are interested in using a spray, look for something that has synthetic pyrethriod in the ingredient list; this will work the best to eradicate these pests. The names you are looking for include cyfluthrin, lamda-cyhalothrin, bifenthrin and permethrin. Those hoping to go green may be disappointed. Organic products generally don’t work that well with kudzu bugs, although if you are determined to give it a try, look for a product with pyrethrins in it.

While you may think it just a formality, it is always important to thoroughly go over the directions for any pesticide that you are using. A few precautions you may want to take include wearing protective eye gear and covering up or relocating any furniture, toys or other possessions in the path of the spray. Spraying is not a long term solution; it will kill the bugs that you are spraying, but it will not work to keep them away over time.

Use alternative indoor pest control methods

Spraying inside your home is basically ineffective, and you run the risk of pets or family members coming into contact with the poison. Therefore, the best tool to combat kudzu bugs is actually your vacuum cleaner. By sucking up the pests, you don’t have to worry about stepping on or crushing them to get rid of them. Be diligent about throwing out your bag, though; if you don’t switch it out on a regular basis, you will begin to notice a distinct odor.

A kudzu bug infestation can be very irritating. By using the tips included above, you may be able to get a handle on the problem without involving pest control specialists.

About the author: Mike owns and operates a Stamford Pest Control company, helping his clients deal with nasty and pesky home invaders like the kudzu bug.

Image Credit: Wikipedia

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Live bed bug (Photo credit: StarMaster)

Portland Bed Bug Story

Carl Leibowitz said he was in a Portland, Oregon hotel room Friday afternoon when he “started to get these like — I felt like there were bites, and I was thinking I got a mosquito bite. And I just noticed there were three of them. And then later on, I started to notice, up by my shoulder, there were more bites. And I went out and got some Benadryl, took Benadryl, went to sleep, and then I woke up at 6:30 in the morning on Saturday and when I woke up, I’m like — got bites all over me.

“And I turn on the light and my pillow is covered in blood. And when I looked down at the pillow, there’s blood everywhere, I feel on my head there’s all these bites, and I start to freak out. I don’t know what happened to me.”

Leibowitz headed for the emergency room. He says he had 43 bites in all, “all over my back, my shoulders, on my feet, all over my head.” (http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-500165_162-6822398.html)

What is the bedbug story today?

The last two years we were inundated with bedbug horror stories like this.  Both local and national news stations, radio stations, and newspapers ran with stories that we were under attack!

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – JULY 09: Writer/Director Carl (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

Bedbugs were invading our country’s homes, schools, offices, vehicles, and they were even hiding in our library books. We weren’t safe if we left on an expensive vacation because the hotels were infested too. Billy Crystal took to one of the nation’s biggest stages, The Oscars, and joked about bedbug migration in our movie theaters.

During that time a lot of pest control companies experienced an unexpected boom, but these last several months have seen a sharp decline in media reported bedbug infestations.

With this recent lack of media coverage can we assume that bedbugs are on the decline?

NOPE!

Most pest control companies have seen no decline in the expansion of bedbugs in their businesses. In fact, bedbug infestations are growing at exponential rates—some reports say as much as 75% from the same time last year. The Bedbug Crisis Hotline has increased ten fold in the last 6 months. Some of this can be attributed to both the media and the pest control industry raising awareness and educating the public about bedbugs.

It may be safe to say that the media’s interest in bedbugs is receding because they often report on stories they can in some way sensationalize. If the topic doesn’t make the hair on the audience’s neck stand up anymore, they don’t report on it.

The bedbugs are still here. They still bite us and we still have to get rid of them. The story is still the same, despite the media’s lack of recent coverage.

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Have you ever had a hose break on you in the middle of a service? Try having that happen when doing weed control and having the tractor dye spray all over a home. Hose problems can be a real mess, costing lots of time, and causing lots of customer headaches and dissatisfaction for changing routes last minute. Well here are 5 easy steps to keep your pest control hose it top shape.

Top 5 Pest Control Sprayer Hose Problems You Can Avoid
By Andrew Greess

Here are a few simple actions you can take to extend your pest control hose life and reduce chemical spills.

1. Clean hose exterior. When rewinding hose, run the hose through a rag to remove grit and debris that will reduce hose life.
2. Periodically completely unroll all the hose off the reel.Turn the power spray on to put some pressure in the hose. Rewind the hose. This will prevent the hose from becoming permanently flattened out, which can negatively affect system performance, especially on low pressure sprayers.
3.  Reverse the hose. In the same way you rotate tires on a vehicle, reversing the hose regularly will even the wear and extend hose life.
4. Cut and replace bad portions early. Inspect hose, particularly the first 20 feet for wear and damage. If it looks bad, don’t wait for it to leak, cut it off. This will prevent chemical spills and downtime.
5. Make a hose repair kit a standard part of your pest control equipment inventory. The kit will allow you to fix minor hose problems so you can finish your route before having to return for a permanent hose repair or replacement.

These simple tips can reduce equipment problems, missed stops and chemical spills.

Andrew Greess is the President of Quality Equipment & Spray, which designs, builds and sells pest control equipment. Follow Greess on Facebook & Twitter. For more information or to share comments, check out www.SprayEquipmentBlog.com

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This piece was produced by Bulwark Exterminating and Dream Systems Media, very cool.

Find it at: http://www.rockymountainmattress.com/blog/2012/05/22/how-to-check-for-bed-bugs-like-a-professional/

For more information on bed bugs and mattress replacement feel free to comment below.

An adult bed bug (credit: Wikipedia)

Recently the University of Nebraska-Lincoln underwent extensive investigation into its Bed Bug problem.  The University hired a K9 Inspection company to bring in the dogs to search 3,256 rooms and of those rooms they only found bed bugs in 197 rooms. Considering the major problems that we are having with Bed Bugs this number isn’t too bad and it’s encouraging to see that the university is doing what is necessary to keep this problem from becoming a nightmare to its students and staff. Although the numbers above are encouraging I’m sure the numbers associated with the cost are more discouraging to the universities bottom line especially when budget cuts and higher tuition are already concerns for educational institutions across the country.

What does a bed bug problem cost a University? $100,000+

With bed bug inspections ranging from $25 to $55 per room (3,256 rooms) and treatments ranging from $300 to $600 per room (196 rooms), it’s estimated that the total cost for bed bugs at Nebraska-Lincoln will be in the hundreds of thousands.  When treating for bed bugs the costs for eradication are high. With the particular pest, 100% control is expected its unacceptable to have even one living bed bug remain after treatment. One female bed bug can lead to an entire new infestation. Because of this, more aggressive methods have been called upon to treat bead bugs such as fumigating an entire structure. To fumigate an entire structure an exterminator must put a massive tarp over the whole building being treated and fill it with a viakain gas. The gas will penetrated the walls of the structure and kill the bed bugs no matter where they are hiding. Beyond the price of the tarp alone, the man hours and equipment cost are not cheap. Cost of a bed bug fumigation service is expensive. For the University this type of service is less likely of an option because the problems are more than likely in a dorm room environment and with fumigation you have to tent the entire structure so in this case the better option would be Thermal Remediation. Thermal remediation is also a very effective service for treating bed bugs especially in a dorm room or hotel environment. A good heat system can treat a problem in this type of environment easily and with only a few hours. But this method is not cheap either due to equipment costs and man hours. With the bed bug problem at an all time high and is expected to continue to get worse Universities and other types of facilities that offer housing should expect this problem to continue.

Is Bed Bug Prevention the Better Cure?

Clearly, a fool proof prevention plan could prevent costly fumigation or heat treatments, the problem is that there is no fool proof prevention program for bed bugs. The is no pest control treatment that can be applied regularly to a structure that would prevent a bed bug infestation. The best prevention against bed bugs is vigilance. Knowing how to spot problems, how to steer clear, and how to report problems is a University’s best plan of action to keep bed bug costs to a minimum. So we encourage continuing education to both students and faculty and to maintain regular inspections at the dorms. This will help prevent future outbreaks and keep costly treatments down. Hiring a bed bug dog to assist with the inspections is a must. The dogs can do the work in a much shorter span than a human inspector alone.

Saving Enrollment Cost

While we have outlined treatment costs, lets not forget the potential enrollment cost. Having a bed bug problem in your dorms will cost the University occupants. It could cost future enrollments. Having had bed bugs will leave it mark on the school. The University must not only devise a plan to prevent bed bugs and stay vigilant to keep them out, but they must now express these measures to students, potential students, and parents as to regain faith and save enrollment. Having a future and on going plan for prevention is the only way to restore confidence and keep this a non-issue for enrollment. This shouldn’t just apply to UNL, this should be the case for every college and university out there. ASU has had it’s share of bed bug problems as well. All schools should take a proactive stance a develop a preventive program now to save them from future costs of treatments and enrollment.

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Most people will agree that while its the skills of the NASCAR driver that wins the race, that if we take away that well oiled racing machine and replace it with a pest control truck it doesn’t matter who is behind the wheel, he/Danica Patrick would have no chance at winning. No matter how great of a technician you hire, crappy abused and broken equipment will cause your pest control company to fail. So let’s show a little more love for our pest control trucks and equipment.

Top 10 Pest Control Equipment Productivity Tips

By Andrew Greess

#10 – Good Filtration

Design good filtration to prevent debris from getting into your system.  Debris will clog or damage pump, plumbing, fittings, hose and spray guns.  It will cost you money and productivity by bringing your system to its knees and causing expensive repair bills.  Design your filtration based on your water source, type of application, sensitivity of your pump, technician skill.  For example, bad water in new housing developments may require more than one strainer.  Place filtration so it is easily accessible for technicians to check and clean.

#9 – Clean your filter

The biggest secret in spray equipment is “check your filter”.  There is nothing you can do with your spray equipment that will save you more money than this simple activity.  We repair and replace more pest control spray equipment (and weed control spray equipment) because of clogged filters than for any other reason.

#8 – Release the pressure

Take the pressure off.  When you are done spraying, release the pressure.  Squeeze the handle of your spray equipment so that the system is not under pressure.  If you don’t want to waste the material, spray it back into the tank.   Your equipment will have fewer breakdowns and will last longer if you remove the stress of constant pressure from the spray components.    Never store equipment overnight under pressure.

#7 – Don’t run it too fast

Don’t push your equipment to its limits.  Our experience is that techs run power spray rigs at high speeds to get done quickly, and tend to overpressurize B&Gs and backpacks.  All of these actions will reduce sprayer life.  Your power spray rig can run at extremes for short periods but it is not designed to be run full out all the time.  Running “in the red” for extended periods will shorten engine and pump life.  Make sure your techs know proper operating ranges.

#6 – Clean it out

Rinse your system with clean water periodically to remove old chemical buildup, debris, etc.   Chemical buildup & debris can clog your filter, starve your pump, damage spray tips, and play havoc with other components as well.  All of these items fall into the category of “not good”.  When in doubt, rinse it out.  Be sure to follow all labels and laws when cleaning out spray tanks.

#5 – Don’t wait for failure – do your Preventative Maintenance (PM)

PM will save you time, money, equipment breakdowns, unhappy customers, etc.   You are running your equipment hard and pumping strong chemicals through it.  It will need service.  This service will be much cheaper and less painful if you do it before you need it.  Read manufacturer’s recommendations then customize for your use and application.  A good preventative maintenance program is your best friend for reducing equipment down time and improving productivity.

#4 – Train Employees to Report Problems

We are constantly amazed at the equipment problems employees will tolerate.  They will continue to use leaking pumps, hose, backpacks, etc.  Ignoring these problems inevitably leads to higher repair expenses and increased down time.  Encourage your employees to report problems so that you can take the appropriate action.

#3 – Emergency repair kit

Many simple repairs can be performed in the field. Field repairs can allow the technician to finish their work before heading to the service site for more thorough repairs. You’ll want to assess technicians’ skill and training to determine which parts you are comfortable with technicians changing in the field. A little tracking can go a long way toward understanding the causes of your breakdowns. Track equipment failures by part to determine which items you should consider stocking on your trucks. Also track equipment failures for each technician to identify training opportunities, and track failures by truck to set time frames for preventative maintenance and replacement.

#2 – Pre-flight Checklist

Every pilot has a checklist and goes through a pre-flight routine BEFORE taking his or her plane into the air.   Spray techs should do the same thing.  Before getting into the truck and heading to the first stop, a few minutes spent checking equipment can save time and money, as well as preventing downtime that hinders your ability to provide timely service to Clients.  Here’s the key point.  If you are going to have an equipment problem, you are probably better off knowing about it at your office than in the field, when it will most likely take longer and cost more to fix.  Technicians should report any problems or exceptions to their supervisor.

#1 – Don’t Over-pressurize Manual Sprayers

If your backpack isn’t spraying, don’t pump it up more.  You will break it.  It is easy to turn a $3.00 o-ring replacement into a $50 repair.  I like the following analogy for this situation.  I went to France.  The waiter didn’t understand English, so I yelled louder.  Don’t overpressure your manual sprayers!

Andrew Greess is the President of Quality Equipment & Spray, which designs, builds and sells pest control equipment.  Follow Greess on Facebook & Twitter. For more information or to share comments, check out www.SprayEquipmentBlog.com

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Have you lived in a home where you thought you were bug free and then all of a sudden in the corner of your eye you see a bug scurrying across your kitchen counter? Surprise! Well you are not alone, we get customers calling in all the time saying, “I’ve lived in this house for years and have never seen a bug; all of a sudden I’m seeing them in my kitchen and bathrooms.”

Why am I starting to see bugs now?

If you think about it, we’ve built our homes on “their” land; therefore it’s a fact that they will always be in “their” neighborhood. So the pests have always been there, even if you have not seen them.

Bugs, like humans, need water to survive. Hoses, sprinklers, water boxes, and plants provide the necessary moisture for these little guys to thrive. On a hot summer day the air conditioning is an essential part to being comfortable in our own homes. Having the air conditioning on builds condensation in our walls and that condensation needs to escape so that the home’s walls don’t get moldy. Each house is purposely built with “weep holes” or “J-rails”, holes or gaps to allow that condensation to escape outside. Bugs will sense this moisture escaping and eventually make their way inside the walls of your own home through these openings. Once inside your walls they grow in population and eventually they will put pressure on you. Imagine years of bugs breeding inside your walls, it’s getting crowded and they have to go somewhere. Do you think they are more likely to move back outside or further into the moist rich environment of your home?  What better place is there than our kitchens and bathrooms? Having a bug problem isn’t an over night thing. It takes time. It all starts out in your yard. It could take months and even years to finally see them inside your house. Why not stop it before it happens?

In order to stop future surprises in your home, it’s important to stop it where it first began. Bulwark Exterminating does this by maintaining a protective barrier around the perimeter of your home to stop them breeding and sneaking their way inside the walls of your home. So unless you want to stop running your A/C, protecting those cracks that breathe out the inviting moist air is a must.

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Coweta Pest Control

Thank http://www.suburbanexterminating.com for the image.

Bed Bug Epidemic

There is a lot of scare around bed bugs and the rising accounts of it in the US, and the scare is justified. Bed bugs are very difficult to control and spread very fast if not kept in check. Regular pest control treatments are not enough to keep these pests at bay. Pest management professionals charge a pretty penny when bed bugs become an infestation. If you have a concern about bed bugs it is best to call early and react quickly if signs point to ‘yes’.

Bed bug dogs are a very effective way to search for bed bugs, both to prevent and follow up on pest control treatments for bed bugs. To learn more about bed bug dogs contact AJ Richards – http://www.specialtypest.com/

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Feel free to post comments and questions below.

Awe Spring, Life is Buzzing, the Birds and the Bees… oh and don’t forget the spiders.

The Blue Skies of Spring Bring Spiderlings

Raleigh Spider Control

As the beautiful blue skies of spring turn to sunny summer our minds turn to watermelons, swimming pools, and heat waves. Unfortunately as we contemplate what drink we want to have poolside, the bugs around our house are contemplating how to grab a drink from our sinksides. With the AC turned on pumping deliciously cool air throughout our own personal compounds we create a great escape from the heat for the wondering insects on the outside. In fact it may feel as if these creepy crawlers are appearing from thin air. But it’s actually that cool moist air seeping out of our homes that draws the pests in. The hollowed walls of your home may have never seen an attack from such a sneaky adversary, but sure enough here they are. Sure you’ve seen the occasional spider or cricket but now it’s like your house is their own personal oasis.

This is a problem all too common in the insect world. Over the years I’ve had many conversations with people wondering how this could be, and what is going on. Well let’s take a conversation I had recently with a lady, I’ll call her Lisa.

Lisa: Can you help me I’m seeing spiders?

Me: Absolutely, tell me a little about the problem.

Lisa: Well we moved into the house about a year ago and didn’t have any problems and now just seem to see them everywhere. I’m not seeing any webs but they are crawling all over the house. I don’t know what is going on. We are clean people and don’t leave food out. It makes no sense.

Mating pair of Argiope appensa garden spiders in Kauanakai, Hawaii (island of Molokai). A batch of spiderlings hatched from an egg sac that already existed in the female's web, about two weeks later. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This is a scenario that plays itself out in homes all over the nation around this time of year. Spiders typically are solitary creatures that like to live by themselves hunting and trapping their food with webs and various other methods. However, every year the call of nature arrives and the need to mate hits spiders everywhere. The mating really isn’t the problem though…it’s the aftermath of the mating. Being the solo creatures that they are, spiders decide that if they are going to mate they are going to make it worth their while. So with each egg sac they lay they make sure it is full with 200-300 baby spiders. The egg sac itself doesn’t look like much, just a small white little fluffy ball of web, but it sure does pack a punch. As those eggs mature and eventually hatch these hundreds of baby spiders quickly become the massive infestation you never knew you had. The spiderlings begin ballooning and spreading. And literally hundreds of new spiders are now lurking about. All from one small white egg sac. Add three, four, or five of these eggs sacs and hundreds become thousands.

That’s why we exterminators are here; to fix infestations as they occur or even better stop them before they happen. Bulwark (a defensive barrier) is our name, and protecting homes is our game. To see how we can best help you, give us a call.

-Craig S.

Pest Management Professional Criag Can be reached at:

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Haven’t you heard? According to popular belief we eat spiders at night while we sleep! Is this possible? Do we eat spiders while sleeping? Granted some spiders are very very small. It is believable that small spiders may be able to slip into your mouth and stomach unnoticed. But one Florida Exterminator argues otherwise:

SANDS OF SAMAR, ISRAEL - JANUARY 12: This recent handout photo provided by the University of Haifa on January 12, 2010, shows a new and previously unknown species of spider in the dune of the Sands of Samar in the southern Arava desert region of Israel. A member of the Cerbalus genus, the spider has been named Cerbalus Aravensis. It has a leg-span that can reach up to 14 cm which makes it the largest spider of its type in the Middle East. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

You may well have heard this idea being thrown around all over the place: apparently we unwittingly swallow a steady diet of spiders in our sleep. As our mouths loll open, passing arachnids find themselves strangely compelled to crawl in, where we cheerfully gulp them down without knowing. Makes you shudder doesn’t it? Well before you start wearing a surgical mask to bed, you’ll be pleased to hear that this is just an urban legend.

Over the past few years, the idea has been trotted out all over the internet and beyond. Some sources say the average is seven in an entire lifetime, while others insist it’s eight in a single year. Even the lowest estimates are significantly higher than the true figure – zero.

http://www.mcdonaldpestcontrol.com/tampa-pest/pest-control-experts-set-it-straight-we-do-not-eat-spiders-in-our-sleep/

The writer proceeds to give a short history on the origins of this myth. Great read. The point that he underscored that most professional spider exterminators will appreciate is this, Why would a spider travel into your mouth? Most spiders don’t just wonder around aimlessly. Many spiders will rarely leave their webs. Those that do travel about at night are often hunting spiders. So perhaps you swallowed a fly, and you don’t know why. So you swallow a spider to catch the fly… Kidding. Really great article by our fellow exterminator. Bulwark Exterminating gives you two thumbs up.

Back to the question at hand, now that we have some opposing views. What do you think?

Do we eat spiders at night?

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