Pest Control and Bug Exterminator Blog

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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced, that it has plans to ban 20 rat and mouse control products, because they use “loose” bait. The EPA claims that the products are especially dangerous, because they are sold for use in homes where unsupervised children or pets, may come into contact with them.

“There is no question these rodenticides can cause harm in someone who misuses them, but are we prepared to ban them entirely and allow rodents, mice, and other vermin to destroy 25 percent of our food stocks; the way they do throughout the rest of the world?” asks a senior fellow with the National Center for Policy Analysis.

Those who have studied the effects of the EPA’s proposed ban, say that the agency’s plan could also have a profound effect, on the public’s health and safety. They warn that the ban may force people to rely on products, from an alternate class of rodenticides, which may have no known antidote. The proposed plan could also force consumers to avoid treating their homes, unless they can afford to hire a pest control professional; to deal with a rodent invasion. Because some families do not have the addition income, that would allow them to afford an exterminator, they may have to endure a rodent outbreak; without treating it. You can imagine how this would eventually lead, to serious health concerns.

Opposition to the EPA ban says that the agency is formulating it’s decision, on a data that was relevant between 1993 and 2008. The report said that the American Association of Poison Control Centers, received 12,000 to 15,000 reports of rat and mouse poison exposures each year, regarding children under 6 years old. Improper use or lack of parental supervision, the opposition says, is not a good enough reason to ban such useful product; from the marketplace.  They fear is that the people living in poverty, will be the ones most adversely affected by the proposed ban. With professional exterminators likely being too expensive for them to hire, there is a higher propensity for them to be afflicted by rodent problems, and the most likely candidates for serious health issues.

Related articles

• NPMA Estimates 21 Million Rodents Are Seeking Food & Shelter (blogpestcontrol.com)
• How much of a Pie Chart Looks Like Pac-Man per Matt Cutts? (dreamsystemsmedia.com)
• The Key to Great Rodent IPM, presented by Dr. Bobby Corrigan (bugoffpest.wordpress.com)

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Don’t invite these pest over for Thanksgiving!

The National Pest Management Association continues to warn homeowners, that when the temperatures outside turn cooler, an estimated twenty-one million rodents will begin their search for warmth, water, food and shelter; to wait-out the long and cold winter months. Ideally, they will be looking to the cozy homes, offices, buildings and structures, across most of the United States and North America.

Pest management experts and industry professionals have identified garages and basements, as ideal targets for rats and mice, looking to invade homes and businesses. Smaller rodents like mice, require only a quarter of an inch, to enter a home, structure or dwelling. This means that determined rodents can gain entry through cracks in the foundation, air conditioner and dryer vents, pipes; or gaps in electrical wiring. In fact, some mice can even push their way through tiny openings, the size of a pencil.

Once inside a warm dwelling, it will not take long for a very serious pest control problem, to develop. Females rodent invaders can give birth to a litter of five to ten mice, every thirty days, and they breed all year-round. Furthermore, because some rats and mice are carriers of disease, like salmonella and hantavirus, the real danger comes when rodent droppings begin to collect; and must be safely removed from the home.

Using a vacuum (Shop Vac or like appliance), homeowners must collect all of the rat and/or mouse droppings they have discovered, and discard them outdoors; far away from the dwelling. Pest management officials warn that whoever will be responsible for collecting and disposing of the rodent droppings, should wear a protective mask, to avoid breathing in the associated fumes. This precautionary measure is especially important, if anyone who is coming into contact with the rodent droppings, suffers from asthma; or any other kind of related respiratory issue.

Related articles

• 9 Cheap Ways To Keep Your Home Pest-Free This Winter (businessinsider.com)
• DIY Pest Control to Prevent Pest Control Problems This Fall (blogpestcontrol.com)
• Limitations of lab mice reveal limits of science (caritasestveritas.wordpress.com)
• Infestation nation: Why Britain is being overrun by pests (independent.co.uk)

Cuban scientists believe they have discovered a major breakthrough in the fight against Cancer.  Vidatox, a homeopathic product derived from the venom of “Red Scorpions” (Rhopalurus junceus), has shown promising results from 15 years of research.  The medication is designed to be an anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor agent, and has been effective as such on more than 15 various cancer cell lines.  Over 5,000 Red Scorpions have been used to develop and produce Vidatox.  Now that manipulation of the natural scorpion venom has been perfected, researchers plan to explore synthetic versions of the toxin.

The Rhopalurus junceus or “Red Scorpions” are indigenous to Cuba and known to have moderate toxicity levels.  While people are regularly stung in Cuba and Haiti, very few deaths have been reported due to negative, allergic reactions.  The Red Scorpion is also one of the few scorpion species that is known to make an audible sound when disturbed.

Vidatox Medicine Made of Scorpion Venom

Where to buy Scorpion Venom as Medicine AKA Vidatox?

We haven’t quite discovered this out yet, but Vidatox is already a registered product and shipments are set to go out to countries in Europe and South America.

Can I Sell Scorpion Venom?

Maybe.  Considering that the market price of scorpion venom is at $38 million per gallon, it would certainly be nice.

The most venomous and dangerous scorpion in the United States is the Bark Scorpion and is primarily found in the southwestern, desert regions of the country.  The Bark Scorpions is also commonly known as the Arizona Bark Scorpion.  Because of the extreme heat, Phoenix scorpion control companies battle numerous scorpion cases for the better part of six months every year.  Maybe these little critters can start working for us from now on.

Scientists are also exploring various ways scorpion venom can be used in common, every day life.  For example, venom is being altered and tested as an actual pesticide to combat household pests.  Venom is also being developed into variations of morphine that may potentially be used in the medical field.  That almost makes a trip to ER worth it.

“Nurse!  I need 50 CCs of scorpion venom, STAT!”

Bed Bug feeding on human

Today is the start of the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Bed Bug Summit in Washington DC. The government sponsored 2-day event will discuss regulation, research and prevention on a national level for multiple industries. This is the EPA‘s second such conference in two years, as the first was held in 2009 in Virginia.

Bed bug summits have become an event of high demand lately. In September of 2010, the first ever North American Bed Bug Summit took place in Chicago. With a more traditional summit atmosphere, bed bug experts and professionals gathered to discuss the ever-growing problem that continues to plague major cities and small towns across the county. Consider these summits to be the Super Bowls of bed bug extermination.

So what’s in the playbook? ABC News reported the agenda in Chicago consisted of seminars focused on detection and treatment. Vendors from all over the nation were on site with their anti-bed bug products. For example, on display was an air tight bag designed to seal your laundry during travel, after-which dissolves in the washer, eliminating the risk of opening the bag and letting those little critters escape. Seems like a good idea!

If you haven’t experienced bed bugs first hand, count yourself lucky. ABC also reported that at least 5 states have actually solicited help from the Department of Defense, which gives a whole new meaning to “national security”. I would love to be there for that mission. “Lock and load! Weapons are hot!” right before they bust down the doors to little Jimmy’s room and secure the area. We have veterans here in the company, so our respect goes out to all the men and women that keep us safe.

While we do no target bed bugs specifically, we do advise proper prevention and detection before hiring a professional to service your residence. Bed bug sniffing dogs are a unique and effective way to determine the presence and severity of any infestation.  To our Arizona neighbors and businesses, we recommend AJ and his trusty dog Marcie, over at K9 Bedbug Inspections.

Recently I had the distinct pleasure of having to make an emergency stop into a tire shop during the middle of a very busy day. No, it wasn’t for white wall weevils infesting the new Good Years just shipped in but my tires were showing severe wear & I was afraid to go one more mile before having them changed. Now it was a very interesting day let alone expensive but as with everything that comes along in my life I try to learn something positive so at the very least I can count all things a ‘plus’ for me and not a negative. This is what my day at the tire store revealed to me.

While waiting for my service I went through 15 cups of coffee and about an hour and a 1/2 of the ‘How thing’s were made’ marathon on the eh emm, free TV in the lobby. The first was how fortune cookies were made and let me just say there are more lottery winners with fortune cookie numbers than anything else so I may just try and forget what I know about bugs and Chinese restaurants to get some of that action. The rest of what I watched was how to make a cheeseburger and the show took you through each ingredient from start to finish and I found it fascinating. What struck me the most was the amount of thinking that goes into even the simplest things and the technology to ensure that each onion, burger pattie, bun and even ketchup was PERFECT and has no varying characteristic in it so that each time you bite into a burger, it’s always the same. A quick example was the ketchup testing lady who measures the viscosity of every batch that gets made. YES that’s right, I said viscosity, determined by the ketchup’s velocity- I mean there’s nothing worse than runny ketchup on a burger is there? This of course got me to thinking about pest control products- I mean isn’t that a normal transition? (well maybe just for me)

Why is it that every pint of Suspend SC or bucket of Boric Acid you buy is exactly the same every time? Much like the ketchup lady there are years of testing and millions of dollars that have gone into getting every detail exactly right and making it duplicatable. Now let’s go one further because we all know the ‘cide’ at the end of any word means to kill and if any aspect of pest control needs to be scrutinized, logic would say this would be the most critical area of concern. To begin with not any old pesticide can just be made up in the garage and put out on the market. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) is in charge of setting standards for testing pesticides under the FIFRA Act (Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide) and Toxic Substance Control Act, TSCA. Now the EPA doesn’t do all the said testing per se but sets what is called “Good Lab Practices” which the firms testing a pesticide must adhere to and any deviation or failed test is always met with lengthy, expensive retesting which averages out to about 10 years for final approval and a registration number. Now I tried to do due diligence with research on this subject to give you what I could but found the whole subject ruled by braniac’s far to smart for me. These are of course the same types of smart people who write our labels for how to properly use the final product and I have a pretty strong opinion on that you can read here, but I digress. Here are just a few things which the pesticides you buy and use are tested for and the purpose or goal of such testing.

Acute Oral Lethality, Acute Dermal Lethality, Acute Inhalation Lethality, Primary Dermal Irritation, Dermal Sensitization, Primary Ocular Irritation, Acute Delayed Neurotoxicity, 21 Day Dermal Exposure, 90 Day Dermal Exposure, 90 Day Feeding Study, 90 Day Inhalation Exposure, 90 Day Neurotoxicity Assessment, Chronic Feeding Study, Oncoginicity Study, Teratogenicity Study, Reproduction Study, Gene Mutation, Chromosomal Aberration Studies, Other Genotoxic Effects, General Metabolism and Domestic Animal Safety.

Now these test do not include the barrage of environmental studies but it took over 485 pages to just explain the scope of this list so I think you get the picture here. The goal of the testing is just as lofty in it’s explanation.

As defined by Hayes (1975), toxicology is “the qualitative and especially the quantitative study of the injurious effects of chemical and physical agents, as observed in alterations in structure and response in living systems; it includes the application of the findings of these studies to the evaluation of safety and to the prevention of injury to humans and all useful forms of life.”

So while this is all pretty impressive what does this mean to you and to I? While the world screams foul and greed to the big chemical companies of the world, insecticides are perhaps the most tested substances known to man. This does not ensure 100% safety because it does come down to the applicator but it should at least put to rest some fears that these products in and of themselves are not evil or oozing contamination and injury just by existing. Pair up these pest control products with a professional technician who undergoes rigorous testing of another kind and you have the makings of a very uniform, reliable and effective service that will keep you and your family bug free. Pesticides are made to benefit mankind and have been so for many years and are only getting better. So the next time you’re waiting for that ketchup to slowly pour out of the bottle you can thank the ketchup velocity lady for that very predictable result and just as well, the next time you have a serious pest control issue and pesticides need to be used. You can thank your chemical manufacturers and the tech who applied it professionally to kill those bugs.

Jerry Schappert

The Bug Doctor

*Thoughts and ideas expressed in this article are that of the author.

You may call them winter pest. You may call them holiday visitors. We call them seasonal invaders. They are the bugs and insects that strike when the cold weather approaches.  These winter visitors seek the warmth and comfort of your beautiful home.  Crawling in every crack and crevasse they can to escape the pending winter. They include pests such as spiders, crickets, centipedes, millipedes, springtails and mice.  All of these pests are known to invade your home during those months that most people consider to have low pest activity.

It is true that many pests die off for the winter, or go into hibernation, or retreat to their winter forts, such as ants.  But there are many pests that would rather not take a winter vacation.  Instead they fly, crawl, or jump to the more tropical weather provided by the shelter you know as your house.  For this reason, residential pest control shouldn’t be skipped for the winter months.  There are in wall treatments that can be done, or other exterior fortifications that should be applied to keep your home bug free all year long.  Skipping service for a few months could mean that spring cleaning will be even more intense.  And in certain areas, like Tulsa, OK, this letting down of your bug guard could mean letting in the local brown recluse.  And fall is certainly still high scorpion activity.  Is it really worth risking your family’s safety by letting your pest control maintenance slip for a month or two?

Ideally, you should continue to have your home treated even when you believe that all the pests are taking a winter break.  Just like cleaning out your garage, its best to keep it clean and not let the clutter biuld up again.

After a recent visit from an exterminator declaring they were indeed infested with bed bugs the Wilmington Fire Station threw out mattresses, upholstered furniture and carpets, anything that might be housing the bed bugs.   And these little blood suckers cost more then a few drops of blood.  The total cost to the fire station was over $5000 between the loss of the furniture and the pest controller’s bill of $800+.

ABC reported on the matter first.  Also citing a CDC saying bedbugs are up by 500% over the last few years.  Considering that bed bugs had been virtually eradicated from the US over 20 years ago, that number doesn’t do the Bed Bug epidemic justice.

Fortunately doctors still have not found any serious health risks associated with bedbugs or the spread of disease through bedbugs.

Interesting points specifically about this bed bug case – Was it really necessary to throw out all the furniture?

Perhaps not, but throwing away old mattresses that need to be replaced anyways will certainly help cure a bed bug problem.  Perhaps consumers should consider the old adage, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

And prevention is easy.  A proper mattress cover will thwart any attacks made by bedbugs on your resting place. Yes, it really is that simple.  No need to pay $300 per room as some exterminators quote for bedbug treatments.

Get a mattress cover today so you can rest easy… pun intended.

Yes it seems that the Wall Street Journal hit the nail on the head.  Even the big dogs in pest control are moving toward green pest control options.  In fact, the world’s largest pest control service now offers an All Natural pest control product.  Apparently they have been testing out different products and have found one they are happy with.  They even appear to have beat out the other large national competitors. Green is the thing.

All of this goes to show that Bulwark is still ahead of the curve.  As featured in the Wall Street Journal, Bulwark not only offers an All Natural Pest Control solution, but the customers on the service are happy with the service.  And the regular service that Bulwark offers is still the same low impact pest control solution that Bulwark has always promoted. As Bulwark’s executive put it:

When it comes to safety, Bulwark puts its technicians and employees first.  I know that may sound a little backwards since I said the technicians safety is my primary focus, but let me explain. I am most concerned about the technicians health as they are the individuals most exposed to the products.  I read the labels and MSDS for the pest products.  I have even gone beyond the MSDS of the product and into the MSDS records of the ingredients.  I have opted not use all natural products that contain silica due to research from other industries on this organic ingredient… Once I am satisfied that my technician’s health will be fine with products we use then in turn I know that the customers, their families, and their pets will be okay.

Bulwark’s leader puts it the best, if the technician is safe then customers will be as well, its the natural result of doing what’s best for everyone.

Ask for Bulwark’s All Natural Pest Control Service

Manitoba Health concludes that the numbers of Culex tarsalis mosquitoes,  mosquitoes known for carrying the West Nile Virus, are beginning to increase. The adult mosquito population is contingent on weather and pest control remedies. The weather will determine if their is enough moisture for the mosquitoes to reproduce. If the temperatures stay hot, and rains decline, allowing for  groundwater levels to fall then the normal water puddles and pools will dry kiling off the mosquitoes’ offspring. Pest control actions we take around our homes and properties to eliminate or treat stagnant waters used by mosquitoes will also determine severity of mosquito bites.  Quick tip, Mosquito Dunks are one of the best pest solutions for controlling mosquitoes in water bodies found around homes and property. As mosquitoes often don’t fall under the normal pest control service protection plans, you will want to apply these remedies yourself.

Mosquitoes do pose a health risk.  In fact, Salt Lake is reporting that mosquitoes in Utah county are indeed infected with West Nile virus, and while there are no infected humans at this point individuals should use repellent. Bug spray is especially important to apply after sunset, when mosquitoes carrying West Nile emerge.  Of the 2008 incidents in Utah none were fatal, and of 2007 incidents 2 were fatal.

So for your own safety: USE BUG REPELLENT WHEN OUTDOORS.

Green Pest Control – Dallas TX Conference

Green is the thing especially during Green week. The yellow brick road is now green. Pest control is no different. Green Pest control is the new buzz. But what does it mean? What is green pest control?

Is the pest control company green or are they just “Green Washing” ?

This brings back memories of the 80’s “Light” craze. Everything was going “Lite”, “Light food”, “Lite Beer”, “Lite Cheese”, stick a light label on it and it was hot. It’s the “New and Improved” sells pitch. Or try “No Calories” for water that never had calories. “Fat Free” gelatins, no fat all sugar. “Reduced Fat Mayo” sure you’ve gone down in fat nano grams, but shouldn’t you just skip the mayo all together? We went through and are still suffering from the “Low-Carb” label. From craze, rave, wave, to the grave. The problem with the newest fad is that being new makes it unknown and the results unsure. Fortunately the rage that is worthwhile leaves its everlasting impression. And we believe that green means better, better for you and better for the earth.

“Greener is Cleaner”

The problem still remains, “What is Green Pest Control?”

Unfortunately after day 1 of The Green Pest Management Conference, there is still no concrete answer. Being green is still too new for most of the pest control industry. The best way to say it is that Green comes in shades. There is the “100% Organic group”, the “All Naturals”, and the much looser “Mix and Match”. More of a hybrid approach.

Bulwark’s stance, forget the label and the hype, we know and have always known that the customer wants the most effective and the safest pest control solution. If you label green as using the most effective solution with the least amount of exposure to families, children, pets, water, and the environment then you can label Bulwark Green. Bulwark began its service with an in-wall treatment plan, no baseboard spraying, and using products that had been used and proven in agriculture pest control. Bulwark was one of the first pest control companies to feature EcoSmart products. Bulwark has always been aware of a customers concern about the safety of their family. Bulwark has always tried to do what we feel is best for the environment. Call it what you want. If you ask me, yes were are green, always have been a shade of green,… and a very dark green if you look at the logo…

and getting greener.

Always moving, always improving. Or as our employees have so lovingly phrased it, “Bulwark means Change” … The world is evolving, shouldn’t your pest control?