As we start the New Year, many changes have occurred but the one thing that we can always count on is bed bugs! As we all know, bed bugs aren't a seasonal problem or industry problem; it's a human problem. Bed bugs have been found not only in homes and hotels but also at airports, movie theaters, libraries, office buildings, restaurants, hospitals and anywhere else a human can go. According…
As incidents of bed bug infestations have risen over the past decade, the training and usage of dogs to detect them has also increased. These blood sucking insects are extremely difficult to see, and often are a very light color and no larger than a sesame seed at most stages of development. Hence, a non-visually focused detection method such as dogs is a good idea. Click below to read points…
University of Florida researchers did a study on the ability of trained canines to detect live bed bugs and their eggs. Dogs were able to reliably detect the presence of bed bugs vs. other insects with a positive accuracy rate of 97.5% and no false positives. The dogs also were able to reliably distinguish between live bed bugs and eggs, and dead bed bugs, feces, and cast skins with a…
American summers: beaches, sun, and now bed bugs. In fact, 66% of pest control professional reported that bed bugs are worse in the summer compared to other seasons. And whether you manage hotels, multi-family, commercial offices or other types of property, your building will most likely come into contact with this pest. Bed bugs are great hitchhikers, commonly taking rides on clothing, suitcases, and even cars/buses to their next destination. Given such,…
The phrase... "Information is Power" could not be more true today than ever...would you agree? It certainly was true yesterday as I received two phone calls between 4pm - 6pm, both requesting our canine bed bug inspections at Class A commercial offices in the Chicagoland area (one in Chicago & one in the Chicago suburbs), Both property managers had received complaints of bed bugs found or suspected in a tenant's…
As National Emergency Preparedness Month comes to a close this Friday, I can’t help but wonder how many emergency plans were reviewed, updated, and implemented this September by property managers, and their tenants. Like many of you, I have recently received email newsletters from real estate management associations promoting building safety plans, human health and safety plans, and even power outage plans. Unfortunately, our company experienced our own emergency only…
Bed Bug Newest Summer Travel Companion American summers: beaches, sun, and now bed bugs. According to the National Pest Management Association's 2015 Bugs Without Borders 66% of pest control professional reported that bed bugs are worse in the summer compared to other seasons. And whether you manage hotels, multi-family, commercial offices or other types of property, your building will most likely come into contact with this pest. Bed bug infestations spread…
I recently had lunch with an experienced property manager of a class A-commercial office building located in the Chicago suburbs. I was looking forward to catching up with my client on the usual items including, family, work, upcoming vacations, etc. However, within minutes of meeting at the restaurant I realized this would be a much different meeting. One of my additional goals for this particular meeting was to discuss a…
One would think that the potential for bed bugs in office buildings would be extremely low, given the lack of, well, beds. Unfortunately, that’s not what pest professionals in the field are encountering. In fact, a 2011 survey from the National Pest Management Association noted that the “most striking result in this year’s survey is the spread of bed bugs from housing to less ‘conventional’ settings” and that the percentage of respondents…
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