Bed bugs continue to be the most difficult pest to treat according to the 2018 Bugs Without Borders survey. The complex treatment protocols needed for bed bug infestations may include application of a combination of heat and chemicals, while the service itself is highly laborious. Depending upon the extent...
The goal of public housing is to provide a suitable living environment for qualified, low-income families. Public housing currently serves about 1.2 million households. A Rutgers study recently concluded that in the state of New Jersey, one in eight low-income apartments had bed bugs, and half the time the...
It’s easy to get caught up in the intricacies of bed bug work, focusing on the details of the treatment protocol including finding the right product mix. Often, we are so immersed that we lose sight of the basic facts we know about the target pest and the knowledge we can offer for control. Let’s get back...
The National Pest Management Association’s annual gathering of pest management professionals for PestWorld 2017 took place this year in Baltimore, Maryland during the week of October 24, 2017. PestWorld always proves to be a great opportunity to network with other pest professionals, manufacturers,...
Just as with other pests in our industry, a mind shift occurs at some point for us to transition from offering reactionary measures to preventive ones. Think back about termites. Many doubted that customers would consider paying for monitoring or prevention methods to avoid an infestation. Nonetheless,...
Product manufacturers and Pest Management Professionals [PMP] typically advance the narrative that mattress encasements serve a role in bed bug prevention. While encasements serve as a tool in the PMP’s tool box for assisting in the prevention of progression of bed bugs by limiting their ingress and...
Bed bugs continue to be the most difficult pest to treat according to the 2015 Bugs Without Borders survey. The complex treatment protocols needed for bed bug infestations may include application of a combination of heat and chemicals, while the service itself is highly laborious. Depending upon the extent...
Assisted Living facilities are very unique environments where occupants live in close proximity, visitors and workers come and go and most residents lead a rather sedentary lifestyle. All of these factors put assisted living facilities at high-risk for a bed bug infestation.
Bed bugs may be introduced...
Multi-occupant dwelling living environments can create a perfect storm for the establishment of bed bug infestations. However, colleges and universities offer an especially unique situation. Not only is the living environment itself very different than standard residential sites but many factors must be...
Every expert will agree that early detection of a bed bug introduction is beneficial. Uncovering a problem early makes for a swifter and less harrowing treatment experience. There are a large variety of inspection tools available in the marketplace today with new ones constantly being introduced. A...
Spring travel season is upon us! Millions of travelers will hit the open road or fly the friendly skies over the next six weeks. According to a recent study by Allianz Global Assistance, the top domestic destinations for Spring Break 2017 include typical warm weather spots such as Florida, Nevada, Texas...
If you follow bed bug news like we do then you may begin to notice that bed bug lawsuits are taking over your news feed. As if social media reports weren’t enough ‘salt in the wound’ of a hotelier, landlord or assisted living facility director, now victims are turning to bed bug attorneys seeking...
Although bed bugs have been around for nearly 3,500 years how we manage and control them is constantly evolving. Since their resurgence in the late 1990’s we have seen a large array of chemicals, treatment methods and monitoring devices come and go. On the other hand, some products are standing the test...
Dr. Susan Jones of The Ohio State University speaks at the Global Bed Bug Summit
Industry experts convened in Indianapolis, IN from November 30 – December 2, 2016 to share the latest bed bug research and control strategies at this year’s Global Bed Bug Summit hosted biennially by the National Pest...
Pest Management Professionals from all over the world gathered in Seattle, WA the week of October 18th 2016 to attend PestWorld 2016. The annual National Pest Management Association Convention drew thousands of pest professionals, manufacturers, distributors and others who provide products or services to...
Bed bugs are an elusive pest. They have been known to infest a five-star resort just as easily as they can a roadside motel. And they continue to expand into all aspects of human society putting increased pressure on hotels, office buildings, homeowners, movie theaters and more. It’s true, bed bugs...
Bedbugs are wingless insects that feed on the blood of humans and other warm-blooded mammals. They made a comeback in the 1990’s and have been in the news ever since. Infestations are reported across the country without discrimination, hitting pristine ivy-league dormitories as well as aging state...
Jim Ballard
11 May 2016
Two years ago, you made the pro-active decision to put an ActiveGuard® Mattress Liner on your mattress or box spring so that you would not have a bed bug problem. Given all the traveling you have been doing, your concern over using public transportation and possibly your...
Bed bugs prefer spaces where people sleep and relax for extended periods of time. Close living quarters can easily spread a bed bug infestation making college dorms prime targets. If your student isn't careful, these bed bugs can even stow away on clothing or furniture and return home as an uninvited...
Bed bugs are opportunistic insects that hide by day and seek out their next blood meal at night. They hide in cracks and crevices around sleeping areas, within a person’s belongings, on public transportation and in the soft cushions of movie theaters, awaiting their next host. Studies have shown that...
Bed bugs are opportunistic insects that hide by day and seek out their next blood meal at night. They hide in cracks and crevices around sleeping areas, within a person’s belongings, on public transportation and in the soft cushions of movie theaters, awaiting their next host. Studies have shown that...
Bed bugs continue to make headlines across the United States. Reports show that infestations are substantially increasing in busy cities and popular travel destinations such as New York City. Ensure that you have the facts to protect yourself from this commonly encountered pest.
Read on for our second...
Feb 5th, 2016 by Jim Ballard
Resistance is the development the ability to tolerate larger and larger doses of an insecticide within a strain of insects. A good summary of this concept and how it works may be found in Pest Control Technology magazine published in Oct of 2013.
Earlier this year, a...
Bed bugs topped the list of the most searched for pests in 2015 according to PestWorld, the website that represents the National Pest Management Association. Web users will find there is no shortage of information or news available on the subject matter of bed bugs on the Internet. So, how does a...
Bed bugs are one of those elusive, mysterious pests that people don’t quite understand. This commonly encountered pest can easily be brought into a home or business regardless of a person or business’ best efforts. And, while the Internet is full of advice on how to avoid them, some of this advice is...
Each year bed bugs affect millions of people in the United States alone. And these critters do not discriminate. They can be found in luxury homes, low-income apartments, hotels, movie theatres, schools, shelters, department stores and nearly anywhere people frequent. Bed bugs feed on warm-blooded mammals,...
Bed bugs! Do you fear the blood-sucking pest may invade your home? New Yorkers certainly do as bed bugs were listed #32 on the list of New Yorkers’ Worst Fears. But, is the fear of bed bugs among the average homeowner or apartment dweller real or unfounded? Do bed bugs really only lurk in seedy motels and...
Hi, I’m Patty! I am your typical suburban wife and mom to three college-aged boys. And so, as the spring semester winds down I prepare my home (and my mind too) for the return of my boys from college and internships this year. I’m not going to lie, bed bugs are right up there on my list of concerns. You...
The release of Dr. Susan Jones’ newest article, entitled “Sublethal Effects of ActiveGuard Exposure on Feeding Behavior and Fecundity of the Bed Bug (Hemiptera: Cimicidae)” sheds new and exciting light on the underlying mechanism(s) at the heart of ActiveGuard® Mattress Liner’s ability to prevent and...
It’s so exciting to see research published on data we have been expecting to be released for some time; even highly resistant bed bugs lay markedly fewer eggs when exposed to ActiveGuard® Mattress Liners. This latest research from Dr. Susan Jones (The Ohio State University) may be actually considered...
Recently, Philadelphia has been named the 11th best city on the planet by the IESE Business School...
A negative experience by a guest, like uncovering bed bugs, can quickly go one of two ways: it can be a non-event if handled correctly or it can turn into a public relations nightmare resulting in your appearance on the local news, bedbugregistry.com and tripadvisor.com. Bed bugs are unquestionably one of...
Bed bugs were reportedly found at numerous Cleveland area hotels. To prevent & control Bed Bugs, Allergy Technologies recommends an active mattress liner.
The Republican National Committee recently announced that the 2016 Republican National Convention will be held in Cleveland. Winning the convention...
Just when you thought you had the bed bug problem under control they come back…again! What is going on? If bed bugs are back, is it because they were never eliminated in the first place? Or, has there been a new introduction of bed bugs? Regardless, the objective is to eliminate the bed bug...
Allergy Technologies, makers of ActiveGuard® Mattress Liners, a revolutionary mattress and box spring cover that kills bed bugs, was the Platinum Sponsor at last week’s Global Bed Bug Summit. Approximately 400 of the country’s leading pest management professionals, researchers and manufacturers were in...
Allergy Technologies LLC recently announced the offering of its ‘Free Liner Trial Program’ enabling pest management professionals (PMPs) to evaluate ActiveGuard® Mattress Liners in real world applications. ActiveGuard® Mattress Liners are currently the only EPA-registered bedding product available on the...
Controlling bed bug infestations in a hoarder situation can be extremely challenging. By definition, “a hoarder is a person who accumulates things and hides them away for future use; someone who collects things that have been discarded by others.”1
Bed bugs prefer to harbor close to their hosts and...
Bed bugs were found infesting the Department of Social Services in Winston Salem, North Carolina. Anyone that came into contact with bed bugs should take proactive steps to protect themselves before an infestation can start. Allergy Technologies recommends an active mattress liner that kills bed bugs.
The...
Bed bugs were reportedly found at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. In order to kill bed bugs before an infestation can start, Allergy Technologies recommends an ‘active mattress liner’ that kills bed bugs.
Naval Academy spokesman Cmdr. John Schofield has confirmed that bed bugs have...
There couldn't be a better living environment for a bed bug infestation than a college dormitory. College housing with high numbers of students packed into small living quarters, all coming from different parts around the world offers a perfect scenario for the introduction and establishment of bed bugs.
Several news agencies including the New York Daily News recently reported that at least three ‘N’ Line subway trains were taken out of service earlier this month and sent for fumigation due to bed bugs. Allergy Technologies LLC, manufacturer of ActiveGuard® Mattress Liners, recommends preventative steps for...
Assisted living and nursing home facilities often pose a difficult scenario in the control and prevention of bed bugs. An outbreak can leave a permanent scar on the home’s reputation. No person wants their loved ones, who may already be sick and ailing, to be subjected to the indignity and mental anguish of...
Could the seemingly innocent act of using public transportation end in a full blown bed bug infestation in your home? Unfortunately, it is possible. Despite their name, bed bugs will infest any area that allows them access to a blood meal. And busy taxis, buses, planes and other means of transportation...
Bed bugs are a serious concern these days. A recent survey released by the National Pest Management Association reported that one out of five Americans has had a bed bug infestation in their home or knows someone who has encountered bed bugs at home or in a hotel. Whether you have an active infestation or...
Encountering a bed bug infestation in a hospital is not uncommon. According to a survey of 4,500 Pest Management Professionals conducted in 2010, 31% of them reported bed bug infestations in hospitals, up from 12% a year ago.
A hospital, with the constant flux of patients, employees, staff and visitors...
Some experts believe that bed bugs are more active in the summer months. With summer being prime vacation time that certainly presents the opportunity for increased travel. Bed bugs are notorious hitchhikers and increased travel undoubtedly offers heightened opportunities to transport and pickup bed bugs....
The Common Bed Bug is a member of the arthropod family; they are small, oval- shaped insects with 6 legs, one pair of antenna, and no wings. Bed bugs are red to brown in color and very flat, unless they have fed which will make them look rounded. In addition to the adults, there are 5 progressively smaller...
With spring break upon us, students across the country are packing up and heading out for a glorious week of fun in the sun, or maybe just a little rest and relaxation back home. While parents may have a long list of spring break concerns already, bed bugs are one that may not be on the top of their minds....
Business trips, vacations, students coming back and forth from school, weekend getaways, summer camps, visits to grandma at her assisted living facility, sleep-overs for the kids… all of these ordinary travel events used to be greeted with casual anticipation. However, with the dramatic uptick in bed bug...
Bed bugs have been a pest of significance for literally thousands of years. This nocturnal parasite feeds on our blood, causing itchy bites and irritation not to mention great mental anxiety to us, their human hosts. While they have not been found to transmit disease, they are an important public health...
You should always inspect a hotel room whenever traveling. As a recent study has uncovered, a five-star luxury resort or a roadside stop can be stricken with a bed bug infestation. It is wise to inspect the room prior to unpacking so that you are not fed upon by bed bugs and you do not bring bed bugs home...
One of the many options that Pest Management Professionals (PMPs) have in their treatment of bed bug infestations is to use a heat program (either electric or propane based). While heat is a great option to treat for bed bugs and effectively eliminate the bed bug infestation, one of the drawbacks is that...
Although bed bugs are not known to transmit disease, they are a pest of significant public health importance. Bed bugs violate our most personal space; our beds and our homes. The pain, suffering, and emotional distress following a bed bug infestation is a serious side effect that is often overlooked.
...
As the saying goes an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. And there is no better advice when it comes to bed bugs. This is one difficult pest to treat, even for a pest management professional. As a student living away from home or a parent of one, you want to educate yourself on ways in which you...
By: Joseph Latino
In the business of pest management time is money. Owners look to reduce costs by finding efficient routes, decreasing time on the job, eliminating the need for more than one technician on the job and reducing callbacks as best they can. Bed bug work is even more labor intensive than...
By: Jim Ballard
Progress is slowly being made in terms of identifying those products that are actually changing the landscape of bed bug treatments. Changing the landscape means that the product is a top performing product compared to similar products and resistance in bed bug populations does not...
by Jim Ballard 29 Jul 2013
Behavioral Responses of the Bed Bug to Permethrin-Impregnated ActiveGuard® Fabric
Five populations of bed bugs were exposed to the untreated and permethrin impregnated fabric (ActiveGuard®). No repellency was noted based upon video tracking data. In another test, after only...
The common bed bug has long been a pest by feeding on blood, causing itchy bites and causing irritation and mental anxiety to their human hosts. While they have not been found to transmit disease, they are an important public health pest.
The best way to determine whether or not you have bed bugs is to...
The ActiveGuard Mattress Liner is a polyester fabric formed in the shape of a fitted sheet. The elastic edges of the active liner are tucked under the mattress or box spring upon which it is placed. The ActiveGuard Mattress Liner is impregnated with 1.64% permethrin and kills bed bugs. There is only one...
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